Offensive coordinator Rob Likens doesn’t have to stop at telling them things will get better, he can show them evidence from his previous job.

Cal head coach Sonny Dykes brought Likens with him from Louisiana Tech to coach receivers and ultimately coordinate the passing game for him.

In the staff’s first year, 2013, Cal wasn’t as out-manned as Kansas is now, but it was close. The Golden Bears went 1-11 that season, 5-7 the next and are off to a 5-2 start.

“I’m so thankful that I went through that experience,” Likens said. “It has helped me to keep my head and my emotions in check right now. There’s no telling what I’d be thinking right now if I hadn’t gone through that already. So that was a really, really good experience because it is very similar.”

Right down to having a true freshman quarterback. KU’s Ryan Willis is listed at 6-foot-4, 211 pounds. Jared Goff, a freshman in 2013, now is listed at 6-4, 215.

Willis and Goff both come from athletic families. Both of Willis’ parents competed in the Big 12 and his sisters both played Div. I basketball. Jerry Goff, a left-handed-hitting backup catcher and Jared’s father, played for the Montreal Expos, Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros.

Willis became the starter in the fifth game of the season. Goff, who graduated high school a semester early, was the starting quarterback from Day 1 of spring football.

Willis arrived on campus in June for conditioning and became the starter after a spring-game injury to Michael Cummings and in-season injuries for Deondre Ford and Montell Cozart.

“The spring that Jared was there really helped him because he was the starter coming into camp and he was there all summer working with the players, so it was almost like he was a redshirt,” Likens said.

As for how Willis and Likens are similar, Likens said, “Arm strength. And you might not think they’re great athletes, but they’re sneaky. They kind of get out of trouble sometimes when you don’t expect them to. They’re not just statues sitting back there like you might think. So they can get out of trouble with their feet. Jared had really exceptional pocket awareness. I think that’s what makes him really special.”

Goff threw 18 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions as a freshman. So far, Willis four TD passes and four picks. As a sophomore, Goff posted Todd Reesing-esque numbers with 35 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Fifteen spring practices could have put Willis ahead of where he is and might have even made him the starter from the first week of the season. At times, he plays like a freshman, a very, very talented freshman.

“Freshmen will drive you crazy as a coach,” Likens said. “There was the one play where he threw it up to Tre’ (Parmalee) on the sideline. A week ago that was an interception. As the ball was flying through the air, I’m screaming, ‘No!’ and then Tre’ catches it and I’m like, ‘Yes!’ He’ll do a couple of those on you per game, drive you crazy, but it’s also fun because their hope for the future is awesome.”

Likens said Cal also dealt with injuries to the offensive line during Goff’s freshman year. It’s doubtful that left them with a line as young as the Jayhawks will field Saturday vs. Oklahoma.

It’s possible that at the same time, Kansas will have a true freshman at both offensive tackle spots, two wide receivers and at quarterback.

That’s unusual at QB, almost unheard of at offensive tackle.

“Most of the time, offensive linemen are the last guys who develop,” Likens said. “Honestly, you shouldn’t be playing those dudes until they get to be red-shirt sophomores and juniors, but it is what it is so we’re just going to have to make the best of it.”

Senior O-tackle Larry Mazyck has had an inconsistent senior season and remains penalty-ridden. He and true freshmen Larry Hughes and Clyde McCauley will get most of the snaps at the two tackle spots because junior Jordan Shelley-Smith, the team’s best tackle, is doubtful (concussion).

“We’re going through a tough deal right now. It’s going to be tough,” Likens said. “There are no magical answers. You can’t just open up the cabinet door and there are going to be some offensive linemen sitting there. However, this time next year it will be beneficial for us that these guys will have all the experience that they’ve had.”

Likens said he thought Willis might have benefited from twice getting rocked harder than he ever had in the Oklahoma State game because, “now he knows what it’s like and it’s not as bad as what you think.”

But it doesn’t take long for that experience to become detrimental if the beatings continue.

“You just don’t want that to happen too much or you’ll ruin a kid,” Likens said. “He’ll start looking at the rush instead of looking down field.”

Kansas offensive line coach Zach Yenser not only has worked tirelessly at developing big, young bodies, he has lined up verbal commitments from four offensive linemen, three from high schools. Willis’ ribs appreciate Yenser’s efforts.