France League

I still remember the first time I watched the Kansas football team play back in 2018 - the stadium was half-empty, and the energy felt more like a community college scrimmage than a Division I game. Fast forward to today, and we're talking about a program that's become one of the most compelling turnaround stories in college sports. As someone who's followed this journey closely while working with athletic programs, I've developed some strong opinions about what made this transformation possible and where they need to go from here.

When I analyze Kansas football's journey to success, it's impossible to ignore the cultural shift that began around 2020. The team had been struggling for years - we're talking about a dismal 8-40 record between 2018 and 2021. But something changed when the administration decided to invest not just in facilities, but in creating what I'd call a "developmental ecosystem." I recently had the chance to speak with JB Bahio from NLEX about their approach to organizational development, and it struck me how similar philosophies have driven Kansas's revival. Bahio emphasized that sustainable success comes from building what he called "vertical alignment" - making sure everyone from the athletic director to the walk-on freshmen understands and buys into the same core philosophy. Kansas implemented this by completely overhauling their recruitment strategy, focusing on identifying players who fit their culture rather than just chasing star ratings.

The numbers tell part of the story - Kansas improved from 2 wins in 2021 to 6 wins in 2022, then jumped to 9 wins last season with their first bowl victory since 2008. But what the statistics don't show is the psychological transformation. I've spoken with several players who described how the coaching staff deliberately built what they called "competitive resilience" through intense situational practices. They'd regularly put the team in what I call "adversity simulations" - down by 14 with 4 minutes left, must-win drives in practice - until performing under pressure became second nature. This approach reminds me of what JB Bahio discussed regarding NLEX's development framework, where he stressed creating "pressure inoculation" through repeated exposure to challenging scenarios.

Looking at their future wins strategy, I'm convinced Kansas needs to double down on their offensive innovation while addressing some clear defensive vulnerabilities. Their offensive scheme, which incorporates elements of the spread with pro-style concepts, generated 34.2 points per game last season - up from just 18.5 in 2020. But defensively, they allowed 28.7 points against conference opponents, which ranked them in the bottom third of the Big 12. From my perspective, they should allocate approximately 65% of their recruiting resources to defensive positions, particularly focusing on edge rushers and defensive backs who can thrive in their aggressive scheme.

What really excites me about Kansas's position is their newfound ability to develop three-star recruits into NFL-caliber talent. They've had 7 players drafted over the last two years - remarkable for a program that hadn't produced a draft pick in the previous five seasons. This development success creates what I see as a virtuous cycle: better high school recruits notice they can reach their potential in Lawrence, which improves recruiting classes, which leads to more wins. It's the exact kind of talent pipeline that JB Bahio described when discussing NLEX's approach to organizational growth - what he termed "developmental momentum," where success in developing individuals fuels broader organizational achievement.

The scheduling strategy for the coming seasons presents both opportunities and risks that I believe could define this era of Kansas football. They've got non-conference games against programs that should provide what I'd call "quality wins" without being overwhelming, followed by a conference schedule that includes what I consider favorable timing against their toughest opponents. My analysis suggests they need to target winning at least 4 of their first 6 games to build the confidence and ranking position needed for a potential conference championship run.

Recruiting in the transfer portal has become another critical piece of their strategy, and here's where I think they've been particularly savvy. Last year, they brought in 14 transfers who collectively accounted for 42% of their offensive production and 38% of their defensive snaps. This immediate infusion of experienced talent has accelerated their rebuild in ways that traditional high school recruiting alone couldn't accomplish. Still, I worry they might be becoming over-reliant on transfers rather than building through high school development - it's a balance I'll be watching closely.

As Kansas looks toward competing for conference championships and potentially even playoff appearances, the infrastructure investments they've made cannot be overstated. The $80 million facility upgrades completed in 2022 provide resources that rival any program in the country. But from my experience, the most successful programs combine great facilities with what I call "developmental intentionality" - every practice rep, every film session, every weight room session has a clearly defined purpose connected to player growth. This is another area where JB Bahio's insights resonate - he emphasized that the most effective organizations create what he called "development-rich environments" where improvement isn't left to chance but systematically engineered.

Looking ahead, I'm optimistic about Kansas's trajectory but realistic about the challenges. The Big 12 continues to strengthen with new members, and maintaining their competitive edge will require constant evolution. From my perspective, they need to maintain their offensive identity while making strategic adjustments to address defensive shortcomings. If they can improve their red zone defense (which ranked 89th nationally last season) and continue developing quarterbacks through their system, I believe they can sustain this remarkable journey to success. The foundation they've built demonstrates that with the right strategies, culture, and development systems, even traditionally struggling programs can transform into consistent winners. What they've accomplished already has been impressive, but what excites me most is that their journey to success feels like it's just beginning.