THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2013
FOOTBALL
PAGE 5B
Junior linebacker Ben Heeney, left, and senior linebacker Darius Willis chase down Louisiana Tech running back Kenneth Dixon in the Sept. 21 victory against the Bulldogs.
EMILY WITTLER/KANSAN
Kansas defense prepares for Texas Tech's offense
CHRIS HYBL chybl@kansan.com
Two Texas Tech quarterbacks were studied in the Kansas football team's second bye week of the year. The Kansas secondary had double the time for double the preparation ahead of its conference opener Saturday at home against No. 20 Texas Tech.
The Kansas defense is one facet of the team that has yet to have any glaring weaknesses or deficiencies, but a big adjustment is required to keep up that standard against nationally-ranked Texas Tech. No doubt, Kansas' nonconference schedule was actually a stretch of actual tests compared to a Texas Tech team that went through their
nonconference opponents in cruise control. It's final exam time for Kansas, except there's new material. Texas Tech runs one of the most fast-paced offensive tempos in the conference;
"Really right now we're just trying to prepare for the tempo," junior college transfer Cassius Sendish said. "I know they're going to try to run as many plays as they can. It's going to be 12 seconds or less coming up to the line and making a decision. It's as much about playing our cards as them playing their cards."
"it's going to be 12 seconds or less coming up to the line and making a decision."
Texas Tech's two regularly active freshman quarterbacks, Baker Mayfield and Davis Webb, have both played a significant role in Tech's 4-0 start. Mayfield, the quarterback throwing 70 percent
of the time for Texas Tech, will start Saturday against Kansas. This will be Mayfield's fifth consecutive start at quarterback. But Webb, responsible for 30 percent of Texas Tech passing attempts this season, has come in to relieve Mayfield in each of the last two games, including Tech's 20-10 win over TCU on September 12 where he threw the game clinching touchdown in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.
It's highly likely that the Kansas secondary will see both quarterbacks. If two quarterbacks are not seen, that means Mayfield led Texas Tech to an easy victory. Kansas should want to see both quarterbacks, which is why they've studied for both.
CASSIUS SENDISH Junior safety
"We know they're both pretty good guys and they're going to throw the ball," said junior nickelback Victor Simmons. "But in my eyes, they're the same guy, just different number."
With both numbers in, Texas Tech averages almost 54 passes a game compared to the 36 averaged passing attempts against Kansas by its three opponents this season. The Kansas secondary also has yet to give up more than 300 yards passing in one game. Texas Tech averages 408.5 per game. No doubt, statistics will be significant after this game.
"I think we're prepared for it, we've been preparing for it in practice," Sendish said. "I think the product we put out there Saturday will be official."
The dual quarterback system does
have its advantages for Kansas. With the two quarterbacks getting significant game reps and pass attempts, it's definitely no secret that each quarterback has struggled on more than one occasion. There's nothing to Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury's substitution strategy. When one does bad, on comes the other.
Kingsbury used Mayfield being 4-0 as a starter as the primary reason for Mayfield to start again at Kansas.
"We're 4-0 with him as a starter, and that's really where we're at," Kingsbury said earlier this week. "I think he's healthy for the first time in three weeks, completely healthy, and looked sharp in practice."
Mayfield will be the first on, but the biggest question is who will be the last off. The Kansas defense will be the ones to decide that, and they are plenty excited to. On Wednesday, Simmons, Sendish, and junior JaCorey Shepherd's eyes all lit up at the thought of a quarterback throwing 60 passes in Saturday's game. Their tongues almost dropped out of their mouths. Not to mention that each quarterback has thrown four interceptions each through their four games played.
"We're just going to try and take advantage of the quick decisions that the quarterback has to make," Sendish said. "It's a chess match honestly we're trying to put our wits against their wits and see who gets the better outcome."
According to those three, it's all about making whoever is in the pocket as uncomfortable as possible.
- Edited by Jessica Mitchell
MICHAEL STRICKLAND/KANSAN
Kansas football players celebrate with fans in Memorial Stadium after a 13-10 victory against Lousiana Tech on Sept. 21.
Dole Institute of Politics Presents
2013 Constitution Day Program The Supreme Court and Campaign Finance Has Citizens United Changed The Rules?
Tuesday. Oct. 8. 7:30 p.m.
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in an important finance case, which raises questions about the current limits under federal law on the amounts that individuals can contribute to campaigns and political entities.
This program will feature two prominent Washington, DC attorneys on opposite sides of the constitutional issues who will discuss the McCutcheon case as well as the constitutional law of campaign finance more generally. KU Law Professor Steven McAlister will moderate the discussion between attorneys Randolph Moss
and Bobby Burchfield.
Dole Institute Fellows Reunion
Thursday & Friday, October 10 & 11
Session I – Thursday, 2:30 p.m.
Session II – Thursday, 4:00 p.m.
Session III – Friday, 9:00 a.m.
Session IV - Friday, 10:30 a.m.
Since 2005, some of the country's most experienced political practitioners, journalists and business professionals have been fellows at the Dole Institute of Politics. For two days this fall, our past fellows will join us again to discuss the future of the two parties, how to restore civility and courtesy to the political debate and
how to solve gridlock in Washington. This program exemplifies Senator Dole's vision of the Institute as a center for community, students and faculty to engage in civil discourse on important issues and hear diverse perspectives on a wide range of topics that intersect politics.
2350 Petefish Drive Lawrence, KS 66045
phone: 785-864-4900
fax: 785-864-1414
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