Why one KU coach — after a 400-yard rushing game — is urging his QBs to throw more
The quarterback meeting didn’t go as expected.
This was Monday — two days after Kansas’ dominant 55-14 victory over Rutgers — when a scheduled gathering at Anderson Football Complex turned into a pointed teaching session. With help from the film, offensive coordinator Doug Meacham cited numerous times when he disagreed with gameday decisions by quarterbacks Peyton Bender and Miles Kendrick.
“It wasn’t too fun to say the least,” Bender said.
The reason for the chiding might be unexpected, especially based on Saturday’s results.
KU rushed 48 times for 400 yards, becoming one of only 14 FBS teams to go over the 400-yard mark in a game this season. The Jayhawks rode effective running backs and a “don’t-give-it-away” mindset to a second straight easy win.
Yet, that won’t always work in the future, especially with KU starting Big 12 play this week with a 2:30 p.m. game Saturday at Baylor.
“We ran the ball well,” Bender said, “but we got lucky on a few runs where we were outnumbered.”
KU’s running backs have been sensational thus far. True freshman Pooka Williams is Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded running back in the nation through three weeks, while Dom Williams has been solid and Khalil Herbert broke three tackles at the line of scrimmage as part of a 59-yard touchdown run last week.
Meacham’s point remains, though. The job of KU’s quarterback on run-pass option plays is to attack the defense where it’s the weakest. And too many times, KU’s quarterbacks challenged Rutgers at an offensive mismatch when the Scarlet Knights committed extra defenders to the run.
This game within the game is sure to continue this Saturday and beyond. Opponents have seen how spectacular Pooka Williams can be and know how well KU has run the ball. What hasn’t been proven yet is if KU can pass when it has to.
The numbers have been unimpressive to this point. KU has 488 passing yards, which is the lowest mark by a Big 12 team through three games since 2011. And while some of that was dictated by game script — the Jayhawks could afford to play conservatively with big leads the last two weeks — there’s an understanding that the team has to be better.
“We want to get that passing game going,” Kendrick said. “We want to get those big shots. That’s what we’re going to need down the road.”
The good news for KU is that the running-game success should make things easier.
Here’s a quick example from last week’s first half. Bender had a run-pass option on first-and-10, reading Rutgers’ outside linebacker. Because that linebacker was respecting the run — making his way upfield a few steps on a run fake — Bender pulled the ball away from his running back and fired behind that charging linebacker for a 15-yard completion up the seam to fullback Caperton Humphrey.
This is the yin and yang of college football. Generate more attention to the run, and that should lead to easier opportunities with the pass.
It’ll be mostly up to Bender and Kendrick — who will split time at the position again this week — to put KU in the best situations.
Kendrick estimates that about 90-95 percent of KU’s plays require the quarterback to make some sort of read. And more often than not, an opponent playing heavy against the run can be beaten with a quick pass to the outside.
“Let one guy make one block and (make) one guy miss,” Kendrick said, “and we can get a touchdown or a lot of yards.”
There are other hidden benefits as well. These type of passes limit the hits on KU’s running backs and also reduce stress on the team’s offensive linemen, who oftentimes have to make difficult blocks to open up holes when facing more defenders than they can block.
Bender also sees other positives when rewatching tape. Last season, it was rare for No. 1 receiver Steven Sims to not face two defenders; that is, he typically went against teams that covered him with both a cornerback and safety help over the top.
That’s changed this season, with Bender rarely seeing Sims double-covered, even during his quiet start to the season.
“Everyone knows what Steven can do,” Bender said. “So I think when we open it up a little bit, throw the ball a little bit more, we’ll get more opportunities. He’s going to make the plays that he’s accustomed to making.”
Could that come as soon as this week? It will depend on how Baylor defends KU, but don’t be surprised if one of the nation’s best running teams goes to the air more than it has in the past.
“We’re ready,” Bender said. “We throw the ball every week in practice.
“When that time comes, we’ve got tons of playmakers around us to make us look good.”
Jesse Newell
Jesse Newell covers University of Kansas athletics for The Star.
