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Grade Card: KU vs. Memphis
CHRISTIAN HARDY
@ByHardy
Montell Cozart
10 of Cozart's 13 pass completions came in the second quarter, and that was just the story of Cozart's day; he was inconsistent and unreliable. He struggled on throws outside of the pocket, which is usually a strength of his. He was inept on throws down-field and generally inaccurate. Memphis just had the key to shutting down Cozart, which really isn't too difficult to figure out: take away the short pass. Without the quick passes, which allow the Jayhawks get into their rhythm and up to tempo. Cozart had little to contribute to the game. But at the end of the day, at least he didn't turn it over.
Ke'aun Kinner
Offensive line
Oh boy, this game would have been rough for the Jayhawks without Kinner. He was the only spark on offense. I might dare to say he was the only reason the offense moved at all, though DeAndre Mann didn't have a bad game himself. As Cozart pointed out after the game, teams absolutely must keep six or seven bodies in the box if they want to stop him. Most impressive was Kinner's touchdown, where he showed not only his speed and agility, but also his power and ability to drop his shoulder and keep his legs moving. He's quite the player, and could be Beaty's best get yet.
Cozart and Beaty downplayed the offensive line play, but I thought it was absolute garbage. Yes, garbage. That's the reason Cozart's grade stayed in the C-range because he gets the benefit of the doubt. The team tried mixing up the right side of the line a bit after Memphis' blitz was working, but nothing seemed to fix the constant pressure Cozart seemed to be under. Cozart was sacked twice, and the Jayhawks gave up seven (SEVEN) tackles for loss for 34 yards.
We're starting from the ground on the defensive end. The front four, which is arguably the strongest group on this team, was non-existent. Ben Goodman got a bit of pressure in the second half, but really this group disappeared in the second half. They left gaps and running lanes. Defensive coordinator Clint Bowen has to squeeze more out of this talented group.
Defensive line
Memphis won the first ever matchup between the two teams in football. ... Wide receiver Joshua Stanford is no longer a starting wide receiver. He's a co-backup behind Bobby Hartzog. Jr. ... Junior transfer Deondre Ford came in over freshman Ryan Willis after the game got out of hand. That decision came down to offensive coordinator Rob Likens, but neither Ford or Willis has won the
across the state, as well family day. ... Larry Hughes started and played more of the game at right tackle on Saturday as one of six players to step on the field as a Jayhawk for the first time. Beaty said he won the spot this week through practice. ... Ryan Schadler was the special teams captain for Week 2 after last week's kick return.
Notes
back-up job still. ... Beaty put some blame on Cozart for the first time. "He didn't have his best game tonight... he wasn't completely on tonight," Beaty said. He also added that the junior isn't entrenched in the starting spot, and there will always be competition, but also said he trusts Cozart as their starter. ... Attendance rose of 7,000 from Week 1 to Week 2. That came with the help of band students from
Linebackers
Marcquis Roberts tabbed eight solo tackles and nine total tackles in this game — both career highs. Roberts isn't nearly as rangy as Ben Heeney, but he started to look the part of a viable Heeney replacement in this game. Joe Dineen did a noticeably nice job in getting to runs around the tackles.
Defensive backs
While Roberts led the linebackers, safety Fish Smithson led this position group. Smithson racked up 12 tackles (nine solo) and forced a fumble. That's a darn good game, and he didn't do bad in coverage when he was forced into it, as he notched the only pass breakup of the whole game. That said, he wasn't the only DB in the game. The corners were absolutely abysmal, which could be seen via Paxton Lynch's massive line. That said, I'll cut the corners some slack: the defensive line got no pressure, and they also forced a fumble.
Defense
I summed it up with that last sentence: it's multiple sections of this defense that are struggling right now. The defensive line can't get pressure, which puts the defensive backs on their heels. That said, this team won the turnover battle 3-0 while the starters were in. That's pretty awesome. So, today, they get a C-.
Groan. I don't understand playing Deondre Ford over Ryan Willis. I don't think the talent on defense is as bad as the scoreline is indicating. I don't think Keaun Kinner got the ball enough in the game — he had nine carries in the first quarter, then seven through the rest of the game. The coaches called the second half too conservatively as far as fourth downs go — looking at the fourth quarter mostly. All around, there was a lot I didn't like from the coaches here, but most importantly it was not giving the ball to their clear-cut best player (Kinner) enough.
Coaching
Kansas dropped to 0-2 on the season. The loss was Kansas' 600th. ... Ke'aun Kinner became the first Kansas running back to rush for 100 yards in back-to-back games since 2013, when James Sims did it toward the end of the year. ... Fish Smithson's 12 tackles were a career high.
Stats
As were Marquis Roberts' nine t tackles. ... Kansas' three recovered fumbles in the game were the most for the Jayhawks since 2007 at Oklahoma State. ... Memphis had lost 19 straight games to power five conference teams before the win over Kansas. ... Wyman's 51-yard field goal in
the waning minutes was his longest make since his 2013 52-yard field goal vs Louisiana Tech. ... Cozart's rushing touchdown in the third quarter was his first since 2013 against Texas.
Sophormore outside hitter Madison Rigdon passes the ball during the third set against UMKC. The Jayhawks beat the Kangaroos in three sets on Saturday evening.
MISSY MINEAR/KANSAN
KU volleyball stays undefeated to take third tournament crown
JOSH MCQUADE
@LOneW0lfMcQuade
The Jayhawks have been playing more difficult teams, such as Marquette, Arkansas and Duke, yet still remain uncathed in the process.
"The schedule we took on with [the 2015 Jayhawks] would probably be a little bit
Coach Ray Bechard may be coaching a team that will pass up his 2000 Jayhawks, who began the season with nine straight wins, and his 2001 team, which streaked for 10.
more rigorous than the 2000 and 2001 teams," Bechard said after the third match of the weekend.
"The schedule we took on with [the 2015
Jayhawks] would probably be a little bit more rigorous than the 2000 and 2001 teams."
RAY BECHARD Head Coach
This weekend at Pistol Pete's Showdown the Jayhawks dominated their third tournament, bringing their season-starting win streak to 9-0.
The Jayhawks' first opponent of the showdown was Northern Colorado, who was the only team during the tournament to make it to the fourth set (25-20, 25-23, 16-25, 25-20) against Kansas.
Senior outside hitter Tiana Dockery posted 18 kills during the four sets, only three away from tying her career high. Sophomore outside
hitter Madison Rigdon added 12 kills along with 15 digs to receive her first career double-double. Sophomore setter Ainise Havili posted 43 assists and 10 digs to obtain her 17th career double-double.
Rigdon was second in kills in the first match, but, in the second match of the tournament, she led the jayhawks with 13 kills. Kansas' opponent for match two was Wyoming, who was quickly defeated in three
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