Grades from KU’s 27-3 loss to Iowa State and looking ahead to Kansas State

Another season, and the Kansas football team’s biggest issue remains the same: The Jayhawks offense is not good enough to keep up in the Big 12.

Following KU’s 27-3 home loss to Iowa State, the team is ranks last in the league in yards per play (5.0) and next to last in scoring average (23.6 points per game).

To be fair, those numbers actually qualify as improvement, with KU in the midst of a remarkable streak where it’s finished last in the Big 12 in scoring average each of the past eight seasons.

Avoiding the cellar isn’t guaranteed this year, though. KU’s next game is Saturday at Kansas State, which is just behind the Jayhawks at 21.1 points per game. The Wildcats, with a strong effort, have an opportunity to close that deficit quickly.

Here are grades for all three units, a highlight from Saturday’s loss and a look ahead.

Play of the game

Good ol’ Gabe: The game’s best play came from Iowa State’s Hakeem Butler, who made a ridiculous catch over KU’s Hasan Defense midway through the first quarter.

For KU, though, the top moment was a kick/celebration combination from Gabriel Rui, who gauged the wind well before guiding a 47-yard field goal between the uprights at the end of the first half. After it went through, he crossed his arms and posed, continuing his own fun tradition this season of having some laughs with his holder following successful tries.

Grades

Offense: D-. KU’s offense was better than the three points indicated, but in the end, the team didn’t make the plays needed at the end of drives to cash in on previous work. The Jayhawks had some success in the run game early, but Pooka Williams and Khalil Herbert — with 38 combined rushes — never could hit the home-run-type carry they’ve gotten in previous weeks. KU’s passing game regressed badly following the TCU win, with Stephon Robinson’s drop of a sure touchdown in the first quarter setting the tone for the rest of the day. KU averaged just 4.0 yards per play and 4.3 yards per pass attempt, which simply isn’t good enough when trying to counter other quick-strike offenses in the Big 12.

Defense: D: KU’s defense was good when it didn’t matter and not great when it did. The Jayhawks whole defensive scheme is set up to limit big plays, and they failed to do that in the first quarter when Butler broke free for 83- and 51-yard touchdown receptions. Iowa State had lousy field position most of the first half yet was able to flip that with ease on its way to a 20-3 halftime lead. KU’s defense allowed no points on the final four drives of the game, but by then, the result had already been decided. It’s also unfair to expect takeaways from the Jayhawks every single week, but the fact they couldn’t get any on Saturday definitely stood out considering some of the unit’s other struggles.

Special teams: A-. Rui made a long field goal with a high degree of difficulty. Punter Kyle Thompson, with another strong day, has put himself in position to be honored somewhere on the all-conference team in a few weeks. The Jayhawks were below average in kickoff and punt return, but that’s picking nits on an otherwise solid day.

Next up

KU will go on the road to face rival Kansas State at 11 a.m. Saturday. Both teams enter with a 3-6 record overall and 1-5 mark in Big 12 play.

The Jayhawks hung close with the Wildcats last season, falling 30-20 in a home game where they entered as 24-point underdogs.

Jesse Newell

Jesse Newell covers University of Kansas athletics for The Star.