Grades from KU football’s 51-14 loss to TCU and looking ahead to Oklahoma
The topic will continue to come up as long as Kansas’ offense looks like this.
KU appeared to truly unlock something two weeks ago when it went to run-pass option plays while dominating Boston College in a 48-24 victory.
So why have the Jayhawks gone back to old habits since?
The latest example was Saturday’s 51-14 road loss to TCU. Too often, KU started first downs in run-heavy looks, attempting to establish the ground game against a TCU defense that was ready for it.
“We were trying with the I-formation early and ran into some bumps — a lot of them really,” KU coach Les Miles said.
The product was ugly from there. KU finished at 3.4 yards per play and never could get its passing game going later while having to play catch-up.
“We didn’t throw and catch as well as we’d like to,” Miles said. “It’s not the players’ fault. It’s just, by design, they did a good job of covering up passes.”
This remains a head-scratching development. Miles joked a couple weeks ago, when asked about his team’s successful run-pass option plays, that the team had found the formations “under a shelf” during its trip to Boston College.
More likely, Miles allowed some more innovative minds on his coaching staff to have additional control for a week, which resulted in one of the team’s most resounding victories of the last decade.
So why won’t KU go back to that?
You can bet the question will continue to be asked.
Here are grades for all three KU units, a highlight from Saturday’s loss to TCU and a look ahead.
Play of the game
Not bad for a frosh: Running back Velton Gardner received extended playing time for KU after the team learned Khalil Herbert would not be playing for personal reasons, and the true freshman came through with the Jayhawks’ top highlight.
Early in the fourth quarter, Gardner broke through an opening in the middle of the field, shoulder faking right before running left to make TCU’s Vernon Scott look a bit silly on his tackling attempt.
Gardner’s 45-yard touchdown run was part of a four-carry, 61-yard day.
Grades
Offense: F. Well, this was a step back.
During a first half when KU fell behind 38-0, the team mustered just 2 yards per play and had five three-and-outs. The Jayhawks were 0-for-6 then on third-down conversions and continued to misuse talented back Pooka Williams while insisting that he run mostly between the tackles.
Though quarterback Carter Stanley completed just 6 of 14 passes for 21 yards before intermission, his job also was made much more difficult with KU seemingly facing second- and third-and-long every time he attempted a throw.
Defense: F: lt wasn’t difficult to see that KU had serious depth issues at linebacker entering the season ... and that seems to be catching up with the Jayhawks now.
With leading tackler Dru Prox missing the game with an apparent shoulder injury, KU was forced further down the depth chart at that position to players that frankly aren’t ready. TCU took advantage, gashing KU for big yards in the run game while also going 10-for-10 on third-down tries in the first half.
The Horned Frogs, whose biggest weakness this year has been passing, were never really forced to do that. TCU scored on all five of its first-half offensive possessions while simply overpowering KU.
Special teams: D-. Punter Kyle Thompson rebounded from a poor week with a great day, averaging 49 yards on nine punts.
Any time a team gives up a special teams touchdown, though, the grade here is going to tank. The Jayhawks had some miscommunication on a first-half punt with only 10 players going to the field, and after rushing an 11th guy on, he appeared to get out of his lane as TCU’s Jalen Reagor broke through the middle for a 73-yard punt return TD.
Next up
KU will continue Big 12 play with a home game against Oklahoma at 11 a.m. Saturday at Booth Memorial Stadium. The contest will be televised on ABC.
The Sooners, who are ranked sixth in the Associated Press poll, are 4-0 following a 55-16 home victory over Texas Tech on Saturday.
