THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16. 2013
PAGE 7
FOOTBALL
TROUBLE ON THE ROAD
Offensive gains from week one win are left at home
Sophomore Ben Goodman (93) attempts to strip a Rice running back of the ball. The defense was the only positive aspect of the game for the Jayhawks in their first road loss of the season
MICHAEL STRICKLAND/KANSAN
CHRIS HYBL chybl@kansan.com
CONNOR OBERKROM
coberkrom@kansan.com
DEFENSE:B
Kansas' defense was the only thing keeping them in the game. The defense made key stops to force field goals as well as a handful of punts. Giving up one offensive touchdown is a good sign for the defense moving forward, especially considering the pre-game worries about the Kansas defense being able to hold its ground against a dual-threat quarterback. Rice running back Charles Ross, however did earn 5.8 yards per carry on 27 handoffs.
OFFENSE: D-
They don't fail only because James Sims played well. In Jake Heaps' first real test, he looked horrible. Heaps was 13 for 28 with two interceptions and 157 yards and one touchdown. The good part of that stat line should be credited to Tony Pierson for his 77-yard touchdown run. The other only offensive touchdown KU scored was because of an Isaiah Johnson interception that he returned to the Rice 16. It wasn't all Heaps' fault though: drops plagued the Jayhawk wide receivers again - an area they said should not have any reason for concern prior to Saturday's game.
SPECIAL TEAMS: C
Transfer punter Trevor Pardula got a lot of action Saturday and did his job fairly well. Rice defenders did get their hands on two punts in the fourth quarter, though. Kicker Matthew Wyman had a big chance to give KU a cushion when they were up 14-13 in the third quarter, but Wyman pulled the 47-yarder wide left.
COACHING:D
A week after spreading carries around on the running back crew, James Sims has 19 carries compared to two for Darrian Miller and one each for Brandon Bourbon and Tony Pierson. Pierson made some magic in the first quarter with a 77-yard TD, but only touched the ball five times in the game. Backup quarterback Michael Cummings also came on for a third and long situation in the third quarter. Not a great sign.
MICHAEL STRICKLAND/KANSAN
MICHAEL STRICKLAND/KANSAN Junior quarterback Jake Heaps (9) looks down field for an open receiver in Saturday's 14-23 loss to Rice.
QUOTE OF THE GAME
Weis
"For the second week in a row I think our passing game has been inadequate."
- Charlie Weis
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