Kansas Jayhawks 2018 Football Preview

Kansas Jayhawks 2018 Football Preview

Opening Statement: It is impossible to imagine any sane person having any idea of how Kansas football gets out of the tailspin that they have been in, mostly since Mangino left as head coach some years ago. This program has been adrift, and the coaching tenure of David Beaty, much as I predicted it would be, has been a train wreck. Beaty got a bonus year from his bosses in 2018, but in all reality, there is no way that this program can realistically vault itself into a position to do what they would need to do to save him in just one season, and expectations have clearly been laid out by the new AD. In short, it does not look good for the Jayhawks or Beaty this fall.

Breakdown Offense: Carter Stanley and Peyton Bender both return to the roster at QB, but someone has to step up and take the job and be the guy. Stanley looks like he has the edge, passed for just 1108 yards with 4 TDs and 7 INTs, while completing 54.6% of his passes last fall. Bender passed for 1609 yards with 10 scores and 10 picks, while completing just 54.2% of his passes. In truth, it would benefit the Jayhawks to find a newcomer to push both of them, but that person is not apparent at this time.

The top 3 backs returns from last season, but Kansas rushed for just 102.58 yards per game, and ranked 125th in the nation in total rushing yards per game. Kahlil Herbert was the leader last fall, rushing for 663 yards and 4 scores, and he could use some help, as he has some break away talent, averaging 5.53 yards per carry last season. Taylor Martin and Dom Williams also return, but did not show much. Deron Thompson returns for his senior season, but carried just 28 times last fall. Reese Randall is the only other returning back that had game experience last fall.

Steven Sims gives Kansas a bit more stability on offense at WR, as he returns for his senior season after posting a line of 59-839-6. There is a pretty big drop in production after Sims. Evan Fairs caught just 24 passes last season, and is the next best returning receiver. Jeremiah Booker returns after catching 22 passes, and Ryan Schadler and Quan Hampton return as the only other returning options who caught at least 20 passes last fall. Kwamie Lassiter II and Kameron McQueen will try to provide some depth.

The TE job is wide open, as the four players on the roster at this position have not caught a pass as a college TE.

The line took a major blow this spring when starting C Mesa Ribordy left the team due to a medical condition. His two missed games last fall were the worst games Kansas played offensively. Hakeem Adeniji (LT), Andru Tovi (LG), Chris Hughes (RG), and Clyde McCauley III (RT) project as starters on the line. Hunter Saulsbury could slide into the C job, but expect some competition in fall camp. Antione Frazier will back up at Tackle, while Larry Hughes backs up at the OG spots.

Breakdown Defense: Dorance Armstrong moved on to the NFL after a huge individual season for him last season, leaving a spot open at DE as we headed into spring football. That spot took another huge blow when Kansas lost Isaiah Bean, the likely replacement for Armstrong, to yet another medical retirement. Those two losses will leave a sizeable void on the right side of the defensive line. Josh Ehambe will likely start at LDE, and finished with 6.5 TFLs last fall. Keyshawn Simmons, who was likely to be a backup on the left side, will likely now shift to the open position until the staff figures things out.

Daniel Wise will start at NT, and is a one man wrecking crew. The senior finished with 16 TFLs a year ago, which was 2nd on the team. He led the team with 7 sacks, and finished with 53 tackles. JJ Holmes, another senior, will start at DT. He totaled 2 TFLs last fall. There is little depth on the interior, which is an issue that will have to be ironed out in camp.

Joe Dineen returns for his senior season, and was one of the best LBs in the nation last season. He was one of the national leaders with 25 TFLs last season, and finished with 137 tackles to land on my All-Bilo National Team last postseason. Keith Loneker also returns to start, and finished with 46 tackles last season. He added 3.5 TFLs. Osaze Ogbebor and Dru Prox are the primary backups heading into fall camp.

Hasan Defense and Kyle Mayberry are the starting CBs this fall. Defense finished with 9 PBUs on the season and totaled 42 tackles. Mayberry added 30 tackles and and 3 PBUs. Julian Chandler provides work as the 3rd corner, but overall, depth is limited.

Mike Lee and Tyrone Miller are the starters at Safety. The combined for 4 PBUs last fall, and also combined for 117 tackles, with Lee adding 70 of those. Shaquille Richmond and Emmanuel Moore are the backups.

Bryce Torneden is the Nickel. He finished 4th on the team last fall with 61 tackles. DeAnte Ford is the backup, and will play in Dime packages as well.

Breakdown Special Teams: Gabriel Hui is back at PK, and had a solid season in 2017, hitting on 17/20 FG attempts, while hitting all 23 of his PATs.

Kyle Thompson returns at Punter to replace Cole Moos, but struggled badly, as did Moos. He averaged just 36.75 yards per punt on 4 punts last fall. They could use some help here.

Schadler and Sims will once again be the primary KR guys, while Sims will return punts.

Final Analysis: Offensively speaking, the only real star the Jayhawks have is Sims, and he gets buried by bad play around him. The QBs are a mess, and Herbert could be a star at RB, but bad line play and the loss of Ribordy at C will make it tough for him to shine.
The defense has some very special parts, as Dineen is one of the best college LBs in the nation, and Defense can play for anyone at CB. Lee is a rock solid Safety as well, but they cannot put it all together and make it work, as this unit gave up 43.4 points per game last season, as they crumbled under the weight of trying to carry a putrid offense that put up only 18.7 points per game. Kansas finished 0-2 against the MAC last season, and will have to fight to stay in games against Central Michigan and Rutgers this fall, with Nicholls State, an improving FCS program, will be the latest FCS team to take a shot at them. While there are pieces on the roster, there is no whole, and that is and has been the primary issue for Kansas for years now, and it is not getting any better under Beaty. I predict that Kansas will have another new football coach in 2019.