A year ago at this time, it was KU senior Devin Neal, a native Lawrencian who played a huge role in the Jayhawks’ turnaround under Lance Leipold, who seemed to steal KU fans’ hearts as they hoped like hell that Neal could go out a winner.
The 2024 Jayhawks fell just short of making that happen, finishing 5-7 after a 1-5 start, and Neal’s final game in a KU uniform was the regular season finale against Baylor.
Fast-forward to this season, with the Jayhawks sitting at 4-4 and in need of two more wins to become bowl eligible, and it’s pretty clearly Jalon Daniels who people are hoping can go out on a high note.
But don’t overlook Neal’s replacement, senior running back Daniel Hishaw Jr.
Leipold certainly isn’t.
It didn’t take a genius to read the room and realize that last Saturday’s loss to Kansas State hurt more than most losses typically do.
“Yeah, it stings,” Leipold said. “I sure wish I was in here talking about making sure we didn’t have a letdown this week after an emotional win. … It’s disappointing in many regards — off week, who the opponent was, where it’s at, where the differential of score was. There’s many. And we can’t run from that. It is what it is. You are what your record is. And you’ve gotta move on.”
The Jayhawks (4-4 overall, 2-3 Big 12) have done that pretty well throughout the last five years under Leipold’s leadership, fighting hard to keep whatever happened one week — good or bad — from bleeding over too much into the week that follows.
This, however, will be one of their biggest tests in that department to date, simply because of how high the hopes were for ending K-State’s 17-game win streak and for how flat they fell in their pursuit of that goal.
That’s where guys like Hishaw enter the picture. Daniels, too, of course. But he’s the quarterback. You tend to expect that from guys like him, who play that position.
Hishaw hasn’t always been looked at in quite the same way. But there he was on Saturday afternoon, as the teams moved from the third quarter to the fourth, giving an impassioned speech to his teammates about what one can only assume was fighting hard for the final 15 minutes and not laying down.
"Daniel Hishaw’s come as far as any player in the last 10 months..."
— KU football coach Lance Leipold on the senior running back
“He was really ready to go,” Leipold said of Hishaw’s mindset and mentality ahead of last week’s game vs. K-State. “Doesn’t surprise me he played well. He was locked in and ready to go.”
Hishaw, who was not available to reporters after the loss, finished last Saturday’s showdown with Kansas State with 95 yards and a touchdown on 22 touches.
That fourth quarter, much like the rest of the game, did not go the Jayhawks’ way. But it wasn’t for lack of trying.
Hishaw, who just a few weeks ago, was not healthy enough to play, clearly knows that they’re in the homestretch now. And like the quality leaders he saw before him, it’s his turn to make sure this team gives all it has in the quest to get back to a bowl game later this season.
“I’m really proud of him, his determination,” Leipold said of the veteran running back, who received plenty of praise throughout the offseason and preseason for his positive outlook and improved leadership skills.
“Daniel Hishaw’s come as far as any player in the last 10 months, just personally, handling situations so much better and the frustration of not being healthy enough to go and things like that,” Leipold said. “Hopefully (getting back out there and performing) gives him a continued platform to lead and lead by example, work ethic and all the things that we need here in this last third of the season.”
As for KU’s path ahead, the Jayhawks have four games in the month of November, with a one last bye week tossed in the middle.
They’ll face Oklahoma State at 3 p.m. this weekend in a Homecoming game in Lawrence and then will head to Tuscon, Arizona for a 2:30 p.m. (central) matchup with the Wildcats.
Those two, at least statistically speaking, represent KU’s best chances at wins.
After that, it’s a bye week on Nov. 15, a road game at Iowa State on Nov. 22 and the regular-season finale at home against No. 24 Utah on Nov. 28.
KU figures to be an underdog in each of those last three games, and Leipold's club is a 24.5-point favorite over depleted Oklahoma State this weekend.
— For tickets to all KU athletic events, visit kuathletics.com
