DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, OCTOBER 24. 2011
NSAS STATE 59
PAGE 7
REWIND
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CHRIS BRONSON/KANSAN
MIKE GUNNOE/KANSAN
Sophomore defensive end Tyrone Sellers sits in frustration as the Jayhawks receive a 59-21 defeat from Kansas State Saturday.
ABBY DAVIS/KANSAN
y Kansas State linebacker Arthur Brown. Pick had a total of 51 yards during Saturday's game
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"When you go on the field and a big play happens, it's kind of our nature to get down and put our heads down, but we need to just pick our heads up and keep playing."
Quote of the game
— Sophomore cornerback Tyler Patmon
Patmom
Offense
The Jayhawks couldn't get their running attack going, and it brought their offense to a standstill. Freshman running back Tony Pierson was the only back to average more than four yards per carry. The Jayhawks also opened the second half with three consecutive fumbles. Grade: F
Defense
The Wildcats took what the Layhawks gave them, beating them through the air and on the ground. Junior quarterback Collin Klein set a career high with 195 yards passing. The defense lacked the energy they brought the week before against Oklahoma, and it showed, as they failed to stop Kansas State on seven consecutive drives stretching from the first to the third quarters.
Special teams
The Jayhawk special teams opened up the second half allowing a 97-yard kick return for a touchdown. They also had a big return by freshman running back Brandon Bourbon called back because of multiple penalties. Grade: F
Coaching
The Jayhawks were not prepared to play this week, and it showed with 105 penalty yards. The coaching staff's attempts to fix the team's third quarter troubles by simulating half-time in practice failed, as they were outscored 21-0 and fumbled three times.
Game ball
Mundine
Freshman tight end Jimmy Mundine: Mundine had a career high four catches for 41 yards and his first career touchdown, a two-yard reception from senior quarterback Quinn Mecham.
Looking ahead
The Jayhawk will get to face their first opponent that is not undefeated this weekend when they travel to Austin, Texas, to take on the Longhorns. The Longhorns have a young quarterback leading their team. If the Jayhawk defense can pressure him, the team might be able to secure its first conference victory.
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Game notes
Senior linebacker Steven Johnson recorded double-digit stops for the fifth-time this season with 12 stops against Kansas State.
Freshman Tyler Lockett's kickoff return for a Wildcat touchdown was the first Kansas has allowed in four years.
Saturday marked the highest-penalized game of the season for the Jayhawks, featuring a single three-penalty play in the third quarter. Under Turner Gill the team has allowed more than 100 penalty yards twice.
ETHAN PADWAY
Defense lacks grit against Wildcats
epadway@kansan.com
For the first time since the football team played Northern Illinois, the Kansas defense allowed fewer than 500 yards of total offense.
Normally, this is a sign of improvement, but the Jayhawks clearly lacked any energy in the 59-21 loss against their in-state rival.
"Right now, we're just not capable as a team to overcome adversity with the kind of grit that we probably need," defensive coordinator Vic Shealy said.
Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein continued the trend of opposing quarterbacks putting up big numbers against Kansas. By the end of the first half, he had set his career high for passing vards.
Klein flawlessly executed the read-option play around the goal line, deciding at the last possible second to make the decision of giving the ball to sophomore running back John Hubert or keeping it himself.
This forced the Kansas defenders to play too aggressively and out of position. Klein took advantage, finishing the day with four rushing touchdowns.
"What we dealt with today is what he's duplicated all year long," Shealy said. "We thought we had a good plan."
Klein showed his ability to improvise with his feet. Leading 14-0, Klein dropped back to pass, saw that none of his receivers were open and took off down the field. He picked up 31 yards, helping to set up Hubert's five-yard touchdown plunge
"Sometimes, as a Kansas football team, we let that get to us," Patmon said. "We just need to learn how to fight through that, and when big plays happen, we need to learn how to bounce back and fire back at the other team."
Then Kansas' balloon completely deflated after K-State returned the second half's opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown.
in the waning seconds of the first half, the Jayhawks appeared to have recaptured some momentum, scoring a touchdown and cutting the score to 28-14. But Klein connected with freshman wide receiver Tyler Lockett on a 48-yard completion, setting up a field goal with one second left.
The defense never recovered in a game where the score and the statistics resemble that of last year's Sunflower Showdown.
"Its hard when you're in pass coverage and the quarterback starts scrambling to come out of your position and try to make the play, because at any time he can just step back and throw the ball," sophomore cornerback Tyler Patton said.
The game eradicated any confidence the Jayhawks brought with them from their tussel with Oklahoma the week before.
"It was a disappointing game for everyone," junior safety Bradley McDougald said. "Guys just didn't show up. People weren't focused, and we just didn't make plays."
that blew the game open 21-0.
- Edited by Jayson Jenks
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