photo by: AP Photo/Darryl Webb

Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels (6) finds running room against the Arizona State Sun Devils during a NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Tempe, Ariz.

Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels will have his participation limited in the Jayhawks’ upcoming spring practices after a recent “minor knee procedure” that was successful, KU announced on Thursday morning.

The result will be another semi-condensed offseason for the Jayhawks’ sixth-year senior starting quarterback, who did not participate in much of the spring of 2024 as he recovered from a back injury that had caused him to miss the vast majority of the 2023 season.

Granted, Daniels likely won’t be alone, as quite a few of KU’s veteran players in recent years have sat out at least some portion of the spring due to minor injuries, offseason surgeries or even academic conflicts.

But a limited spring will give Daniels fewer repetitions with his new-look group of pass catchers, which will eventually include four transfer wide receivers (Emmanuel Henderson Jr., Cam Pickett and Levi Wentz in the spring, and Bryson Canty once he joins in the summer), one new tight end (Keyan Burnett) and another who missed all of last season due to injury (DeShawn Hanika). In all, the Jayhawks are bringing in 22 transfers to this year’s team, pending any more spring additions.

When Daniels isn’t participating, the battle for reps at backup quarterback between redshirt sophomore and former walk-on Cole Ballard, redshirt freshman Isaiah Marshall and early-enrolling freshman David McComb could take center stage.

Daniels got off to a very slow start to the 2024 campaign, throwing for just five touchdowns and eight interceptions in his first five starts of the year and failing to clear 200 passing yards in any of them. He found his form beginning with KU’s game at Arizona State on Oct. 5 and helped lead the Jayhawks to three consecutive wins over ranked teams. On the season, he threw for 2,454 yards with 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while rushing for a career-high 447 yards and six more touchdowns.

Daniels announced his return to KU for a sixth and final season of collegiate eligibility on Dec. 6.

The next day, KU promoted its quarterbacks coach Jim Zebrowski to offensive coordinator, replacing Jeff Grimes, who left for Wisconsin after one season. Soon after, the Jayhawks hired Matt Lubick as co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach.

KU is expected to begin spring practice on March 2, and eventually conclude it with a Spring Showcase at Rock Chalk Park for the second straight year, this time on April 11.