— Texas (5-5 overall, 3-4 Big 12) at Kansas (1-9 overall, 0-7 Big 12) • 2:30 p.m. kickoff, Saturday, Memorial Stadium • Game-time forecast: 48 degrees, sunny, 0% chance of rain • TV: ABC
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1. Give Stanley time
For a redshirt freshman taking over as the No. 1 quarterback late in the season, Carter Stanley couldn’t ask for a much better scenario than back-to-back home games. Stanley’s first start against Iowa State went well enough — 26-for-38 passing, 171 yards, one touchdown and an interception in a loss. But finding holes in the Texas defense will present more of a challenge. In seven Big 12 games, the Longhorns have picked off eight passes and sacked the opposing QB 25 times (3.6 sacks a game). UT will bring the kind of heat Stanley has yet to face and how he reacts will determine whether Kansas can compete in its latest upset attempt. KU offensive linemen Hakeem Adeniji, Jayson Rhodes, Mesa Ribordy, Larry Hughes and D’Andre Banks, as well as any back or tight end asked to block, needs to protect Stanley and give him time to make the right reads — both on run-pass options and pass plays.
In the last five games, since head coach Charlie Strong took over defensive play-calling, UT has forced 12 turnovers, registered 21 sacks and made 45 tackles for loss.
If Stanley can’t regularly distribute the ball to Steven Sims Jr., LaQuvionte Gonzalez, Shakiem Barbel and his other targets, it will be a long day for Kansas.
2. Keep Kinner involved
In his previous two home games, senior running back Ke’aun Kinner has looked better than at any other point in his two seasons at Kansas. Kinner rushed 14 times for 145 yards against Oklahoma State and went for 152 yards on 18 carries versus ISU. There is no reason to go away from Kinner against UT. A 5-foot-9 senior from Little Elm, Texas, Kinner described how his best performances of the year felt different from other games.
“I can definitely say both games we established the run game very early and once we discovered that we can run the ball on these teams we kept it going,” Kinner said, “and that opened up really big plays made by Steven (Sims) and connections by Carter and all the other receivers. I feel like that changed the games.”
The Longhorns, who are 1-3 on the road this season, surrendered 234 rushing yards in a loss at Kansas State Oct. 22. The Jayhawks and Wildcats obviously implement stylistically different offenses, so there is no guarantee KU can replicate that success — but doing so should be a goal.
3. Don’t sleep on Buechele
When talking about Texas, it’s hard not to start with running back D’Onta Foreman (more on him shortly), but Longhorns freshman quarterback Shane Buechele — three-time Big 12 Newcomer of the Week — has proven he can do much more than hand the ball off to Foreman. No true freshman QB in UT history has started as many games as Buechele, who has completed 62.3 percent of his passes for 2,575 yards and 20 touchdowns. He has thrown for at least 200 yards in nine games, including a career-high 318 versus West Virginia last week.
As usual, KU’s defensive line will be asked to set an assertive tone up front and get after the QB. Dorance Armstrong Jr., Daniel Wise, DeeIsaac Davis and Damani Mosby need to keep pressure on Buechele, to make things easier for their defensive teammates behind them.
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KU defense vs. D’Onta Foreman
Last week in a home loss to Iowa State, the KU defense had issues stopping the Cyclones’ rushing attack — particularly in the second half, when ISU averaged 5.7 yards per carry on its way to a 238-yard afternoon. The Jayhawks sure better hope they’ve figured out their run-defense issues by kickoff, because Foreman, UT’s star running back, has been destroying opponents all season.
In Big 12 games, Foreman, listed at 6-foot-1 and 249 pounds, averages 189.3 yards. That’s more than four entire teams — Oklahoma State (169.9), Iowa State (161), Kansas (128.3) and Texas Tech (96.9). On the season, Foreman averages 6.7 yards per carry and has rushed for 1,613 total, putting him in the Heisman Trophy conversation.
When Foreman has the ball, all 11 KU defenders will have to execute in unison to limit his impact whenever possible. The last thing the Jayhawks want is to get Samaje Perine’d again.
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1. When you injured your hamstring at Memphis, in September, and you were walking off the field, did you realize the significance of the injury, which ended up costing you the rest of the season?
“I didn’t think it was all that bad. I knew at the time it hurt pretty good and I knew I probably wasn’t gonna be able to play again that week. But it’s just one of those things that just kept nagging and it just never felt like normal again. I never really pushed it to see if I could go. I haven’t gone full speed. Just two weeks ago I started lifting with my legs — doing leg workouts that Murph (athletic trainer Murphy Grant) told me I could do. It sucks. It’s a little setback. But hopefully I get that medical redshirt and can just carry on.”
2. At what point did you realize missing the rest of this season would be a real possibility?
“Around the Baylor game (Oct. 15, a month after the injury) probably, because I just knew how I felt and I knew I wasn’t ready to go out there. I wasn’t gonna be able to take on linemen, I wasn’t gonna be ready to play to my full potential, and that really sucks. Murph and the docs told me to pull it back a little bit, so I listened to them.”
3. How has it felt for you watching from the sidelines at home games, and then when the team goes on the road how do you keep up?
“Usually I have some in-town buddies come over and watch it with me. But, you know, it’s tough. It’s tough knowing that you can’t be out there to help the guys. But they’ve stepped up. They’ve done a pretty good job defensively and I’ve been proud of ’em.”
4. Do you find yourself coaching up your teammates on the sidelines, and what’s your involvement at practice?
“During practice I work out, and it’s on the sideline quite a bit. But during games I just kind of, I don’t coach as much. I leave that up to Coach Bowen (Clint, defensive coordinator) and Coach Bradford (Todd, linebackers coach), but I try to motivate a little bit more and get the guys going, get the guys ready to play. There’s obviously a lot of nerves from a couple of the younger guys that haven’t played as much, so trying to get them calmed down and really focused on the game.”
5. While you’re going through rehab for your hamstring, what’s the timetable for getting back to your old self?
“I think I’ll probably be back for the start of winter workouts, after winter break. I’m not 100 percent sure about it. I haven’t just gone up and asked (Grant), but my own timetable would probably be by the end of winter break.”
Though Texas is roughly a 24-point favorite, this is the final home game for KU and numerous key seniors. The Jayhawks, of course, haven’t won since their season opener against Rhode Island, but they’ve played far better at Memorial Stadium, site of their two best overall performances: a 24-23 loss to TCU and a 31-24 loss to Iowa State. It will take special afternoons from all involved to pull off the upset, but seniors such as Kinner, safety Fish Smithson, right tackle Banks, receiver Barbel, corner Marnez Ogletree, end Mosby, linebacker Courtney Arnick, safety Tevin Shaw, fullback Michael Zunica and end Cameron Rosser will do everything within their power to try and make it happen.
KU ….. UT
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