College Football News Preview 2020: Kansas Jayhawks Keys To The Season
Biggest Key To The Kansas Jayhawks Offense
Establish an identity under offensive coordinator Brent Dearmon. What is Kansas football, at least in a positive way?
It all starts up front with the ground game, When it works, Kansas is at least competitive. It only managed to run for over 170 yards three times last season – that has to change, but it’s not going to be easy behind a rebuilding line.
Can the passing game keep up? It was able to come up with yards as the O tried to bomb its way back into games, but again, when it worked, the team was at least competitive.
Consistency is the biggest key. The program’s offense has to be able to make the rest of the Big 12 worry about something.
Biggest Key To The Kansas Jayhawks Defense
Start to come up with takeaways. This will never be a rock of a D that rises up and shuts a good offense down cold, but it needs to provide just a little more help with big plays.
Third down stops were a rumor – the Jayhawks were the third-worst in the nation, allowing opponents to convert 52% of their chances – but the biggest issue were the takeaways. There weren’t any.
The 2018 Kansas defense wasn’t anything special, but at least it forced 27 turnovers with two or more in seven games. Last year’s defense came up with a grand total of eight, and two of them came in the season-opener against Indiana State
On the year, the D recovered just two fumbles. However, in the two games it was able to come up with multiple takeaways, one was the win over ISU, and the other was the heartbreaking 50-48 loss to Texas.
Key Kansas Jayhawks Player To A Successful Season
QB Thomas MacVittie, Sr.
Carter Stanley had a good year. After spending his career in a quarterback rotation, the gig became his, he threw for 2,664 yards and 24 touchdowns, and he did what he could to make the offense go.
Kansas needs its quarterback to be better, though.
It’s a crowded field in the hunt to be the new starter, but the 6-5, 225-pound MacVittie is overdue to breakout and become a star. The former Pitt Panther and JUCO transfer has got the size and the arm, and now – assuming he’s able to beat out the small army of other options – he has to get ready to be in a whole lot of firefights.
Key Game To The Kansas Jayhawks Season
at Baylor, Sept. 12
Just how far has Kansas come in the last several months? It wasn’t a great 2019 season, but there were a few signs of life here and there, and then … yuck. It all ended with a 61-6 home loss to Baylor.
The 12-1, Orange Bowl-winning 2007 season – a string of ten games – was the last time the Jayhawks were able to beat the Bears. It’s the Big Ten opener, and it’s on the road. With New Hampshire before, win in Waco, and it’ll likely be the first 2-0 season since 2011.
– Kansas Jayhawks Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2019 Kansas Fun Stats
– 1st Quarter Scoring: Kansas 122 – Opponents 40
– Rushing TDs: Opponents 32 – Kansas 10
– Fumbles: Kansas 11 (lost 6) – Opponents 11 (lost 2)