Punt team mistakes cost Kansas Jayhawks in 55-14 blowout loss to Kansas State
The loss of two-time all-Big 12 running back Pooka Williams certainly figured to weaken Kansas’ football offense Saturday at Kansas State.
Yes, Williams, who has opted out the rest of the season, was missed in KU’s 55-14 loss to the Wildcats at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan.
However, it was the absence of senior punter Kyle Thompson and the resulting collapse of the Jayhawks’ special teams that proved pivotal in KU’s 12th straight loss to the No. 20-ranked Wildcats (4-1, 4-0 Big 12) and 52nd straight loss in a conference road game. KU dropped to 0-5 and 0-4 in the Big 12.
K-State’s Philip Brooks returned two punts for touchdowns and another return set up a Wildcat field goal, while KU’s Kwamie Lassiter muffed a punt that also led to a K-State score.
“We did not expect some of the long runs to happen in special teams,” KU coach Les Miles said after the game. “I think our guys, when we lost a number of guys on special teams during the week, we put extra time in it and we really worked on it. We felt we were in good shape (but) obviously not. There were a couple of returns that were just unbelievable, looked like the floodgates had opened. Suddenly everybody that had a ball punted to them was going to score.
“I think coach Wallace (Jonathan, special-teams coordinator) did a really good job in handling the loss of our starting punter, the loss of our second-team punter (Donovan Gagen during second quarter). We lost our snapper. We think we’ll have Kyle Thompson back (for Saturday’s 11 a.m. home game vs. Iowa State). That would certainly be an advantage,” Miles added.
Senior backup punter Gagen, who replaced Thompson (out with ankle injury) had a 38-yard punt returned for a touchdown by K-State’s Brooks to open the scoring.
After Gagen was injured in the second quarter, third-team punter Reis Vernon, a freshman, had a 32-yard punt returned for a 52-yard Brooks score that gave the Cats a 34-7 lead.
Also, before he was hurt, Gagen had a low, 42-yard punt brought back 40 yards by Brooks, setting up a field goal that gave KSU a 10-0 lead.
At halftime, after being burned by Brooks on the punt return off the boot by KU’s third-string punter Vernon, Miles said: “We told him we had to kick this punt wide, (that) we’d like to have it out of bounds. He’s young. We understand. We still should cover that punt.”
Miles said after the game that KU was trying to boot it out of bounds on punts after Brooks’ first return for a score.
“I think some of those were directional kicks out of bounds. That’s the problem. We were looking for out of bounds only,” Miles said. “Some of those punts didn’t go out of bounds only.”
He noted: “I don’t know I’ve ever had a game where I lost my starting punter and my second-team starting punter. I think we are in a time frame we are a little nicked on the perimeter. I think when we get healthy, somebody will find a very talented team that’s ready to play.”
For good measure, Brooks returned a Vernon punt 42 yards to the KU 30 in the fourth quarter with KSU leading 55-7. That return did not lead to points.
Pooka Magic to return next season?
Miles after the game said Pooka Williams could return to the Jayhawk team next season. Williams has returned to Louisiana to be with his mother, who is ill.
“What he said was in January he is coming back. It’ll be interesting to see. Certainly we’d love to have him,” Miles said.
Injuries did not help Kansas
KU figured to have a tough time if healthy against K-State. The Jayhawks entered as a team decimated by injuries to key players. Three receivers — T.K. Williams, Stephon Robinson and Lawrence Arnold — were on the inactive list. Safety Davon Ferguson also was on the inactive list along with punter Thompson. Also linebacker Dru Prox dressed for the game but did not play because of a case of the flu
“Dru Prox got sick on site,” Miles said. “He had the flu, but not THE flu (presumably meaning COVID). He couldn’t play,” Miles said.
Not so special special teams
Another huge special teams mistake came when Kwamie Lassiter fumbled a 31-yard Ty Zentner punt at the KU 39. It was recovered by Tyler Burns at the KU 41 with 1:21 left in the first half. This led to a 16-yard TD pass from Howard to Sammy Wheeler with just :52 left before intermission. That gave KSU a 27-7 lead.
“I really should have got under it. Routine plays I’ve got to make,” Lassiter said. Of the special-teams unit, he added: “We’ve got to go to work, fix the mistakes and be ready for Iowa State.”
Freshman Daniels returns
Freshman QB Jalon Daniels, who was hurt in the first quarter of the Oklahoma State game on Oct. 3 and hadn’t played since, completed 22 of 39 passes for 207 yards and one interception. He also rushed for 27 yards on 17 carries and two TDs. He suffered a horrible pick-six on a roll right, throw left pass that was intercepted and returned 24 yards for a score by Justin Gardner that made it 20-0. Daniels also had a nice pooch punt in the third quarter of 34 yards that pinned K-State at its own 6. Daniels bounced back nicely after the pick-six. He ran 8 yards for a score on a third down call. That run capped a nine-play, 75-yard drive.
Gardner fares well
KU sophomore Velton Gardner, who is now KU’s featured back, gained 72 yards on 16 carries with a long run of 27 yards.
How could this happen?
KU trailed just 20-7 with 90 seconds left in the first half. However, K-State suddenly, inexplicably led 41-7 just 2:43 into the second half. KSU not only scored two TDs to close the half (16-yard pass from Will Howard to to Sammy Wheeler and 52 punt return by Brooks), but the Cats put seven on the board their first drive of the final half. Deuce Vaughn carried from a yard out to complete a six-play, 69-yard drive.
Rock bottom?
The loss of RB Williams marked KU’s second high-profile player to leave the team after four games in as many seasons. Khalil Herbert, who exited the after four games last season and transferred to Virginia Tech, entered Saturday’s action with 592 yards on 61 carries for a 9.7 average per carry. He’s scored five touchdowns in the the first four games and has been mentioned as a Heisman candidate.
Meanwhile, former Blue Valley North quarterback Graham Mertz, who played high school ball in KU’s backyard, threw five TD passes Friday in Wisconsin’s 45-7 victory over Illinois. He figures to be a prime candidate for national player of the week following his first college start at QB.
Next up
KU will meet Iowa State at 11 a.m. next Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence.
This story was originally published October 24, 2020 at 2:40 PM.
