photo by: Carter Gaskins/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes during practice on Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Lawrence.

Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels may have been watching a little Lawrence High School film.

At least that’s the impression he gave at Big 12 media days last week, when he suggested that “Devin Neal was basically a receiver in high school, for real.” That may have been a bit of an exaggeration given that, for example, Neal ran for 1,687 yards as a high school junior — but it was one with some basis in reality, as he did indeed line up in diverse spots on the field and rack up 520 receiving yards and six touchdowns that same season.

Daniels believes that particular asset in Neal’s skill set could lend itself well to what new offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes wants to do with KU’s offense.

“He was a running back, but he was out there at the slot and wideout a lot (in high school),” Daniels said. “So I ain’t going to say that’s going to happen, but no spoiler alert or anything like that, but we’ll be able to see a lot of playmakers in positions that you haven’t seen them in a couple years.”

The offseason has featured an ongoing adaptation process of KU’s playmakers to Grimes’ preferences and, reciprocally, of Grimes to KU’s existing scheme. The former BYU and Baylor coordinator has said he doesn’t want to uproot a system that was already successful and that his process has even been informed by conversations with previous OC Andy Kotelnicki, who departed for Penn State after the regular season.

“I’ve done everything I can to try to learn and come in and be a part of what’s already been successful,” he said during the spring, “and try to make it a little better.”

Spring practice had already featured discussions about the implementation of, for example, a bit more pro-style action with quarterbacks lining up under center, among other Grimes tendencies.

But at Big 12 media days, players and coaches dropped additional hints about what exactly Grimes’ improvements might look like, and how the unpredictable offense that has been so key to KU’s rise will continue to surprise in 2024.

“Y’all going to see some sprinkles of a few new things,” Daniels said. “I’m not going to spoil it or anything, but when you see it, you’re going to be like ‘Oh yeah. That’s Kansas football, but that has a little twist to it.'”

Added Leipold: “I feel very confident that our offense will continue to be diverse and multiple in many things that we’re doing, and continue to grow.”

photo by: Chance Parker/Journal-World photo

Kansas running backs Devin Neal (4) and Daniel Hishaw Jr. (20) run through drills during practice at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium on Thursday, March 30, 2023.

• More two-back looks: This is perhaps more a product of personnel than schematic preferences, but Leipold said that because KU is thinner at tight end in Mason Fairchild’s absence (after DeShawn Hanika’s injury, it’s relying on some combination of Trevor Kardell, Jared Casey and Leyton Cure, with a few more pieces in reserve), the Jayhawks could get Neal and Daniel Hishaw Jr. on the field at the same time.

“I think we’re going to be able to play those guys together a little bit more,” Leipold said.

photo by: AP Photo/Colin E. Braley

Kansas head coach Lance Leipold, right, congratulates running back Torry Locklin (12) after Locklin scored a touchdown during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game against Kansas State on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022, in Manhattan.

• Wildcat should continue: On the subject of the power back Hishaw, who (as hard as it may be to believe now) was a high school quarterback, Leipold also noted that he has experience taking snaps and implied he could potentially run out of the Wildcat formation at some point.

“I’m going to say we’ve always got options,” Leipold said.

Torry Locklin, whom Leipold also alluded to, is another former quarterback who filled that role last season, particularly after Jason Bean went down and Cole Ballard was briefly thrust into the starting role, and even after Kotelnicki had suggested publicly that it would be a one-off wrinkle. Instead, it continued, and will seemingly persist even beyond Kotelnicki.

photo by: AP Photo/Colin E. Braley

Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels (6) runs for a first down as BYU defenders Ben Bywater (2) and Jakob Robinson (0) give chase during the first half of an NCAA football game on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023 in Lawrence.

• No end to quarterback runs: The two hot topics of Daniels’ injury status and Grimes’ arrival coalesced into this one frequently discussed point at media days, given that Daniels has been known for quarterback runs in the past and Grimes has not. Leipold suggested that this dual-threat aspect will persist under Grimes.

“We want to make sure our quarterback is a threat,” he said, “because that’s something we’ve been part of.”

As for whether a post-back-injury Daniels is capable of executing in such a fashion, Daniels pointed out that in his three starts last year, when he had already begun dealing with the injury, he didn’t think he played any differently. (He carried the ball 27 times for 74 yards.)

“You can’t go out there and be worried about getting injured,” he said. “That’s how you get injured.”

And Leipold reiterated in no uncertain terms that Daniels will “absolutely” be able to run this year when the situation calls for it.

“There hasn’t been anything said, ‘Hey, he’s going to be able to play, but you got to reduce the quarterback run game,'” Leipold said. “Nobody has said any restrictions … We’re not going to be crazy, we’re going to be smart with him as we go through it.”

What Daniels values about his new offensive coordinator — more than any individual schematic touch — is the level of trust he has placed in his starting quarterback,

“He has given me the keys, basically,” Daniels said, “and said, ‘I have faith and trust and belief in you to be able to make the right play at the right time, so when I give you these plays, here are your options, you have the ability to do this or ability to do that.'”