Another historian of the territorial period described the Jayhawkers as bands of men that were willing to fight, kill, and rob for a variety of motives, including defense against pro-slavery "Border Ruffians", abolition of slavery, driving pro-slavery settlers from Kansas Territory and their claims of land, Christianity, revenge, or plunder and personal profit.

Over time, proud of their state's contributions to the end of slavery and the preservation of the Union, Kansans embraced the "Jayhawker" term.

[5] Over time, the name was gradually supplanted by its shorter variant, and KU's sports teams are now almost exclusively known as the Jayhawks.

[6] In the traditions promoted by KU, the jayhawk is said to be a combination of two birds, "the blue jay, a noisy, quarrelsome thing known to rob other nests; and the sparrow hawk, a stealthy hunter.

"[7] The term Jayhawker was made famous in Clint Eastwood’s movie The Outlaw Josey Wales.

In his 1926 address on the origin of the Jayhawk, Blackmar specifically referenced the blue jay and sparrow hawk.

Blackmar's address served to soften the link between KU's athletic team moniker and the Jayhawkers of the Kansas territorial period, and helped explain the relatively recently invented Jayhawk pictorial symbol with a myth that appears to have been of even more recent fabrication.

[12][13] C Jay was created by student cartoonist Henry Maloy and featured in the University Daily Kansan in 1912.

"[14] C Jay was reintroduced as a full-sized mascot on February 25, 2012 in the final Border War against Missouri to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Jayhawk.

The program has produced some of the game's greatest professional players (including Clyde Lovellette, Wilt Chamberlain, Joel Embiid, Jo Jo White, and Paul Pierce) and most successful coaches (including Phog Allen, Adolph Rupp, Ralph Miller, Dutch Lonborg, John McLendon, Larry Brown, Dean Smith, Roy Williams, and Bill Self).

KU ranked 4th in Street & Smith's Annual list of 100 greatest college basketball programs of all time in 2005.

Additional notable former Jayhawks John Hadl, Curtis McClinton, Dana Stubblefield, Bobby Douglass, Nolan Cromwell, and former NFL cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr.

Clint Bowen was named interim head coach after Charlie Weis was fired September 28, 2014.

[19] Kansas baseball began in 1880 and has produced notable players such as Bob Allison and Steve Renko.

The Jayhawks softball team has appeared in seven Women's College World Series, including five straight from 1973–77, as well as 1979 and 1992.

[21] Kansas rugby has embarked on international tours since 1977, playing in Europe, New Zealand, South Africa, Belgium, Holland, Scotland, England, Ireland and Argentina.

Notable University of Kansas rugby all-Americans are: Pete Knudsen 1986, Paul King 1989–90, Anthony Rio 1992, Philip Olson 1993 all American, Joel Foster 1993, Collin Gotham 1993.

In 2022 the club played in the USA Rugby D1AA spring national championship game, falling to Fresno State, 22–17.

In all sports combined, as of December 2016,[update] the Jayhawks have won total of 170 conference titles all-time, 24 championships since joining the Big 12.

[30] The raid on Lawrence was led by William Quantrill, a Confederate guerrilla born in Ohio who had formed his bushwhacker group at the end of 1861.

At the time the Civil War broke out, Quantrill was a resident of Lawrence, Kansas teaching school.

Regular season games have been scheduled for basketball beginning in 2020 and football in 2025 for the first time since Missouri left for the SEC.

Total expenses includes coach and staff salaries, scholarships, buildings and grounds, maintenance, utilities and rental fees, recruiting, team travel, equipment and uniforms, conference dues, and insurance.