Kansas demonstrates running back depth in Week 1 win over Missouri State

By Shane Jackson, Special to the Journal-World     Sep 2, 2023

article image Mike Gunnoe/Journal-World photo
Kansas running back Dylan McDuffie breaks away for a touchdown against Missouri State Friday, Sept. 1, 2023.

It was a play that was days in the making.

Kansas running back Devin Neal scored on his first offensive touch of the 2023 season, breaking free for a 48-yard touchdown run to give his team an early advantage en route to a 48-17 victory over Missouri State on Friday night at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

The Jayhawks motioned left, but sent Neal to the right on a shotgun handoff. Neal made the first defender miss by cutting upfield before shaking the next defender with another juke in the second level. And then he was off to the races.

“We knew it was coming,” Neal said. “We game-planned it all week. I just did what I was trained to do. That’s why we practice, and that’s why we do repetition after repetition. It was a great feeling, just being back on the field on game day.”

article imageMike Gunnoe/Journal-World photo

Kansas running back Devin Neal, looks back with a smile as he scores the first touchdown of the season against Missouri State Friday, Sept. 1, 2023.

Neal had to break one final Missouri State tackle attempt but managed to stay on his feet. He and receiver Lawrence Arnold trotted into the end zone together, as the Jayhawks raced out to a 7-0 advantage.

“I thought he was going to fall when he stumbled,” Arnold admitted. “I was going to keep him up though. That was the play where I was like that really shows how explosive our offense can be when we are really locked in.”

But Neal wasn’t the only running back to find pay dirt in KU’s convincing Week 1 victory. In fact, he wasn’t even the only RB to score on his first touch of the game.

On a night where there was plenty of attention to who would start at quarterback, it was Kansas’ backfield that helped steer the ship. All four running backs who played on Friday (Neal, Daniel Hishaw Jr., Dylan McDuffie and Sevion Morrison) ultimately recorded a touchdown in the win, led by a two-score performance from Neal.

“It’s really special,” Neal said. “We talk about how good our running back room is and how talented each of us are. You see a lot of different things in each of us that led to us scoring those touchdowns, too.”

Neal, who is the starting running back for the Jayhawks, is the most athletic of the bunch. Not only did he score on his first touch, but he came through on his last with a six-yard touchdown grab from Bean on fourth-and-5 in the fourth quarter. It marked the first time a KU player scored a rushing and receiving touchdown in the season opener since Jake Sharp accomplished the feat in 2009.

Bean also admitted that it was his favorite play of the game.

“He was the check down,” said Bean, who added 45 yards on five of his own rushing attempts. “I got out of the pocket and gave him the ball and let him do what he does in space.”

Neal paced the backfield with 13 attempts for 94 yards while adding three catches for 25 yards. Still, everyone in the running back room found a way to contribute.

article imageMike Gunnoe/Journal-World photo

Kansas running back Daniel Hishaw Jr. eyes the end zone for a touchdown Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, against Missouri State.

Hishaw earned backup RB duties in his first game since suffering a hip injury last October that cut his season short. He fumbled the ball early in the game, but managed to atone for his mistake by scoring a 24-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

McDuffie, a transfer from Georgia Tech, scored on his first carry as a Jayhawk with a 17-yard run in the third quarter. He finished with 40 yards on six attempts in the win. For good measure, Morrison turned eight carries into 41 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown as the fourth-string tailback.

“I learned the depth in our running back room is amazing,” Arnold said. “The things they can do, how versatile that room is. I think that’s the most dynamic room you will see in college football.”

article imageMike Gunnoe/Journal-World photo

Kansas running back Sevion Morrison celebrates scoring a touchdown with teammates Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, against Missouri State.

As a team, Kansas finished with 245 rushing yards on 38 attempts. According to initial grading from Pro Football Focus, a sports analytics company, the Jayhawks produced a rushing grade of 74.3. That mark was good for 11th among all FBS teams who played either Thursday or Friday.

KU averaged 7.58 yards and 0.09 EPA (expected points added) per play on all rushes, per gameonpaper.com. The offense ranked in the 98th percentile in Week 1 with a success rate of 58%, thanks in large part to its nice blend of explosive pass plays and versatile run game.

While the performance did take place against a Football Championship Subdivision foe, it was a promising sign for a team that faded down the stretch following a 5-0 start last season. With Big 12 Conference play on the horizon, the running back depth Kansas demonstrated in Week 1 could end up determining how successful the 2023 season will be.

“Just getting through camp all healthy was super important for us and we did that,” Neal said. “The sky’s the limit for our room.”

Kansas vs. Missouri State rushing grades

(Per Pro Football Focus as of Sept. 2)

Devin Neal

— 18 snaps

— 13 attempts

— 94 yards

— Run grade: 73.5

— Offensive grade: 76.1

Daniel Hishaw Jr.

— Seven snaps

— Four attempts

— 27 yards

— Run grade: 59.9

— Offensive grade: 58

Dylan McDuffie

— Seven snaps

— Six attempts

— 40 yards

— Run grade: 65.5

— Offensive grade: 66.5

Sevion Morrison

— Nine snaps

— Eight attempts

— 41 yards

— Run grade: 68.8

— Offensive grade: 71.1

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