Let the record show that Isaiah “Zeke” Marshall will be the first quarterback in the post-Jalon Daniels era to start a game for the Jayhawks.
That much we learned on Thursday, when KU confirmed with R1S1 Sports a report by ESPN’s Pete Thamel that Marshall had been named the starter.
The news comes as a small surprise to a large number of Kansas fans, who were expecting KU veteran Cole Ballard to win the job.
KU’s coaches — most notably head coach Lance Leipold and offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki — said throughout the offseason that the QB who showed the most consistency, made the fewest mistakes and demonstrated that he could lead the offense effectively and efficiently would have the edge in the battle.
The coaches also made it clear that they were willing to let the battle play out as long as it needed to until they had a clear answer. Evidently that moment has arrived, eight days before the Jayhawks kick off the 2026 season on Sept. 4 against Long Island at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.
Asked at last week’s KU media day what winning the job would mean to him, Marshall did not shy away from its importance.
“It would mean a lot,” the redshirt sophomore told R1S1 Sports. “It took a lot to come here, just to the process, so I’m gonna keep trusting the process (but) it would mean a lot for sure and I’m gonna do whatever I need to do to help the team.”
So, what does this news mean for the team?
First and foremost, it means that the coaching staff is ready and willing to see if Marshall’s elite athleticism and ability to make plays with his legs and arm can make KU’s offense an explosive one.
“It would mean a lot. It took a lot to come here, just to the process, so I’m gonna keep trusting the process (but) it would mean a lot for sure and I’m gonna do whatever I need to do to help the team.”
— KU QB Isaiah Marshall when asked last week what it would mean to be named the Jayhawks' starter
Known throughout his high school career in Detroit as a gamer who made plays however he had to in the biggest moments of the biggest games, the 6-foot, 210-pound Marshall does not figure to be shy about trying to make those same types of plays here.
“I do like that tag,” Marshall said of being called a gamer. “I feel like I am a gamer, and I feel like I can make plays.”
Clearly, the KU coaches believe that he can do that while still operating within the framework of what they want to do as an offense. And, armed with some legitimate weapons around him all over the field — especially at running back — Marshall should be a nice fit for what we know of what Kotelnicki likes to do as a play caller. In short, anything and everything is now on the table.
In order to keep the job, Marshall will have to be accurate with the ball and make good, consistent decisions when he airs it out. But the fact that they have announced him as the starter with still a week to go before the season opener is an indication of just how strong of a camp he had.
Many people following the battle felt that Ballard opened camp with a slight lead over Marshall for the starting nod. But the coaches said all along that they’d let it play out and make their pick when the full body of work was in front of them. And Marshall obviously did enough to earn their trust.
Now, however, the whole thing starts over again, and Marshall knows that.
“I try not to get too ahead of myself because, at the end of the day, I still haven’t played a game yet,” he noted last week. “So, I’m gonna worry about the first game and going game by game and how we can win.”
In addition to what it means for the offense on the field, this decision also means that Kansas enters the season with a solid back-up.
I don’t think that can be overlooked here.
Ballard has proven throughout his KU career that he is a capable QB and one who is both highly intelligent and highly committed to putting the team first in every situation.
While he no doubt is disappointed about not winning the job, you can expect Ballard to continue to be the steady force for this offense and team, both as a quarterback and a leader, that he has been throughout his time in Lawrence.
Just Wednesday night, Ballard was named as one of five KU captains for the season. So, dismissing him as just another back-up would be unwise. He’ll find a way to have a role and he’ll be ready to go under center if his number is ever called there, as well.
Marshall said at Media Day that he was thrilled to have Kotelnicki back with the program and that he thinks big things are in store for the Kansas offense in 2026.
“I think it’s great,” he said of working with his OC. “Every day I see him with great energy, the offense he has is great and it’s going to be very explosive and very fun to watch.”
So, now that we know he’s the starter, let’s address the question about what to call him. He does go by both Isaiah and Zeke and said that he’s fine with either one.
Zeke, however, is what he’s most commonly called by friends and family members.
So, where’d that nickname come from?
“I’m from Detroit and my dad and my family was big Isiah Thomas fans,” Marshall explained of the former Detroit Pistons point guard who spells his first name slightly differently than the KU QB. “They called Isiah Thomas “Zeke” so they kind of called me Zeke. My dad and mom definitely call me Zeke more than they call my Isaiah.”
Now, regardless of which first name you prefer, you can make the whole thing easier and just call him KU’s starting quarterback.
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