After limiting high-scoring TCU to 23 points in a road loss last week, the Kansas football team will have to find ways to slow down a different kind of attack with West Virginia coming to Memorial Stadium Saturday (11 a.m. kickoff, FOX Sports Net).
The Mountaineers (5-4 overall, 2-4 Big 12) have adapted and become more reliant on the run this season. WVU averages 224.2 yards on the ground (compared to 227.8 through the air). And with Kansas allowing 255.4 rushing yards per game, the Jayhawks could be in some trouble.
Now in his fifth season at WVU, coach Dana Holgorsen’s teams are known for posting monster yardage numbers:
*- 56 games with 300 or more yards of total offense*
*- 41 games with 400 or more yards*
*-21 games with more than 500 yards*
*- 9 games with more than 600 yards*
But West Virginia creates opportunities for its offense by taking the ball away, too. The Mountaineers rank 4th in the nation with 16 interceptions and 8th nationally with 22 total takeaways.
With those numbers in mind, here are the WVU players who should grab the attention of first-year Kansas coach David Beaty and the winless Jayhawks (0-10, 0-7).
**FIVE MOUNTAINEERS TO WATCH**
————————–
*No. 4: RB Wendell Smallwood | 5-11, 202, jr.*
—————————————-
– When you have a high-powered run game, typically one man carries the load. For WVU, junior running back Wendell Smallwood is that man. Smallwood ranks 11th in the country in rushing yards per carry (6.7), 14th in rushing yard per game (124.3) and 22nd in all-purpose yards (138.3).
– With Smallwood putting up 165 rushing yards in a 38-20 victory over Texas last week, WVU only had to throw the ball 12 times.
– His 6 rushing touchdowns lead WVU this season.
– With three regular-season games to go, Smallwood already holds the title of a 1,000-yard rusher. He has 1,119 and counting.
– Smallwood even averaged 7.7 yards per carry against a stout Oklahoma State defense earlier this season.
– The RB’s 21 receptions ranks him third on the team. But they usually come in small doses, with a season long of 13 yards.
*No. 3: QB Skyler Howard | 6-0, 206, jr.*
—————————————
– With a reliable ground game, junior WVU quarterback Skyler Howard doesn’t have to force much, and he completes 56.9% of his passes.
– Howard averages 221.9 passing yards an outing, and has thrown 18 touchdowns, with 10 interceptions.
– Against Texas last week, Howard went 10-for-12 through the air for 122 yards and, more importantly, a pair of touchdowns.
– The fifth-year senior matched his personal-best single-game mark with 21 completions against both Liberty and Maryland earlier this season.
– This QB can run, too. Howard took off for a 50-yard score against Oklahoma in early October.
*No. 1: WR Shelton Gibson | 5-11, 192, so.*
—————————————-
– When Howard drops back to pass, he has a legit deep threat to target in sophomore wide receiver Shelton Gibson. The 5-foot-11 play-maker ranks 3rd in the nation in yards per reception — an astounding 23.04.
– Earlier this fall, at Baylor, Howard and Gibson connected for a 70-yard score.
– Gibson went for 118 yards and 2 touchdowns on just 6 catches against Maryland in September.
– Dangerous on special teams, as well, he took a kick return 100 yards for a TD at Baylor.
– It should be pointed out, though, that the past two weeks Texas Tech and Texas shut Gibson out: 0 catches, 0 yards in each of those games. Will KU also play deep in the secondary to take Gibson away, or will the hungry WR explode back on the scene?
*No. 7: CB Daryl Worley | 6-1, 202, jr.*
————————————–
– When KU has the ball, and true freshman QB Ryan Willis scans the field on passing downs, he’ll need to be keenly aware of junior WVU cornerback Daryl Worley. With 14 passes defended through nine games, Worley ranks 11th nationally.
– Four times this season, Worley has come away with an interception. (That puts him 1 behind teammate Karl Joseph’s 5 picks.)
– Worley 3 pass breakups in one game, at Baylor.
– The defensive back came up with a crucial first-half fumble recovery at Texas that helped WVU take control.
– The past 2 weeks, Worley is averaging 7.0 solo tackles per game.
*No. 7: RB Rushel Shell | 5-10, 224, jr.*
—————————————
– One more running back for Kansas to worry about, Rushel Shell averages 4.0 yards per carry and has 5 rushing TDs on the season.
– Shell led WVU with 111 rushing yards and scored twice against Texas Tech.
– In 5 of the past 6 WVU games, Shell has carried the ball 12 or more times, with a season-high 20 coming against Oklahoma, when he netted 72 yards and a TD.
