LAWRENCE — Jim Zebrowski is speaking with reporters in March, and the topic of Isaiah Marshall’s skillset quickly comes up.

Zebrowski, Kansas football’s co-offensive coordinator, highlights among other things how the freshman quarterback can get the ball out fast with a quick release. Marshall, who enrolled early to get a head start on his college career, can also make quick decisions and even take off and run. And while Zebrowski is explaining it’s not a one-to-one comparison, that Marshall and redshirt junior quarterback Jalon Daniels are still different guys, he is saying Marshall is a bit like the Jayhawks’ veteran starter.

But while they are just in the same ballpark, skill-wise, Marshall’s noticed it, too. It’ll take time for Marshall to develop the comfort at this level Daniels has, but the tools Marshall will need are there. And it’ll only add to the excitement around the potential Marshall has with the program.

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“I’m going to be honest, I think I do,” Marshall told reporters in March. “I think me and him kind of built the same. We kind of play the same on film. I see a couple of the same cuts that we make and I just think we’re kind of similar players.”

Marshall’s ability to join Kansas and practice during spring ball was already going to be beneficial. Zebrowski highlighted what it’ll mean for Marshall to get a lot of reps. But there’ll also be those chances, in and out of practice, for Marshall to be around Daniels and see what it takes to be a starter at this level.

Marshall said he came in with the desire to learn from Daniels about what it takes to manage the offense. Marshall said he has already learned about how to read coverages, drop back in different ways and release the ball better.

Workouts and practices may be more fast-paced than Marshall experienced in high school at Southfield A&T in the state of Michigan where he enjoyed a lot of success. But when the fall comes around, he’ll have spent time adapting to it and learning the playbook. Head coach Lance Leipold talked to reporters in March about how, despite the challenges, Marshall’s someone who’s able to keep his composure.

That composure, from Marshall’s perspective, comes from his faith and family.

“The cool thing about Isaiah is he’s a cool customer,” Leipold added later this spring. “He doesn’t let things rattle him. When he has a good play, his composure and disposition is the same as when he throws one late and it might get intercepted. And that’s what you love about him. And he continues to grasp what we’re doing and gets better. And like he and the five others, these are all bonus practices right now. And really excited about his progression and where he’ll be hopefully by second week of August.”

The road to playing time in the future won’t be an easy one for Marshall. There’s another quarterback on the roster with experience already in redshirt freshman Cole Ballard, who told reporters in March he wants to be a role model for Marshall in the way other quarterbacks have been for him. There’s another quarterback with potential coming in class of 2025 prospect David McComb, a 247Sports Composite three-star talent.

But Marshall said he’s not trying to look too far ahead, and instead focusing on the process. Zebrowski noted anywhere someone choose to go for college is going to be a place where they’re going to have to compete to play. Zebrowski also praised how intelligent Marshall’s already shown himself to be in a complicated offensive system.

“Most schools are going to recruit a quarterback in every class,” Zebrowski said. “So, you tell them set high expectations … just keep on taking each play for what it’s worth, a play at a time, one moment at a time, and see what happens.”

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

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas football QB Isaiah Marshall continues to impress in spring