LAWRENCE — As Lance Leipold reflected recently on how things had gone in fall camp for Kansas football, he noted he was pleased with where the team’s at.

Leipold, the Jayhawks’ head coach, allowed there’s still plenty to work on. He volunteered there’ve been guys getting banged up at certain positions, or out with an illness, which has affected being able to get certain units working together consistently. But progress is being made ahead of a September 4 season opener at home against LIU, as KU narrows down which guys are going to be on the field more this fall.

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Here are some more takeaways from what Leipold had to say:

What news is there when it comes to injuries?

Up front, especially, there have been guys missing time. Redshirt junior offensive linemen Kasen Carpenter and Tavake Tuikolovatu have both missed some time during camp, as has fellow redshirt junior offensive lineman Nick Morrow recently. The continuity on the right side of the offensive line, therefore, hasn’t been as smooth to manage.

However, redshirt sophomore offensive linemen Jack Tanner and DeAndre Harper have been getting more reps as a result. Redshirt junior offensive lineman Amir Herring has been getting some work in at center, as has redshirt freshman offensive lineman Anderson Kopp. But considering Carpenter is back now, Herring has returned to getting the reps he needs at guard.

Looking long term, Leipold couldn’t outline any new injuries that would keep someone out for a long period of time. Freshman running back Kory Amachree was recently injured in a scrimmage and they were waiting to hear more on him, redshirt senior tight end Carter Moses has been out for a while and redshirt senior wide receiver Cam Pickett has missed time recently, too. However, Leipold is expecting them to return and detailed that Pickett should be back for the start of the season.

Where on the team is Lance Leipold searching for improvement?

Leipold noted he’s looking for consistency in execution and recognition of assignments, as well as physicality, as any coach would. For example, in a recent practice, the offense didn’t handle some pressures from the defense as well as he would have liked. Offensive line coach Daryl Agpalsa, according to Leipold, mentioned they need moments like that to understand what needs to be fixed so game days can be easier.

What are some takeaways Lance Leipold has on defense?

The defensive line continues to improve, Leipold noted, including redshirt junior defensive tackles Eamon Smalls and Blake Herold showing they’ll help the unit perform at a high level. Redshirt freshman defensive tackle Kevin Oatis and redshirt junior defensive tackle Marcus Calvin also give the group more size in the interior. The defensive ends, led by junior Leroy Harris III, have also impressed with the work of senior Alex Bray, redshirt junior David Santiago, redshirt sophomore Dakyus Brinkley and redshirt freshman Garrett Martin.

Elsewhere, at linebacker, redshirt senior Trey Lathan has been steady and redshirt senior Bam Crouch has been getting more comfortable. At cornerback, redshirt sophomore Austin Alexander continues to get healthier, redshirt senior Syeed Gibbs is progressing and junior Jalen Todd has remained steady as well. At safety, redshirt senior Corey Gordon and redshirt juniors Christian Pritchett and Taylor Davis have all been showing up, too.

Have any players emerged in fall camp that fans might not have expected?

Leipold highlighted Santiago, and at tight end pointed to both redshirt sophomore Carson Bruhn and redshirt senior Jailen Butler. Leipold felt everyone knew about the running backs, and moving to wide receivers pointed out Pickett, redshirt seniors Nahzae Cox and Nik McMillan, and redshirt junior Keaton Kubecka. In the secondary, there’s Gordon and Pritchett and a desire for the cornerbacks to consistently be able to make plays.

Is there anything about this team that Lance Leipold still wants to know?

Leipold said he wants to learn how they’ll handle adversity, however that comes their way over the course of a game. As much as they practice various situations, and talk about moving on to the next play, until games are played — especially with so many new players on the roster — you never really know. He can remember his first year of the rebuild in 2021, and walking in at halftime and being shocked by the look of defeat in his team with still so much more time to play, so he looks for those indicators his group is ready to compete when things are difficult.

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: What is KU football's Lance Leipold saying, with season opener near?