Does Pooka Williams’ departure from Jayhawks mean expanded workload for Velton Gardner?
Kansas football coach Les Miles says he’s not going to abandon the running game Saturday at Kansas State in response to two-time first-team all-Big 12 back Pooka Williams’ decision to opt out of the rest of the season.
“I think our running backs are going to be even more talented, even more capable. Nobody’s Pooka Williams, but we have guys that will give us really good play,” Miles said on Wednesday’s weekly Hawk Talk radio show.
In Williams’ absence, Miles and offensive coordinator Brent Dearmon almost certainly will increase the workload of Williams’ former backup, sophomore Velton Gardner.
Gardner, a 5-foot-9, 195-pound former Dallas Skyline High standout, actually gained more rushing yards than the 5-10, 175-pound Williams in KU’s first four games.
Gardner has gained 225 yards on 47 carries and scored two touchdowns entering Saturday’s 11 a.m. kickoff at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan.
Williams — he announced Tuesday he’d decided to head home to Louisiana to support his mother, who is battling health issues — gained 209 yards on 51 carries with two touchdowns. Williams also had a 92-yard kickoff return for a TD.
Williams’ long run from scrimmage was 21 yards through four games; Gardner had a 61-yard burst for a TD in the third quarter of the opener against Coastal Carolina.
“Velton Gardner’s speed … you would understand if at the last few practices you watched him play,” Miles said on Hawk Talk, “Velton Gardner … you are not going to touch him. The first guy through (on defense) is not going to touch him.”
Gardner’s backup at K-State figures to be Daniel Hishaw, a 5-10, 185-pound freshman out of Moore, Oklahoma. Hishaw has gained 53 yards on eight carries through four games. He has a long run of 15 yards.
“Hishaw is a big, strong man; Velton much more shifty,” Miles said.
KU (0-4, 0-3) which enters Saturday’s game as a 20-point underdog against No. 20-ranked KSU (3-1, 3-0), ranks 74th of 76 in scoring among teams playing Div. I football this season. The Jayhawks have struggled to score 15.3 points per contest.
Kansas State averages 30.3, tied for 40th in the country. KU’s defense has allowed 42.5 points a game, which ranks No. 75 nationally; KSU’s defense allows 26.3 points a game, which ranks 31st.
Both schools have second-year head coaches. In their first meeting a year ago, Chris Klieman’s KSU team stopped KU 38-10 at Booth Memorial Stadium.
The Wildcats have won 11 in a row in this series and 24 of 29 dating to 1991. KU’s last victory over KSU was Nov. 1, 2008, when the Jayhawks defeated the Wildcats 52-21 in Lawrence. KU last won in Manhattan on Oct. 6, 2007, prevailing 30-24. The Wildcats’ average margin of victory over the last 11 years against KU is 25.8 points.
What’s more, KU has lost 51 straight conference road games. KU’s last win over a Big 12 opponent on the road was against Iowa State on Oct. 4, 2008. KU last beat a ranked opponent on Sept. 11, 2010, when the Jayhawks stopped No. 15 Georgia Tech 28-25.
Miles realizes that if his KU program wants to defeat the Wildcats on the recruiting trail the Jayhawks probably need to start defeating KSU in head-to-head matchups on the field.
“This is a rivalry you can look in your backyard and see guys (prospects). This is a tremendously important piece,” Miles said of the recruiting puzzle.
“This season … we are not through with (it yet). A quality win against an opponent of significance puts you in a position that you really enjoy going to work and winning. As long as you win, you have the opportunity to enjoy that next week. There are going to be opportunities for us this year to play in a significant game like this rivalry game as we go forward. I think our guys will look forward to matching up against a real quality K-State team.”
Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Marcus Harris, who is from Montgomery, Alabama, said Saturday’s showdown is “a big game. This game means a lot to me. Seeing how big the game was last year, how many fans watched the game and appreciate the game, take pride in the game, it means a lot to me. I’m not trying to play it down. I look forward to playing them Saturday.”
Senior receiver Andrew Parchment, who is from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, called the game huge.
“Definitely. Just understanding what it means for the community, for the alumni, and everybody pretty much associated with the University of Kansas … I know it means a lot,” he said. “I will do my best to get my team ready to go out there and win on Saturday.”
The quarterbacks
Miles said three KU quarterbacks — Miles Kendrick, Thomas MacVittie and Jalon Daniels — have practiced some this week. MacVittie was injured in KU’s opener and Daniels injured early in the game at Baylor. “Every guy that you mentioned ... threw balls today,” Miles said on Hawk Talk when asked about the three quarterbacks. “(They were) on a practice field, throwing balls. We think we’ll have enough really quality quarterback play to do the things that we came to do.”
