Kansas Football 2026 Preview: Can Andy Kotelnicki Restore the Jayhawks’ Offense?

Kansas has gone 5-7 in back-to-back seasons, but the record doesn’t tell the whole story. The Jayhawks held fourth-quarter leads in nine of their 14 losses over the last two years, making finishing games one of the defining issues for Lance Leipold’s program. Now, Andy Kotelnicki is back calling the offense, with Cole Ballard and Isaiah Marshall competing at quarterback and speedy Kansas State transfer Dylan Edwards giving him another versatile piece to scheme around. After losing Jalon Daniels, several key running backs and three All-Big 12 offensive linemen, can Kotelnicki recapture some of the magic from his first run in Lawrence?

The defense brings back more experience but needs to generate pressure without constantly exposing the back seven, while depth remains a major concern after Kansas wore down late in games a year ago. Add in a difficult middle stretch featuring Utah, Kansas State, Baylor, TCU and UCF, and the margin for error is thin. We think the Jayhawks can get back into the bowl conversation, but the difference between another 5-7 season and a legitimate step forward may come down to whether they can finally close out the games they’ve spent two years letting slip away. .

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