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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2013
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FOOTBALL GAMEDAY PREVIEW
CHRIS HYBL
chybl@kansan.com
STARTING LINEUP
The Kansas offense has been the anchor to the football team's progression. The anchor is a metaphor for the offense's ability to keep the team still — completely unprogressive. The offense has managed to keep Kansas relatively close to the dock actually, and now we continue to see a battle for captainship: the rotating possessions between Montell Cozart and Jake Heape. Heaps gets the start this week, but does it really mean anything. Kansas does have stud playmaker Tony Pierson back in the lineup though, so the hopes should be higher than previous weeks.
KANSAS
OFFENSE
DEFENSE
The defense has managed to keep games fairly manageable for Kansas and its struggling offense. It requires forcing turnovers: something this defense does particularly well. They force just under two turnovers a game and they may need a few more than that to make things interesting against a team that has won four straight Big 12 games. They also are 15th in the nation in points, averaging 40.4 points per contest.
POSITION NAME NO. YEAR
X Tre' Parmalee 11 So.
LT Pat Lewandowski 61 Jr.
LG Ngalu Fusimalohi 63 Jr.
C Gavin Howard 70 Sr.
RG Mike Smithburg 65 Jr.
RT Aslam Sterling 77 Sr.
TE Jimmay Mundine 41 Jr.
RB James Sims 29 Sr.
QB Jake Heaps 9 Jr.
F Brandon Bourbon 25 Jr.
Z Rodriguez Coleman 1 Jr.
POSITION NAME NO. YEAR
LC JaCorey Shepherd 24 Jr.
Nickel Victor Simmons 27 Jr.
LE/T Kevin Young 90 Sr.
N Keon Stowers 98 Jr.
RE/T Keba Agostinho 96 Sr.
BUCK Ben Goodman 93 So.
CB Dexter McDonald 12 Jr.
SS Isaiah Johnson 5 So.
MLB Ben Heeney 31 Sr.
WLB Jake Love 57 So.
FS Cassius Sendish 33 Jr.
PREDICTION FOR KANSAS 41-16 OK. STATE KANSAS
QUESTION MARKS
Starting the year, Kansas football players and coaches made sure to provide clear distinctions between this year's team and last year's team. Right now, fans haven't seen much of a difference. A loss here not only buries player's hope of bowl eligibility, but allows fans another reason to believe that Kansas hasn't taken any significant steps as a football program since Charlie Weis arrived. Can Kansas give the fans a reason to think that this year is distinguishable from last year?
SPECIAL TEAMS
Well, Matthew Wyman had his time. The kicker that nailed a 53-yard game winner earlier this year will now be No.2 on the depth chart behind Ron Doherty, the kicker that was benched last season. Charlie Weis is fighting old demons with this decision, but has confirmed that Doherty will be taking the first kicker. With Doherty's history, you can expect to see Wyman at some point again in the season. As for punting, Trevor Pardula has a great leg on him.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Tony Pierson. Kansas' biggest offensive weapon is back on the depth chart this weekend, and that's more than beautiful for Kansas. The Kansas offense may not be the most glamorous offense with him, but he brings things a step up from ugly. Pierson's first few plays will be key in determining both his intended impact on the game and if he is, indeed. 100 percent recovered from concussion troubles.
COACHING
Weis said that he worked with the receivers about being more physical and that it has paid dividends so far. We saw a little last week with Rodriguez Coleman breaking through, but that progress needs to be carried through each game. It will be the focal point to see if Kansas can get any big plays from their wide receiving corps.
BABY JAY CHEERS IF
Kansas doesn't throw the game on one play. Kansas has been notorious this season for letting the momentum of games switch with just a play. Early in the season it was the fake punt run, last week it was a Jake Heaps fumble returned for a touchdown, and there's been plenty in between. Kansas has been a horrible passenger on the roller coaster ride of momentum, and if they can resist throwing the game away in one or two plays, they can keep this game close. Just keep things interesting.
AT A GLANCE
When you're watching Kansas play from now on, it should be understood that Jake Heaps and Montell Cozart are not complements. It's turned into a battle for the starter position. It's plausible that the battle for next year's starting quarterback position is right now. With each week, Heaps takes the shape of Dayne Crist more and more, and with Cozart bringing the run element to the pocket, Weis has every reason to give Cozart the nod. Cozart's first touchdown, a 20-yard run last week against Texas, should only accelerate his ascension.
Edited by Jessica Mitchell
Byron T. Shutz Award Lecture Jeremy Shellhorn
It's Weird in Here The Design Studio as a Model for Teaching and Learning at KU
November 13 at 3:30 p.m.
The Commons, Spooner Hall
Questions? (785) 864-4932
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