Isaiah Marshall will compete for an opportunity to serve as the backup quarterback at Kansas over the next few days, weeks and months. The Jayhawks are in an interesting position with the return of Jalon Daniels but their redshirt freshman signal-caller could very quickly emerge as a rising star.
He arrived to spring practice looking JACKED after an impressive body transformation!
To be completely honest, I was not overly aware of Marshall during his college football recruiting cycle. He was considered a three-star recruit with scholarship offers ranging from Ole Miss, Louisville, West Virginia and Kentucky to Youngstown State, Florida A&M and Marshall. Kansas landed his commitment in February of 2023 and got him signed more than 11 months later. There was never much indication that the Michigan-native had any interest in playing anywhere but Lawrence.
With that being said, I have come to learn that Marshall was a stud in high school. He threw for 3,114 yards and 39 touchdowns with 1,507 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns en route to the state championship as a senior. His highlight tapes are electric!
Isaiah Marshall did not see any game action during his first season with the Jayhawks and took the opportunity to redshirt. This upcoming year could be more of the same. Daniels is back as QB1 and Cole Ballard is expected to serve as QB2. That could change during spring ball or fall camp.
Marshall arrived to the first day of spring practice looking swole. He is listed at 6-foot-0, 215 pounds, but he might be closer to 5-foot-11.5, 220. I completely stopped in my tracks when I saw his photo come across my feed for more reasons than one. There’s just something about him.
Kansas QB Isaiah Marshall on the first day of spring practice. pic.twitter.com/gShJ44Pbfl
— Pay Heed Podcast (@PayHeedKCSN) March 2, 2025
First and foremost, just look at that outfit! The padless shorts with leggings and playsheet around his waist makes him look a little bit like the Keelber Elf or a leprechan. It’s mesmerizing. I’ve never seen anything like it.
Let’s also talk about his frame. Isaiah Marshall is a stout dude and always has been.
However, he looks extra beefy prior to his second year of college football at Kansas. The strength and conditioning staff completely transformed his figure since the end of last season. To compare to last year:
It is very possible that Marshall could earn the backup job with a strong showing in spring practice. That could become very important if Jalon Daniels cannot stay on the field!