After entering the offseason with momentum following a win against Texas, the Kansas football team will return for the 2017 season with higher expectations and some more buzz around the program.
On a night when the school will honor the 2008 Orange Bowl championship squad, the current version of the Jayhawks will take on Southeast Missouri (6 p.m., JTV/ESPN3) at Memorial Stadium.
“We got a lot of great stuff happening this weekend, but none more important than this game,” KU coach David Beaty said. “Our job is to go win the game, and we understand that.”
The Jayhawks cruised in last year’s season opener against Rhode Island and should be a heavy favorite when they line up against SEMO, which was picked to finish seventh in the Ohio Valley Conference.
When these two schools met in 2014, the Jayhawks held off a late charge from the Redhawks for a 34-28 win.
**BREAKING DOWN SEMO:**
**OFFENSE**
**Quarterback**
For the first time since 2011, SEMO will have a starting quarterback under center for consecutive seasons. Jesse Hosket (6-3, 223) started all 11 games for the Redhawks last season after transferring from East Central Community College in Mississisppi. Hosket, a senior, is a pocket passer, accumulating 2,332 yards and 11 touchdowns last year with a 50 percent completion rate and seven interceptions. He ranked third in the conference in passing yards per game and had the fourth-most passing attempts in a season in school history.
**Running backs**
After losing Will Young, an all-conference rusher, the Redhawks will turn to some fresh faces to carry the ball. That includes juniors Marquis Terry (5-6, 179) and Cameron Sanders (6-1, 212). Terry transferred from Highland (Kan.) Community College and led the KJCCC with 1,319 yards along with a school-record 16 rushing touchdowns. Terry, from Atlanta, was the named the juco conference’s offensive player of the year. Sanders, one of the best kick returners in school history, ran for 172 yards and one touchdown on 47 carries last year, his first year at running back.
**Receivers**
SEMO’s biggest offensive weapon is redshirt sophomore Kristian Wilkerson, who recorded 35 catches for 743 yards and four scores last season. Wilkerson (6-0, 203) is a big play threat and had 16 receptions of 20-plus yards. Sophomore Trevon Billington (5-11, 181) is expected to line up on the opposite of Wilkerson after he spent last year primarily on special teams. Senior Tyler McLemore (6-1, 216) should contribute on the outside after he had 16 catches for 210 yards last season.
**Offensive line**
The Redhawks bring back two returning starters: junior LT Drew Forbes (6-4, 305) and senior RT Alex Snyder (6-3, 303). Forbes started all 11 games last season and received the team’s top lineman award. Snyder is a two-year starter. Junior Lucas Orchard (5-11, 290) is expected to start at center while junior RG Giovanni Negron (6-2, 313) and junior LG Kyle Theis (6-3, 305) line up next to him.
**Scheme**
Jon Wiemers enters his second season as SEMO’s offensive coordinator and fourth as an assistant coach on Tom Matukewicz’s staff. Last season the Redhawks operated primarily out of the shotgun in a spread formation. SEMO ranked last in the OVC in scoring offense last year (20.8 points per game).
**DEFENSE**
**Defensive line**
Defensive tackle Joshua Wilson (5-11, 330) highlights SEMO’s D-line after the senior recorded 41 tackles and a sack last season. Clarence Thornton (6-2, 284) is the team’s top defensive end and Reggie Miles (6-4, 315) will line up a nose tackle. Miles played for Ellsworth CC last fall while Thornton was limited to three tackles in six games.
**Linebackers**
Perhaps the most talented position group on the team, the Redhawks return standout senior outside linebacker Chad Meredith (6-4, 244) along with fellow outside linebacker Kendall Donnerson (6-2, 248). Meredith, a preseason all-conference pick, was all over the field last season with 86 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. Donnerson added 50 tackles and a team-high 13 tackles for loss. At inside linebacker, SEMO will led by Zach Hall (5-11, 238) and Rider Garrett (5-11, 224). Hall racked up 36 tackles last year and Garrett is the younger brother of Roper Garrett, who led the team in tackles for the past three years. Rider Garrett initially joined the team as a walk-on.
**Secondary**
Senior Mike Ford (5-11, 196) is the only returning starter in the secondary, back for another year at cornerback. He missed the final four games last year because of injury, but ended up with 40 tackles and one interception in seven starts. Sophomore Shabari Davis (6-0, 180) is expected to start at the other cornerback spot while Omar Pierre-Louis (5-11, 193) and Bydarrius Knighten (5-11, 180) start at safety. Pierre-Louis had 32 tackles last year and Knighten is a redshirt freshman.
**Scheme**
Bryce Saia, in his fourth year as the team’s defensive coordinator, directs his defense out of a base 3-4 front. The Redhawks had the third-best scoring defense in the OVC last season (24.4 points per game), including a strong showing in the red zone.
**SPECIAL TEAMS**
Cameron Sanders is a dynamic kick returner, averaging 28.3 yards per return last season to earn first-team All-OVC honors. Newcomer Nicholas Litang won battle for starting kicker and Evan Scales will handle punts.
**FUN FACT**
Ohio Valley Conference schools are a combined 34-216-1 against FBS teams. Eastern Illinois was the last team to earn a win, beating Miami (Ohio), 21-17, on Sept. 10, 2016.
**VEGAS SAYS…**
Oddsmakers don’t set betting lines for FBS teams playing FCS teams, but if I was in charge, I’d say Kansas by 27.
The Jayhawks won 55-6 over Rhode Island in their opener last season. SEMO should be a better team than last year’s version of Rhode Island, but the Jayhawks should be much improved as well.
With a new quarterback, Peyton Bender, and offensive coordinator, Doug Meacham, I think the Jayhawks will do their best to showcase their more explosive offense.
