Lance Leipold didn’t need much time under the ESPN lights to get something off his chest. During a sit-down at Big 12 Media Days, the Kansas Jayhawks coach reflected on what could’ve been in 2023, when his Jayhawks looked like one of the hottest teams in the country, but quickly turned the conversation to 2024. With star QB Jalon Daniels healthy again and a deep Big 12 QB room across the league, Leipold sees reason for optimism. But frustration also grips him. Others share that feeling, too.

Conference champions Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham made waves when he mentioned that big-league programs had reached out to Big 12 quarterbacks last offseason, trying to lure them away behind the scenes. That hit a nerve for Leipold. “Exactly. And what are we going to do about controlling the ones that are making those calls? How are we going to get our arms around that? Because that shouldn’t be happening,” he said while echoing Dillingham’s concern on 365 Sports.

“And again, what’s going to be binding? What’s going to be where, you know, that’s the other part of this.” The tampering cloud hanging over college football isn’t new, but it’s now starting to darken the skies of leagues like the Big 12, where returning passers have become hot commodities. Lance Leipold didn’t name names, but his message was sharp: The Big 12’s QB depth is elite, and poaching isn’t going unnoticed.

“When you look at things that have come through before this media day—look at the returning type of quarterbacks, the production that’s there, the success and the wins—this is a conference that can stack up with anybody as far as when it goes to lining up quarterback,” he said. “And the ones that did leave were… led their teams to some good seasons and some outstanding players. We had the Heisman Trophy winner in this conference.” Leipold wants accountability, and he’s not hiding behind vague principles—he wants the calls investigated, and the consequences real. It’s not hard to understand why this hits so close to home.

Leipold’s own QB1, Jalon Daniels, was one of the most buzzed-about names before injuries derailed what could’ve been a breakout campaign. But Daniels stayed. So did others. “There’s a lot of things that I don’t think really get talked about enough,” Leipold said. That silence, he implies, needs to break. Because as NIL money grows and guardrails remain fuzzy, the sport risks becoming unrecognizable, even to those still coaching in it.

The Big 12 may not be the first conference fans mention when listing college football’s quarterback factories, but that perception’s starting to shift. “I think that if you look at it, I think at least 13 of the 16 teams, you will have seen at least some film on a guy who started enough,” Leipold pointed out. Stability at QB is no longer just a luxury—it’s an arms race, and tampering threatens to tip the scales in favor of the wealthiest, not the most well-coached. For Kansas, there’s no time to dwell on hypotheticals. The Jayhawks open the season with a throwback rivalry matchup—Sept 6 at Missouri, their first clash since 2011.

Look who is Back and Lance Leipold is so happy about it

There’s no QB carousel in Lawrence this summer. No cautious optimism. No “wait and see”. Just a full-go Jalon Daniels, healthy and finally in sync—and Lance Leipold is grinning like a coach who’s dodged a tornado and found clear skies. Last season was full of crossed fingers and cautious timelines, with Daniels spending most of the offseason sidelined. This year? Whole different ballgame.

He’s back and he’s full-go on everything. Leipold said during his chat on 365 Sports. “That gives us a great opportunity again for our timing and different things… last year Jalon was very limited through the summer and everything that he went through. He didn’t do a ton this spring, but he’s back.” The Jayhawks get their field general again, and this time, he knows the route trees, the playbook, and—most importantly—the locker room layout. “Well, first of all, we got a home field again so that’ll be nice,” Leipold joked. “At least I know where we’re playing and where the locker room will be.”

It’s a far cry from last fall when Daniels came in with a rusted rhythm and unfinished reps. Now, with 2,454 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 12 picks logged in 2024, he’s not just healthy—he’s confident. On the media day coach said similar things when asked. “I see him as probably the most confident and comfortable he’s been in a couple years,” Leipold said. “He didn’t go through spring that year with a new coordinator… but he never made an excuse. And that’s the thing I love about him, is that he doesn’t make excuses.” Now, Kansas doesn’t need one.