Grades from KU’s 26-23 loss to Nicholls State and looking ahead to Central Michigan

The Kansas football team likely knew the reality: It had one opportunity to win weary fans back. That fact makes Saturday’s 26-23 overtime loss to FCS opponent Nicholls State all the more crushing, as it’ll likely cause a majority of KU’s supporters to flip the calendar to basketball season ... even before Labor Day.

Here are grades for all three units, a highlight from Saturday’s loss and areas to address ahead of Central Michigan.

Play of the game

KU’s third-and-6 playcall in overtime: Score tied, biggest play of the season, and KU’s coaches elected to put cold backup quarterback Miles Kendrick on the field. Nicholls State called timeout, likely to tell every defender a run was coming with the mobile Kendrick in, and sure enough, KU ran a predictable quarterback draw for a 3-yard loss. The Jayhawks settled for a field goal, which wouldn’t be enough when Nicholls State answered with its own touchdown.

Grades

Offense: F. KU averaged 3.6 yards per play at home against a lower-level opponent. The Jayhawks’ revamped offensive line had a dreadful debut, allowing six sacks while also failing to open up running lanes. Add to it that sure-handed receiver Steven Sims had the worst game of his career — dropping a potential touchdown and misjudging another well-thrown ball — and this was a rough effort all around.

Defense: D. KU’s defense gets credit for limiting Nicholls State to 4.2 yards per play while also forcing seven punts, but still, the unit broke down in crucial areas with the game on the line. The Jayhawks were disorganized too often, which left huge openings in the run game when Nicholls State ran its tempo offense. KU’s defense also had two chances to secure the victory late and failed on both, allowing a 49-yard drive at the end of regulation (resulting in a game-tying field goal) and a 25-yard touchdown drive on the game’s final possession.

Special teams: A. KU finally had a huge special teams game under coach David Beaty, and even that wasn’t enough to push the team to a win. The Jayhawks blocked a punt and recovered one that Nicholls State muffed, providing huge field-position shifts for an offense that desperately needed them. Kicker Gabriel Rui also showed off a leg he appears to have strengthened in the offseason, knocking through a 54-yard field goal with plenty of distance before tacking on a 41-yarder in overtime. A kickoff out of bounds and punt catch interference penalty were the only gaffes for a group that had an impressive first showing under assistant Kenny Perry.

Next up

Improvement has to start up front on both sides before the Jayhawks travel to Central Michigan for a 2 p.m. kickoff Saturday, as KU’s offensive and defensive lines proving to be outmatched against an FCS opponent is definitely an ominous start. In addition, the Jayhawks have to get better production at center, as Alex Fontana had four errant snaps that resulted in dead plays.

The gameday coaching needs quick improvement too. Beaty has to be better prepared for fourth-down situations (the Jayhawks will be underdog the rest of the way, so “Go for it” should be the default option), while defensive coordinator Clint Bowen will want to improve efficiency with substitutions and playcalls so the Jayhawks don’t get exposed again in next week’s game against Central Michigan.

Jesse Newell

Jesse Newell covers University of Kansas athletics for The Star.

This story was originally published September 2, 2018 at 1:33 PM.