Leipold talks Cincinnati, injuries heading into Week Five
By KEEGAN NICKOSON | Bearcat Journal
Cincinnati’s first Big 12 game of the season takes place this Saturday as the Bearcats travel to Lawrence, Kansas, to take on the Kansas Jayhawks. Fifth-year head coach Lance Leipold leads the Jayhawks, who have started the season 3-1 with wins over Fresno State, Wagner and West Virginia.
Kansas lost a rivalry game to Missouri 42-31 in Week 2, but most recently beat the Mountaineers 41-10 at home.
Despite playing the No. 20-ranked Missouri Tigers, Leipold said there is no doubt their most formidable opponent of the 2025 season thus far is coming Saturday.
“I think our guys are well aware … This will be the best team that we’ve played so far.”
Leipold credited that to the turnaround the staff at Cincinnati has made since taking over in 2023. He referenced their first game against Cincinnati that year, which was the last game of the season. The talent disparity was clear, and the effort Scott Satterfield and company have made in recruiting has led to the roster the rest of the country sees today.
However, Leipold said it is seen the most at the quarterback position.
“He is extremely talented,” Leipold said of Brendan Sorsby. “Good arm, physical, they’re a really good football team.”
The Jayhawks did a good job against dual-threat quarterback Beau Pribula for Missouri, limiting him to just six yards on nine carries. Leipold reiterated that Kansas has to be assignment-sound and explosive on the defensive line to control the Bearcats’ leading rusher, Sorsby.
“[We have to] be disruptive up front. Our fronts have played well so far, but again, it gets into all those things. Being assignment-sound football, getting off blocks, tackling, all the different things. [Cincinnati] has a lot of weapons there. You’ve got to defend everyone because good offenses are going to exploit what you’re not defending.”
There are multiple key availability concerns for Kansas heading into Saturday’s game. Safety Devin Dye will miss the first half after being ejected for targeting against West Virginia. Taylor Davis was banged up heading into the Mountaineers game and projects to play against the Bearcats on Saturday, but he may be one of multiple safeties who are not 100 percent.
Additionally, running back Daniel Hishaw left Saturday’s game in the first half and didn’t return. He was seen in street clothes on the sideline. Hishaw has carried the ball only eight times in the last two games for 20 yards. He recorded 28 total touches in Week 0 and Week 1. There should be more clarity around Kansas’ injury situation when the first Big 12 injury report is released at 9 p.m. on Wednesday.
Leipold also discussed his offensive line, which he said played “sporadically” against West Virginia. The Jayhawks have done a good amount of shuffling at right tackle and left guard. Left tackle Calvin Clements has had a rough first four games, according to PFF, earning a 52.1 overall grade with a 25.9 pass-blocking grade.
Clements has allowed 11 pressures and 10 hurries on the year, but quarterback Jalon Daniels — like Sorsby — has yet to be sacked this season.
“I thought we protected Jalon pretty well. There were some times I don’t know if, especially in the first half, we were clicking quite or in rhythm as we wanted. The fourth-down conversion early for a touchdown was huge for us to get off to a good start.”
“But I thought as the game went on, we wore them down a little bit, were able to create some things. We had some good performances. Enrique Cruz is playing really well right now for us. The two guys at left guard are probably still in a good rotation. I thought Bryce Foster had a good game, and again we continued to work to get better, and there’s still a lot of work to be done across the board.”
Kansas’ leading receiver, Emmanuel Henderson Jr., has shown off his elite speed through four games, recording 18 catches for 221 yards. The converted running back transferred to the Jayhawks from Alabama after last season.
“The way he comes off the ball and can close cushion in a short period of time and run past people is impressive. Though he has track speed, I don’t consider him a track athlete trying to play football. If there was a knock on him, it was probably a little bit on ball skills and natural catching, being a former running back.”
Kansas announced a sellout for Saturday’s game against Cincinnati at the newly renovated David Booth Memorial Stadium. It is also Family Weekend, so expect a raucous environment for the Bearcats’ first Big 12 game.