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KANSAN.COM
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Before West Virginia matchup, Kansas football stays confident in chances to win its first game
RON JENKINS/AR
TCU safety Nick Orr (18) breaks up a pass in the end zone against Kansas wide receiver Bobby Hartzog Jr., but Orr is called for interference on the play on Saturday, Nov. 14.
BRIAN MINI
@daftpunkpop
Kansas and West Virginia are connected, despite the 900 miles in between the two states.
The link started with Kansas coach David Beaty's playing days.
"We actually played against each other. He was a heck of a player." Beaty said about West Virginia coach Haldogensen, who played at Iowa Wesleyan while Beaty was at Lindenwood.
The connection between Beaty and Holgorsen began in 1991. Even now, Kansas' offensive scheme has ties to West Virginia and Holgorsen.
"If you do the research back to where the air raid started, [Iowa Wesleyan], that's kind of where it was developed." Beaty said.
Despite those small connections, Kansas and West Virginia are quite different. However, that connection doesn't take away from the biggest difference between the teams. Kansas is looking for its first win of the season; West Virginia is seeking a big win over Kansas, on the verge of becoming eligible for a postseason bowl spot.
"They get a chance to be bowl eligible if they get this one." Beaty said. "So there is plenty of motivation for those guys coming into this game this week... you can see them improving. This is no small task for us. It's no different than playing any other Big 12 games."
Even with West Virginia's additional motivation, Kansas still has a reason to be hopeful. With two home games remaining in the season, Kansas is determined to get its first
win of the season against West Virginia or Kansas State.
"We're trying to go 2-0 in these last games," said senior defensive end Ben Goodman, who is tied for third on the team in sacks and leads the team with tackles for loss. "We definitely want to beat West Virginia and we for sure want to beat Kansas State."
Kansas has a couple factors on its side. The first factor: both of these final games are at Memorial Stadium. Beaty had a lot to say about Jayhawk fans, and how they can help them down the stretch.
"I keep saying it, man, the Jayhawk Nation, that's the magic," Beaty said. "There are very few places in the world that are like this."
The second factor: neither of these teams would be classified as the "elite" Big 12 teams. Kansas State has had to deal with injuries to key players and is the only other team in the Big 12 that does not have at least two wins. West Virginia recently lost by 30 to TCU, a couple of weeks before Kansas only fell by six.
That doesn't mean West Virginia will be an easy win. Defensive coordinator Clint Bowen had high praise for two West Virginia running backs Wendell Smallwood and Rushel Shell.
"Both of them are good," Bowen said. "Both of them are physical runners. They're downhill runners. [They] make you miss."
Kansas' defense performance against TCU also has Bowen optimistic for the future. The Jayhawks held the Horned Frogs' offense — second in the country at the time — to only 26 points at home.
"I think the big thing is, we've
been close on a few game," Bowen said. "The biggest thing I want to take out of the TCU game is, they stuck to the plan."
The last time West Virginia came to Memorial Stadium, Kansas snapped its 27 game losing streak in the Big 12. Behind 211 yards and 3 touchdowns from running back James Sims, Kansas downed West Virginia, 31-19. The Mountaineers have vastly improved since that game, though.
There might not be any Geno Smiths or Tavon Austins on this roster, but there are still talented players.
"They have some athletes on that side of the ball so we're going to account for them and play our best," said sophomore linebacker Joe Dineen, who is second on the team with 59 tackles.
The Lawrence native still acknowledges that against most Big 12 teams, there's a bit of a talent gap.
"It's just confidence," Dineen said. "You go into every game expecting to win but you also know where their athletes are and where they stand."
David Beaty echoed that statement, which is a message he's continued to preach, week after week.
"They continue to believe," Beaty said. "That's because our coaches worked really hard to show them how they're improving and where they started and where they're coming from."
- Edited by Amber Vandegrift