11 a.m. Memorial Stadium, Lawrence, Kansas — Game-time forecast: 62 degrees, sunny, 0 percent chance for rain, winds 8 mph from SW — TV: FOX Sports 1
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1 . Get crazy, take chances
If the Jayhawks tried to play the Bears straight up 100 times, they probably would lose all 100 of them. That’s how great the talent and experience disparity is between these two programs right now. The only way for KU even remotely to have a shot to compete in this one is to get crazy and try some things out of the ordinary. Go for all fourth downs. Plug in some fake kicks or trick plays. Do anything the Jayhawks can think of that might catch Baylor off guard. “I think you got to,” offensive coordinator Rob Likens said. “You look at any big game, and there’s always some kind of big play in there that’s been schemed up (that can) give you that edge and get the kids pumped up.” KU coach David Beaty said Kansas had a few such tricks in the game plan last week at Iowa State but the opportunity to run them never presented itself. So look for more of that today and look for KU to force those opportunities a time or two even if they aren’t there.
2 . Max protect
After watching two quarterbacks go down during the first four weeks of the season, it’s imperative the Jayhawks find a way to keep freshman QB Ryan Willis from taking too big of a beating in this one. Because if Willis gets knocked out of this game, the Jayhawks will be down to T.J. Millweard, the guy who opened the season fifth on the depth chart, and not much else behind him. The onus of protecting the quarterback falls on several people, not just the offensive line. Yes, the line has to be better than ever, but Likens also has to be smart with his play calls and protections, the running backs have to be ready to help chip pass rushers, and Beaty and Likens might even consider using a fullback or tight end in the backfield to give Willis that extra security blanket.
3 . Grind the clock
Win or lose, the Jayhawks sure would like to get out of this one with a respectable outcome. There are plenty of people out there who believe that Baylor coach Art Briles, if he wanted to do so, could hang 100 points on the KU defense this weekend. The one sure-fire way to prevent that from happening is for KU’s offense to keep possession of the ball for as long as possible. “I’m not really sure how you slow these guys down, because I don’t know many people that have,” Beaty said. “We’ll adjust a little bit, playing against these guys. Limiting possessions against these guys is gonna be key. So we’ve gotta take advantage of our possessions, and when we get a chance to take it away, we have to do that.”
There are a ton of areas that look like key match-ups in this one — Baylor’s receivers vs. the KU secondary, KU’s O-line against Baylor’s pass rush, Baylor’s run game vs. KU’s front six — but few will have the spotlight shining as brightly as the play of KU’s true freshman quarterback against the talented and experienced Baylor secondary. Willis has the arm strength to make any throw on the field, but whether he can do that in an environment in which the Bears’ DBs are not either sitting and waiting on the throw or baiting him into it will be the real question. Seven of the DBs on Baylor’s two-deep depth chart are either seniors or juniors and have seen far more dangerous offenses than the one KU will put on the field. If Willis can remain poised and get rid of the ball quickly, KU’s receivers could get open and make plays. If not, not only will the Baylor DBs have a field day, but the Baylor pass rushers also may make Willis’ first career start one he’d rather forget.
1 . You’re playing the third-ranked team in the country today and one of the nation’s most potent offenses. This will be the first time you’ve seen something like this in your career. What are you expecting?
“I’ve never played against an offense this fast and explosive. I expect fast tempo, to be spread out wide. You just have to get lined up fast, be mentally strong and just go out there and have fun.”
2 . You’re known for really taking time to help teach some of the younger defensive backs during practices. Why do you enjoy that so much?
“They want to get better so you enjoy helping guys who want to get better and ask you questions. I ask them questions, too, and we really just try to feed off of each other and get better every day.”
3 . Who’s the fastest receiver you’ve ever had to cover?
“I actually covered Dede Westbrook last year in juco. We played in the same conference. He runs like a 4.4 or 4.3 (-second 40-yard dash). He’s a real fast, explosive guy. It was a challenge, but it was fun, just two athletes battling. He ended up going to Oklahoma.”
4 . Which NFL cornerbacks do you like to watch to help improve your skills?
“I try to be my own person and try to take different parts of peoples’ games and put that into mine. I think (current Cleveland Browns cornerback and former Florida Gator) Joe Haden matches my physical body type, and I just try to play like him. He has real good feet, and he’s real technical. I’m not the biggest or tallest corner, so I know I have to be real technique sound to be my best.”
5 . Dial up the perfect defensive recipe for a monumental upset of Baylor?
“To win your one-on-one match-ups, to have confidence and to have fun. If you do that, at the end of the day, you’ll be fine. On offense, you have to make explosive plays, and on defense you gotta stop explosive plays. If we just do that, I think we’ll be fine.”
The four most winnable games on KU’s 2015 schedule are now behind them, and the Jayhawks remain winless. As if that’s not bad enough, the next chapter in KU’s rough run starts with the third-ranked team in the nation, which enters today’s game 5-0 all-time against Kansas under current coach Art Briles. To make matters worse, KU will be tossing true freshman Ryan Willis into the fire for his first start thanks to injuries to KU’s top two QBs. The current situation facing this downtrodden program easily can be broken down two ways. The optimist looks and says, ‘Hey, at least we’re getting a look at some potential players of the future and giving them some valuable experience along the way.’ The pessimist says, ‘Oh, man, these guys are gonna get creamed.’ It’s possible that both parties are right, but with another men’s basketball season officially tipping off Friday night, it looks like another predictable October and November without much attention being paid to the football program is on tap in Lawrence.
KU run game vs. Baylor run D — edge: Baylor
KU pass game vs. Baylor pass D — edge: Baylor
Baylor run game vs. KU run D — edge: Baylor
Baylor pass game vs. KU pass D — edge: Baylor
Special teams — edge: Baylor