If Saturday’s Big 12 opener was any indication, it is going to be a long season for the Kansas football team. And I know that’s technically not true, because KU is playing two fewer games than normal.
But a [47-14 drubbing][1] by Baylor was a harsh reminder of just how difficult this season will be for the Jayhawks, who fall to 0-2 on the year. Wins — and possibly even competitive contests — will be hard to come by for Kansas during a 10-game slate that features nine conference games.
To make matters worse for KU, the team is playing a lot of young players during Les Miles’ second year at the helm.
So determining progress for the Jayhawks will be more than just about what the final score was. While Saturday’s result was completely lopsided, KU had signs of growth in certain facets of the game compared to the season opener. There were also plenty of issues that need correcting before Kansas plays host to Oklahoma State next weekend.
As I did following [KU’s loss to Coastal Carolina][2], this blog will feature a handful of quick takeaways from the latest game. I plan to rewatch the game on Sunday to get a better idea on most of this stuff, but this is a nice exercise for me before doing just that.
Feel free to put your own takeaways in the comments sections, as well.
**A rare fast start by KU**
The Jayhawks actually jumped out to a 7-0 lead after scoring on the opening drive of the game. True freshman quarterback Jalon Daniels made his first-career start, and led KU on an 8-play, 79-yard drive that took up 3:31 of the clock. Pooka Williams capped the possession off with a 21-yard touchdown run.
Now, KU did benefit from a personal foul on 3rd-and-13 that really kept the drive alive. But it was early momentum that the team has rarely shown in the Miles era. Coastal Carolina jumped out to a 28-0 advantage in the season opener just two weeks ago.
In 2019, Kansas only scored first in three of its 12 games and faced several double-digit deficits out of the gate.
**No excuse for miscues on special teams**
The Bears scored on two different kickoff returns in the second half to really blow the game open.
Trestan Ebner delivered a 100-yard kickoff return on the first play of the third quarter, giving the hosts a 24-7 advantage. Ebner then came through with an 83-yard kickoff return following a Kansas safety early in the fourth quarter.
According to Game Finder on College Football Reference, it is just the 18th time since 2000 that a team has scored on multiple kickoff returns in a game. It is the first time since Duke took two kicks to the house against Wake Forest on Nov. 23, 2019.
**Kansas seemed to create more pressure early on**
The TFL numbers were concerning for KU’s defense in the opener, but the unit showed progress in that department this time around.
Kansas recorded six tackles for loss, while delivering one sack. Especially early on in the game, it looked like the Jayhawks were actually creating pressure and forcing Baylor quarterback Charlie Brewer out of his comfort zone.
Part of that is probably attributed to Baylor’s offensive line, which was ranked 95th out of 130 FBS teams in [PFF’s 2020 College Football Magazine][3]. But I thought the Jayhawks also involved more players in the pass rush, which was something that was lacking two weeks ago.
**Pooka Williams has to touch the ball more**
This is a no-brainer, but probably worth mentioning real quick.
Sensational running back Pooka Williams only carried the ball 14 times and netted three receptions. He finished with 76 yards and two scores on the ground, while adding 24 receiving yards.
I usually [chart personnel usage][4] for every game when watching the replay, but I noticed live that Williams was lined up at receiver a bit more. While that is probably smart to do, it felt like Williams could have been utilized more as a running back as well.
Williams has only had six other games in his career with fewer rush attempts than he had Saturday night, which includes his 12-carry showing against Coastal Carolina. I’m not a coach, of course, but figuring out ways to get him the ball would seem like the right move for a stagnant offense.
**Karon Prunty looks like the real deal**
It is no secret that [Big 12 teams are going to test][5] true freshman cornerback Karon Prunty.
That seemed to be the case early on, when Brewer kept throwing the ball to the player Prunty was defending. Prunty was called for a questionable pass interference call on one play, but he also nearly had an interception at some point in the first half.
The game did ultimately get out of hand, but it seemed like the Bears chose to stop throwing Prunty’s way after he had some early success. So that will be something worth exploring when rewatching this game.
[1]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2020/sep/26/baylor-shakes-early-rust-rolls-past-kansas-47-14-w/
[2]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/jacksons_journal/2020/sep/13/five-takeaways-from-kus-38-23-loss-to-co/
[3]: https://www.pff.com/college/preview-magazine
[4]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/jacksons_journal/2020/sep/15/a-look-at-kus-personnel-usage-in-opener-/
[5]: http://m.kusports.com/news/2020/sep/10/true-freshman-cb-karon-prunty-expected-make-immedi/
