PAGE 48
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012
FOOTBALL
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Jayhawks trying to sort out first four games
CHELSEY BOUTAN/KANSAN
Junior wide receiver Christian Matthews tries to avoid getting tackled by his opponent during Saturday's game against Northern Illinois in DeKalb, Ill. The Jayhawks lost 23-30.
1) Turnovers. Raise your hand if you called Kansas having the second-most takeaways in the nation after four weeks. Defensive coordinator Dave Campo might not get talked about as much as Charlie Weis, but he should. Northern Illinois coach Dave Doeren called Campo the best secondary coach in pro and college football — he may not be wrong. The drastic change in the Jahawks' defense has given Kansas a chance to win every game it played with their 13 takeaways playing a major part.
BLAKE SCHUSTER
bschuster@kansan.com
BIGGEST SURPRISES:
2) Andrew Turzilli. It's not easy for a 6-3, 190 pound receiver to hide on a depth chart, but through the first two weeks of the season Andrew Turzilli managed to do so. Turzilli first snuck into action against TCU and racked up 100 yards on three catches. While he only gained 45 yards against Northern Illinois, Turzilli was targeted nine times, and with his height advantage he has become a big play threat. There is no doubt he will be a big part of the passing game going forward.
Paul Rhoads' Cyclones are sharing the cellar of the Big 12 offensive rankings with the Jayhawks, meaning their matchup in Lawrence November 17 might be the best chance Kansas has to win another game. Although, at that point in the season there may not be too many fans at Memorial Stadium to witness it.
WHAT WE LEARNED:
GAME TO KEEP AN EYE ON:
IOWA STATE
Kansas is incapable of passing the ball. Charlie Weis has been protecting his quarterback by placing the blame on inadequate receivers, but whatever the reason, the lajahawks can't seem to connect through the air. Weis has circumvented this by trying out the Wildcat formation while he tests out new receivers but there have been little positive results.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS:
Will Kansas win another game? Looking at the rest of the schedule it's become a serious concern. The Jayhawks will face five ranked teams in the second half of the season, and the unranked teams — Iowa State, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State — are averaging 47 points a game. Kansas has not scored more than 31 points this season, and it came in the season opener against South Dakota State.
1) Dayne Crist has some Kansas fans wondering if there are any better options at quarterback. This comes as a
Crist
WHAT WE'RE STILL WONDERING:
shock to just about everyone except Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly, who did have a better option and benched Crist at halftime last year in the Fighting Irish season opener. Crist was as big of a name
as Charlie Weis heading into a new era of Kansas football, yet he remains the only quarterback in the Big 12 who has completed less than 60 percent of his passes this season. Crist has often looked flustered in the pocket and nervous under pressure — and that's after facing just one Big 12 defense.
ASHLEIGH LEE/KANSAN
2) Finishing Games. Twice the Jayhawks held double-digit leads late in games, and in both match-ups Kansas failed to come away with a victory. When Kansas lost to Rice many — including the players and coaches — figured it would be a teaching point on playing hard until the final whistle. After giving up a 10-point lead to Northern Illinois in the fourth quarter it's clear nothing was learned from the costly mistakes against Rice.
DOWN THE ROAD.
If Kansas struggled with its opponents in non-conference play, it will be in big trouble facing Big 12 teams the rest of the season. Playing at Oklahoma and West Virginia will be the toughest tests, but with Texas and Oklahoma State slated to visit Lawrence, the home schedule is no cinch either.
BY THE NUMBERS:
370 - Average number of yards gained per game
25 - Kansas third down conversion percentage
45050 - Average attendance at Kansas home games
36 - Points Kansas has allowed in the fourth quarter
Senior wide receiver Daymond Patterson keeps running toward the end zone after his opponent from South Dakota State caught ahold of his shirt during the Sept. 1 game at Memorial Stadium, where the Jayhawks won 31-17. Patterson had 44 receiving yards during the game.
798 - Kansas total rushing yards
1 - Kansas kickoff touchbacks
McDougald
DEFENSIVE
MVP: BRADLEY
MCDOUGALD
McDougald's two interceptions, two forced fumbles, three pass deflections and team leading 34 tackles has
even invaluable to the Jayhaws. His stat line is proof that sometimes all you need is the right coaching. McDougall has already matched his interception and sack totals from last season and at this rate will hit triple digits in tackles by the end of the season.
Pierson
OFFENSIVE
MVP: TONY
PIERSON
Pierson has been the most electrifying player on the field for the
Jayhawks. Charlie Weis has gotten more creative with this speedy back by giving him wheel routes and screen passes. In return, Pierson has given Weis 444 total yards and two touchdowns. Pierson has become a pro at getting past his first defender and needs little room to break into full speed.
Senior wide receiver D.J. Beshears narrowly misses a pass for a touchdown against Rice at Memorial Stadium. The Jayhawks lost to the Owls 24-25.
TARA BRYANT/KANSAN
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NOTED...
3. With a minuscule passing game it's going to take a hefty performance from the running backs to keep the Jayhawks competitive the rest of the way. Tony Pierson has proven himself capable of 15-plus rushes per game, and with the return of James Sims they should be able to put up a respectable number of points — but will it be enough to win games?
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2. It's clear Crist can't put together an offense on his own and having an undersized receiving corps doesn't help the cause. Andrew Turzilli has emerged as a top wide out because of his tall build, but the more often he is targeted the sooner he'll get double-teamed.
1. The easiest flaw to point out is the Kansas offense. No one expected it to be the best in the Big 12, but Jayhawks fans were hoping for better than last place. Former Kansas quarterback Jordan Webb completed just over 60 percent of his passes and Charlie Weis decided to cut him, while Dayne Crist has broken 50 percent passing just once this season.
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Student Tip #210
THIS LAB IS YOUR LAB
That's right. It's yours. Actually, you have 10 locations to choose from all over campus. So next time you're bored between your only two classes on a Friday, don't waste time sitting on Wescoe Beach twiddling your thumbs. Crank out that paper early, or check to see how you did on that test after your all nighter last week. The possibilities are endless, so get going.
For a complete list of labs and locations, visit it.ku.edu/lab
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
The University of Kansas technology.ku.edu