Photo by Mike Yoder

James Sims (29) pushes into the end zone for a touchdown in the second half of KU's 30-23 loss to the Northern Illinois Huskies on Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012, at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Ill.

After taking its normal day off Monday, Kansas University’s football team will get back to work today even though the Week Five bye leaves the Jayhawks without an opponent this weekend.

Heading into their off week with their minds full of thoughts and visions from Saturday’s disappointing loss at Northern Illinois was not the way the Jayhawks hoped to spend the week prior to their match-up with Kansas State. So instead of dwelling on the loss, KU coach Charlie Weis plans to move forward.

Unlike a normal game week, Weis said the Jayhawks would get a couple of days off this week. KU will practice today, Wednesday and Thursday before using Friday and Saturday as days to recover and regroup.

“(Today) and Wednesday will be a combination practice of us-against-us for development purposes,” Weis said. “And (we’ll also work on) Kansas State first and second down.”

Although preparing too far in advance for the next opponent could be a gamble, the schedule allows Weis to begin game-planning for K-State because the seventh-ranked Wildcats, who upset No. 6 Oklahoma on Saturday in Norman, Okla., also have a bye this weekend.

“Because they don’t play any more games between now and when we play ’em, we’ll treat it as if we were playing ’em this week, preparation-wise,” Weis said. “We’ll spend half the practice practicing against each other and half the practice practicing on Kansas State.”

That’s today and Wednesday. On Thursday, Weis said he planned to have a full-on scrimmage, complete with officials, a game clock and special teams.

“What I’ll do is I’ll scrimmage the guys that don’t play as much,” Weis said. “Full-speed scrimmage.”

While having two weeks to think about a loss is hardly ideal, KU running back James Sims said he hoped the team would use it as motivation.

“It’s tough,” Sims said. “But this is a loss we gotta build on. It’s gonna be with us throughout, but we have to move on from it. It’s over and done with. We just didn’t come through like we were supposed to.”

Kickoff set for K-State

The Kansas-Kansas State football game will start at 11 a.m. on Oct. 6 in Manhattan and will be televised on FX, the Big 12 announced Monday morning.

Both KU and KSU will be making their second appearances of the season on FX. The Jayhawks fell to TCU, 20-6, in their first game on the network this year.

K-State has won three straight in the series by a combined score of 135-38. KU’s last win against the Wildcats came in November of 2008, when Todd Reesing and company clobbered KSU, 52-21.

The Gridiron wins another Emmy

For the second year in a row, former KU football player Micah Brown, who most recently served as the producer of the KU football Internet series “The Gridiron,” recently accepted an Emmy on behalf of Kansas Athletics for his work on the behind-the-scenes football series that ran during the 2010 and 2011 seasons.

Brown, who played wide receiver at KU from 2007-08, since has left KU and founded his own production company, Second Wind Creative, which is focused on the development of documentaries and features for Internet and television. Already this season, Brown has done productions at Notre Dame and Michigan State and has plans to do work at Iowa and Ohio State. “The Gridiron” is no longer a feature at KU.

NFL update

With seven former Jayhawks currently playing in the NFL, Sunday afternoons have become a little more interesting for KU fans. Here’s a quick update on a few of them.

Former KU All-American Aqib Talib was Tampa Bay’s defensive star of the game during Sunday’s loss to Dallas. Talib recorded seven tackles, a pass break-up and an interception, his first of the season.

After missing Week Two because of injury, Denver Broncos cornerback Chris Harris returned to action and recorded four tackles and one pass break-up during Denver’s 31-26 loss to Houston.

Former KU wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe played in his second game with Washington but is still looking for his first catch with the franchise.

Delicious
Digg
Tumblr
Wordpress
Reddit
Copy and paste the link:

Jaylark 8 months, 4 weeks ago

The title of Tait's column, "Kansas football moves forward," needs to be the mantra of the Jayhawk players and fans as opposed to the baloney being posted by some on this website. Gee whiz, we still have people pining for Mangino. Get over it. He's gone and not coming back.

I disagree with any suggestion that Weiss should just start playing younger guys for the heck of it. A coach always needs to play to win the next game no matter what. You owe that effort to the team especially the seniors and the university.

If Weiss feels that starting Crist is the best chance to win the game based on his evaluation during practice, then start Crist even if he is a fifth year senior. Now, if the game gets out of hand, a coach should certainly rotate in the sophomore QB's.

As Zenger said last year when the knives came out for Gill, he'll evaluate the body of work at the end of the year. This year is not even half over.

Kleave 8 months, 4 weeks ago

HawkOverseas 8 months, 3 weeks ago

Learn how to spell Charlie's last name.

nwk_jayhawk74 8 months, 3 weeks ago

2006 Against Colorado Adam Barman pulled at halftime and Todd Reesing sparked the win. Heck of a game!

ralster 8 months, 3 weeks ago

Shut up, RogersState8x(idiot). You are a total fool if you cannot see the background/groundwork differences between last year and this year. The Win/Loss columns (the ultimate results) will take a lot longer (2yrs+) to turn. You cannot be a Gill-lover, since this current mess is simply the hole he created. So simply, and succintly: STFU.

johnnyhrdwd 8 months, 3 weeks ago

If we can't have Mangino can we let Mathews play QB the whole game?

AtlJaybird 8 months, 3 weeks ago

STOP IT!

Table_Rock_Jayhawk 8 months, 3 weeks ago

Good post on the recruiting ranking Manginorulz. Which brings out a concern I've been talking about all along. Everyone thinks Weis has this amazing ability to bring in recruits. This 2013 class isn't shaping up to good.

If we only win 1 game this season...and our 2013 class ends up ranking last in the Big 12...Does Weis have the diligence to spend a few years building the program "sawin wood"...or does he take the easy route and bail on us ?

In no way shape or form should Weis start Crist against K-State. It's time to move on from our little 5 star experiment before the entire season is waisted.

chiefs386 8 months, 3 weeks ago

You do realize that JUCO players don't affect the recruiting ranks right? So the rank is not the complete picture.

Table_Rock_Jayhawk 8 months, 3 weeks ago

You do realize that there is a reason why JUCO players don't affect the recruiting ranks right ?

Unless your Bill Snider...or Texas...for the most part...ranks have historically been a pretty good indicator of a programs future performance.

jayhawkintx1973 8 months, 3 weeks ago

K-State's 2010 and 2011 recruit classes ranked behind Kansas's.

NavyVet 8 months, 3 weeks ago

And that it's wasted - not waisted?

jjjjjhok 8 months, 3 weeks ago

Mangino's girlfriend (the screamer) has compiled some good recruiting data. Keep two things in mind: one, if Charlie were to sign just a couple of four star guys, the 2013 class could move from 74 to 44 and two, average classes seem to be just fine for the old wizard at Silo Tech!

bb73 8 months, 3 weeks ago

What does it say to future transfers if Weis benches a player/prospect like Crist after the 1st 4 games? What credibility does Weis have with parents and kids as he sits in their living rooms and tells a great prospect he has a great future at KU?

There is a lot we and the beat writers don't know that makes up a successful major college sports program. Since Weis and Zenger have been here for a few months (not years) I am not going to panic and lose my cool over the situation.

Frankly, I am pulling for every one, especially Crist, and I will not get sucked into a bunch of reactionary nattering Nabals.

KUMatt2001 8 months, 3 weeks ago

Nothing wrong with pulling the starter in the second half if he's not getting it done. If we're down 20 or more at halftime, and Crist has not moved the chains, or worse, turned the ball over, I'd love to see Turner Baty. Kid threw for 2400 yards, 23 TDs, 5 INTs, and was 12-0. He may not be NFL stock, but I'd say he knows how to win.

NebraskaJayhawk 8 months, 3 weeks ago

I'm 5-0 in my backyard this year.

iamakufan 8 months, 3 weeks ago

Then maybe you should take the next step up and see if you cut it. Let's see, from JUCO the next step is a four year college. From backyard, let's see, maybe neighborhood is next. Do well there and we'll consider a high school scholarship. :)

OPJayhawk 8 months, 3 weeks ago

Crap, I'm 2-3...

AtlJaybird 8 months, 3 weeks ago

I remember a JuCo kid we picked up a couple of years ago who threw for 3,091 yards, tossed 40 touchdowns, and was the 2nd ranked QB in the 2010 JuCo class (behind some guy named Cameron Newton). While Quinn Mecham will forever be recognized as the one who led the biggest comeback in KU history, no one would say he was one of our best quarterbacks. My point is, of course, that being a star in Junior College doesn't necessarily translate to the BCS level.

KUMatt2001 8 months, 3 weeks ago

Point taken about Quinn Mecham, and I'm not by any means saying Baty is going to succeed at this level. But I'd like to see him Saturday IF Crist continues to do what he has already done. If he does, I have no reason to believe we will win another game this season. And if we won't, and this is Crist's last season, why not give Baty a shot and see what he can do? I'd rather see a QB who has at least succeeded at some level of college rather than one who has not.

AtlJaybird 8 months, 3 weeks ago

Can't totally disagree with that. I'm trying to be patient and trust Charlie, but I do agree it will be very hard to do so if Crist stinks it up against KSU. I will also say, if Cummings and Baty aren't working their butt's off right now, trying to learn the playbook and get better, then they are gigantic fools. It's looking more and more like one of them will get a shot this year, and that's a HUGE opportunity.

LTCUSARet 8 months, 3 weeks ago

It says he'll do what needs to be done to win, and if a player isn't getting it done, others will get their chance. Sounds pretty good to me, and to any player that has confidence in his ability to get the job done.

Weis and Crist were together at Notre Dame for two years. Crist had one good year sandwiched between two season ending knee injuries, and lost the starting job at Notre Dame after coming back from the second knee surgery. Now Crist has been back with Weis since January, more than enough time to get back to some semblance of good play if he is still capable of such. So far, despite his obvious top marks practices (why else would Weis play him?), we have seen no in-game evidence that he is close to the QB he was before his two injuries. I have nothing against Dayne, really want him to succeed, but he has failed to perform -- against non-Big 12 defenses -- so the time is right to start looking at other options. Crist is not a "gamer". The only way to see if any of the other guys are gamers is to give them a shot.

texashawk10 8 months, 3 weeks ago

By what standard is 59% completion averaging about 225 yards per game with just over a 2:1 TD to INT ratio considered good when you have the kind of talent Crist had at Notre Dame?

LTCUSARet 8 months, 3 weeks ago

It's all relative. A Crist completing almost 60% of his passes is way better than one completing under 50%. It was Crist's best year, and if he was duplicating it at KU our record would be at least 3-1. The point to takeaway is that the almost 60% Crist does not seem to exist anymore.

jhawkclassof02 8 months, 3 weeks ago

Q: What does it say to future transfers if Weis benches a player/prospect like Crist after the 1st 4 games? A: It says he's able to evaluate in-game performance. Some players are practice heroes but just don't cut it in in-game situations. Every player knows he has to work for playing time, and that if he doesn't perform there's another guy in the rotation behind him. Q: What credibility does Weis have with parents and kids as he sits in their living rooms and tells a great prospect he has a great future at KU?
A: Only as much credibility as the next coach who does the same thing. Every highschool senior coming in as a frosh is on the outside looking in. Every one of them. The parents don't want anything handed to their kids, they want their kids to work for it and earn it. Their kid's ceiling depends on how high he sets the bar.

troutsee 8 months, 3 weeks ago

We will not win another game this year with Crist at QB. He has lost the fans and the team. Charlie must give another QB a shot. This guy does not have what it takes.

LTCUSARet 8 months, 3 weeks ago

"He has lost the fans and the team."

And losing the team is the most important fact. Why do teams fold in the 4th quarter? Many reasons, but knowing your paper QB is going to fold like origami at best does nothing positive for the other guys on the field, and at worst locks in the "we're gonna lose" mentality from which these Jayhawks need to break free.

NavyVet 8 months, 3 weeks ago

It's not the offense that folds in the 4th - it's the defense. The defesne has ben handed double-digit leads. And can't stop the other guy from scoring. That's not Crist's fault.

rockchalk1990 8 months, 3 weeks ago

You're both right. It IS the defense, but is most certainly the offense as well. Both have been awful late in games.

LTCUSARet 8 months, 3 weeks ago

Very true -- but the O does nothing in the 4th quarter except give the ball back to the other team after 3 plays and a punt or a missed 4th down attempt. When the failure to make first downs or scores results from highly inaccurate passes from a QB who has the time needed to hit his wide open receivers, that is the QB's fault.

The O does anything in the 4th quarter against NIU and KU wins that game. They didn't, gave the ball back to NIU and NIU scores 17 unanswered points.

Sure the D failed, but the O did nothing to help. And if defenders know their O can't get it done, the D becomes less confident and things spiral down.

jayhawkkufan2 8 months, 3 weeks ago

huh??? "defense has been handed double-digit leads" it was the defense that gave us the double-digit lead in the NIU game. and offense did nothing with it. I just wish every turnover the defense causes they could turn them into points right then & there because the offense, even when they are handed a handful of turnovers, can't manage to score enough TDs off any of them. But to frank, other than Crist and a couple of O-line issues, I don't blame the players. the offensive play calling in the 4th quarter and during other critical moments is highly suspect.

phogphan2000 8 months, 3 weeks ago

Defense handed itself that lead in the last game, offense only put up 17 against a team Army put up 40 against.

NebraskaJayhawk 8 months, 3 weeks ago

He's not been the best, but he's probably the best we got. Give him a few more games. We aren't bowling this year anyway and our QB of the future isn't going to get a snap this season anyway.

jhawkclassof02 8 months, 3 weeks ago

Crist is in about 115th place amongst FBS QBs in completion percent. He's completing less than half of his passes. In rushing amongst QBs Crist is also nearly dead last. He has amassed (-)37 yards of rushing this season. So we know that he ranks nearly dead last in passing AND rushing. Even if we put in Cummings or Baty we might stay near the bottom in terms of passing efficiency but I guarantee we wouldn't have negative rushing from behind center. We can literally almost can do no worse than we are now.

NebraskaJayhawk 8 months, 3 weeks ago

Man...I can't argue with you at all. And believe it or not, I am in total agreement that he's not getting it done. However, if what Weis says is true, he has a plan to turn this team into a winner. I personally believe he thinks our best chance in teaching the existing and new players this pro style offense is to play Crist. That's what he brought him here for was to teach the system. Maybe he can do that without being the starting QB though, I don't know. I agree though...I would like to see what Cummings or Baty could do with the offense. Not sure we will see that though, and so I will continue to support the decisions of our head football coach.

jayhawkintx1973 8 months, 3 weeks ago

Sacks count as rushes. Offensive line didn't block well last Saturday.

jayhawk_4_life2 8 months, 3 weeks ago

I'm sorry... but the team?? and at what point in a NCAA career should a coach worry if the QB has lost the FANS???? I understand if you aren't filling seats and everything is not going as planned but really think about what you just said... I haven't heard ONE not ONE thing said or seen about Crist losing his team... and as far as the fans go...Sorry I'll stop the idiots who think a coach should CARE what a fan thinks is out of their d**n minds!!!!

NebraskaJayhawk 8 months, 3 weeks ago

Brak 8 months, 3 weeks ago

"He has lost the fans" - So now you are speaking on behalf of the whole fan base. A few loud and overdramatic fans does not mean the whole fan base feels that way. Bottom line is we don't know what Cummings or Baty can do, but the coaching staff does and if they were even close to Crist's level I'm sure they would be playing. You should change your name to Goatsee because that's what I imagine everytime you post.

Phoghorn 8 months, 3 weeks ago

Crist train is bound for glory, Crist train...

AtlJaybird 8 months, 3 weeks ago

OK, since this article has already degraded into a referendum on whether or not Crist should play, I'll throw in my two cents. I generally agree with Jaylark above that we all need to chill out and trust Charlie on this one. I've been impressed with everything Weis has done (even the play-calling, by the way), and have every reason to believe he knows what he's doing. By all accounts, no one understands the QB position better than Charlie Weis.

If Coach says there is a huge difference between the 1st and 2nd string QB's, then I believe him. To those who say he should simply water down the playbook and let another guy play anyway, I say that's a guaranteed loss against any of the remaining teams. Last year's team is a perfect example of what happens when an offense becomes too predictable, and that's what would happen if you threw away two thirds of the playbook.

But I also think Weis has a bigger objective in mind. He has said from day one that he is going to run a "his" offense, an offense that is very complicated and difficult for every position to pick up. Even if Crist is struggling to do his part properly he is still helping the other guys learn that offense. That experience will pay off big-time down the road. It may not pay off for Crist, and it may not pay off this year, but it's gonna pay off.

Charlie has a plan, and he's sticking to it. We just have to trust him and be patient.

NebraskaJayhawk 8 months, 3 weeks ago

Very good post and analysis of the situation.

jaykan7 8 months, 3 weeks ago

I pose the question...What happened in years 3, 4 & 5 at Notre Dame where they struggled to win games?

AtlJaybird 8 months, 3 weeks ago

Seems there are two general explanations for that. The first is that Weis is not a very good college coach, that his pro-style offense doesn't translate well to college, that he is not a good head coach at any level, or that he simply doesn't know what he is doing. I'm guessing you might have at least one foot in that camp. The other school of thought says that Weis made a lot of mistakes at ND, that he's learned from those mistakes, that he never really had the time or personnel to be successful at Florida, and that with proper time and recruiting he will be successful at Kansas. I suppose I have at least one foot in that camp. For every story about a head coach who had a losing record and then suddenly found success (e.g. Bill Belichick) there are 10 other head coaches who never succeeded (Romeo Crennel?). Neither you or I or anyone else knows at this point which narrative Charlie Weis will follow. Nevertheless, he is a HUGE improvement over what we had and I feel good about the general direction, so there are reasons to be hopeful. That's the best answer I have.

jayhawk_4_life2 8 months, 3 weeks ago

So Jaykan7 I have a question for you.... What happens if in years 3, 4 & 5 at KU if they win bunches of games? Will you come on here and say great and positive things about Charlie and his recruits? Will you admit that you were wrong?

My take is very similar to Atl.... At ND, Charlie tried to do everything and was very arrogant at doing it. It turned a lot of people off and made it harder for him. Listening to him at several functions and even getting a chance to ask him while he was at a school recruiting, it seems he has learned from those mistakes. I am not going to tell you that Charlie will become Bill Snyder but better, but before the season started all I heard was be competitive and we'll be happy. yes I counted 3-1 at worst, too. However, EVERY game they have been in and could have won... Now If Crist is better and the WR are better, who knows 2-2, 3-1, 4-0??? but at the same time could you say that last 2 years???

jaykan7 8 months, 3 weeks ago

I was just asking a simple question about what happened during the decline at ND. But to answer your question, yes. If they can get it turned around I will be on here being positive and say great things. But, before the season started I said that I was going to be reserved with my optimism because this thing will be hard to turn around in a couple of years and everyone who loves Weis to me acted like we would be tops in the Big 12 and bowling within 2 years. As of yet I'm not buying it.

bigsav777 8 months, 3 weeks ago

Florida had a offense full of explosive players. A great coach adapts his offense to what he has