By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
Baylor returns home on Saturday to take on Kansas for Homecoming at McLane Stadium. The Bears are coming off a 43-30 loss at West Virginia last Thursday.
After starting 5-0 and receiving a national ranking, the Jayhawks have dropped their last two games. SicEmSports provides a look at the Jayhawks along with our Q&A with Jayhawk Slant publisher Jon Kirby.
Opponent: Kansas Jayhawks
Head Coach: Lance Leipold (7-12 2nd season; 153-51 16 seasons overall)
2022 Record: 5-2, 2-2
Record vs. Baylor: Baylor leads, 17-4
Returning Starters: 9 offense, 7 defense
Key Returners: B Jalon Daniels, WR Luke Grimm, RB Devin Neal, LB Rich Miller, LB Gavin Potter, DL Kenean Caldwell
Common Denominator: During Baylor’s 12-game winning streak, the Bears have scored 59 points or more four times.
Offensive Formation: Multiple
Defensive Formation: 4-3
About Kansas on Offense: When Daniels was healthy, the Jayhawks were dangerous because of his legs. Now, with Jason Bean starting, they will be run heavy with the back lead by Neal (505 yards, 5 TD). Bean has performed pretty well since he came in the second half against TCU (551 yards, 8 TD, 3 INT). He will get people involved. There are four players with 13 catches or more led by Lawrence Arnold (22-348 3TD). This offense has explosive plays. There are eight receptions that have covered at least 30 yards.
About Kansas on Defense: This unit has had its share of issues. Notice that the Jayhawks have been involved in a lot of shootouts. KU opponents have scored at least 27 points in five of the first seven games. The Jayhawks are ninth in the league in total defense at 439 yards per game and are last in 3rd down defense at 45 percent. What this defense does it create turnovers. It’s created 12 and KU is third in the Big 12 in turnover ratio at +3. They can also get to the QB with 17 sacks led by defensive end Lonnie Phelps (6) and linebacker Craig Young (3). Linebacker Rich Miller (56) and safety Kenny Logan (53) lead the team in tackles,
About Kansas on Special Teams: Jacob Borcila is the PK and while PATs are not the problem (38-38) he’s 50-50 on field goals (3-6) including a miss from (30-39). Reis Vernon has been decent at punter averaging 42 yards per effort including eight inside the 20. Nothing extraordinary on the kickoff and punt returns. Oddly, Kansas has returned just three punts thus far.
Bottom Line: It’s a good story to see the Jayhawks rebound after years of really being the conference’s doormat. There’s no question that they can score. But they also have trouble stopping people. They’re a bend-but-don’t-break approach. Jayhawks have to hope they get the right stops to get wins.
Q&A with Jayhawk Slant Publisher Jon Kirby
1. When the Jayhawks got off to this 5-0 start and a national ranking, did it even catch them by surprise and do you think their performance has dropped despite the losses to TCU and at OU?
I think there are different ways to look at it from that perspective. A lot of the players believed they would be good. I don’t know that they would have bet on a 5-0 start.
Now, the fans on the other hand didn’t see the 5-0 start coming. Some might act like they did, but they didn’t.
I don’t think their performance dropped. I thought they went toe-to-toe with a good TCU team that went down to the wire. The game against Oklahoma was their first time getting back on the road against a team who had lost three straight and were playing like their lives depended on it. Oklahoma was a bad matchup because they were able to spread the KU defense out and go their up-tempo style of offense going.
2. Kansas has made a reported $300 million future investment into its football program. How much teeth is there to it and what could that mean to Lance Leipold's future or making this job attractive to others?
The stadium will get done. I expect some work to start in 2023. It will be different phases and will include the Anderson Family Complex that houses the coaches, players, weight room, etc.
Leipold has been involved in the discussions and I guarantee he will have input on these things.
The stadium renovations have been talked about for years by different administrations, but Travis Goff and Chancellor Doug Girod have come through on something that needed to be done.
3. There doesn't seem to be much dropoff from Jalon Daniels to Jason Bean in terms of productivity. What's been the difference?
I think the biggest thing that turned the offense around was the ability to mix in option and quarterback run game. That caught defenses off balanced and added another element to the offense.
That is something Daniels was doing very well. When he stopped doing that it seemed like the production dipped.
Bean is one of the fastest players on the team, if not the fastest. But I don’t know that he runs like Daniels who ran through tackles and got extra yards.
Bean went in at the half against TCU and threw for 260 yards and four touchdowns. So, he has the ability to move the ball.
4. KU runs the ball so well. What makes it click?
Like I said above the quarterback run game along with the option has made defenses guess what is coming next. The familiarity of the wide zone scheme has also helped.
It was something Leipold installed when he got to Kansas. Offensive line coach Scott Fuchs has done a great job molding a solid group up front.
The Jayhawks do have a talented backfield. They have good depth and are missing one of their best backs Daniel Hishaw.
5. Defensively, what has been the trend of that side of the ball.
It has been a bend, don’t break and they have tried to keep everything in front of them. They played well against Iowa State and had several drives where they looked good against TCU.
Oklahoma exposed them because they made them play in space and got their hurry-up offense moving. KU has good depth on the lines, and they have played several players. But Oklahoma played at a pace and style that limited how they could sub. The Sooners ran 100 plays and that’s not how KU wants to play.
6. If the Jayhawks are going to end this 12-game losing streak to the Bears, what are they going to have to do?
The obvious is take care of the ball because the margin of error is so small. Against good Big 12 teams they just can’t give it away. They aren’t good enough to go on the road and lose the turnover battle and win.
One of the things that made them successful is converting a high percentage of third downs. At one point they led the nation in third down percentage and that is because they stayed ahead of the chains. Against Oklahoma they got in more third and longs than they were used to.
Publisher
Baylor returns home on Saturday to take on Kansas for Homecoming at McLane Stadium. The Bears are coming off a 43-30 loss at West Virginia last Thursday.
After starting 5-0 and receiving a national ranking, the Jayhawks have dropped their last two games. SicEmSports provides a look at the Jayhawks along with our Q&A with Jayhawk Slant publisher Jon Kirby.
Opponent: Kansas Jayhawks
Head Coach: Lance Leipold (7-12 2nd season; 153-51 16 seasons overall)
2022 Record: 5-2, 2-2
Record vs. Baylor: Baylor leads, 17-4
Returning Starters: 9 offense, 7 defense
Key Returners: B Jalon Daniels, WR Luke Grimm, RB Devin Neal, LB Rich Miller, LB Gavin Potter, DL Kenean Caldwell
Common Denominator: During Baylor’s 12-game winning streak, the Bears have scored 59 points or more four times.
Offensive Formation: Multiple
Defensive Formation: 4-3
About Kansas on Offense: When Daniels was healthy, the Jayhawks were dangerous because of his legs. Now, with Jason Bean starting, they will be run heavy with the back lead by Neal (505 yards, 5 TD). Bean has performed pretty well since he came in the second half against TCU (551 yards, 8 TD, 3 INT). He will get people involved. There are four players with 13 catches or more led by Lawrence Arnold (22-348 3TD). This offense has explosive plays. There are eight receptions that have covered at least 30 yards.
About Kansas on Defense: This unit has had its share of issues. Notice that the Jayhawks have been involved in a lot of shootouts. KU opponents have scored at least 27 points in five of the first seven games. The Jayhawks are ninth in the league in total defense at 439 yards per game and are last in 3rd down defense at 45 percent. What this defense does it create turnovers. It’s created 12 and KU is third in the Big 12 in turnover ratio at +3. They can also get to the QB with 17 sacks led by defensive end Lonnie Phelps (6) and linebacker Craig Young (3). Linebacker Rich Miller (56) and safety Kenny Logan (53) lead the team in tackles,
About Kansas on Special Teams: Jacob Borcila is the PK and while PATs are not the problem (38-38) he’s 50-50 on field goals (3-6) including a miss from (30-39). Reis Vernon has been decent at punter averaging 42 yards per effort including eight inside the 20. Nothing extraordinary on the kickoff and punt returns. Oddly, Kansas has returned just three punts thus far.
Bottom Line: It’s a good story to see the Jayhawks rebound after years of really being the conference’s doormat. There’s no question that they can score. But they also have trouble stopping people. They’re a bend-but-don’t-break approach. Jayhawks have to hope they get the right stops to get wins.
Q&A with Jayhawk Slant Publisher Jon Kirby
1. When the Jayhawks got off to this 5-0 start and a national ranking, did it even catch them by surprise and do you think their performance has dropped despite the losses to TCU and at OU?
I think there are different ways to look at it from that perspective. A lot of the players believed they would be good. I don’t know that they would have bet on a 5-0 start.
Now, the fans on the other hand didn’t see the 5-0 start coming. Some might act like they did, but they didn’t.
I don’t think their performance dropped. I thought they went toe-to-toe with a good TCU team that went down to the wire. The game against Oklahoma was their first time getting back on the road against a team who had lost three straight and were playing like their lives depended on it. Oklahoma was a bad matchup because they were able to spread the KU defense out and go their up-tempo style of offense going.
2. Kansas has made a reported $300 million future investment into its football program. How much teeth is there to it and what could that mean to Lance Leipold's future or making this job attractive to others?
The stadium will get done. I expect some work to start in 2023. It will be different phases and will include the Anderson Family Complex that houses the coaches, players, weight room, etc.
Leipold has been involved in the discussions and I guarantee he will have input on these things.
The stadium renovations have been talked about for years by different administrations, but Travis Goff and Chancellor Doug Girod have come through on something that needed to be done.
3. There doesn't seem to be much dropoff from Jalon Daniels to Jason Bean in terms of productivity. What's been the difference?
I think the biggest thing that turned the offense around was the ability to mix in option and quarterback run game. That caught defenses off balanced and added another element to the offense.
That is something Daniels was doing very well. When he stopped doing that it seemed like the production dipped.
Bean is one of the fastest players on the team, if not the fastest. But I don’t know that he runs like Daniels who ran through tackles and got extra yards.
Bean went in at the half against TCU and threw for 260 yards and four touchdowns. So, he has the ability to move the ball.
4. KU runs the ball so well. What makes it click?
Like I said above the quarterback run game along with the option has made defenses guess what is coming next. The familiarity of the wide zone scheme has also helped.
It was something Leipold installed when he got to Kansas. Offensive line coach Scott Fuchs has done a great job molding a solid group up front.
The Jayhawks do have a talented backfield. They have good depth and are missing one of their best backs Daniel Hishaw.
5. Defensively, what has been the trend of that side of the ball.
It has been a bend, don’t break and they have tried to keep everything in front of them. They played well against Iowa State and had several drives where they looked good against TCU.
Oklahoma exposed them because they made them play in space and got their hurry-up offense moving. KU has good depth on the lines, and they have played several players. But Oklahoma played at a pace and style that limited how they could sub. The Sooners ran 100 plays and that’s not how KU wants to play.
6. If the Jayhawks are going to end this 12-game losing streak to the Bears, what are they going to have to do?
The obvious is take care of the ball because the margin of error is so small. Against good Big 12 teams they just can’t give it away. They aren’t good enough to go on the road and lose the turnover battle and win.
One of the things that made them successful is converting a high percentage of third downs. At one point they led the nation in third down percentage and that is because they stayed ahead of the chains. Against Oklahoma they got in more third and longs than they were used to.
