KU Jayhawks at Oklahoma Sooners: prediction, bet line, TV for Saturday’s football game
Kansas football offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki hasn’t had to amend the Jayhawks’ playbook this week to adjust to a Week 7 change at quarterback.
“It’s the same thing, the same offense,” Kotelnicki said.
Kotelnicki was referring to former backup QB Jason Bean, who takes over this week for Jalon Daniels, who, after starting six games, is out with a shoulder injury ahead of Saturday’s 11 a.m. Big 12 battle against Oklahoma at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman. The game will be shown live on ESPN2.
“Going into the season, when we were talking about competition, I talked about how blessed we are to have two quarterbacks who have played Power Five snaps.,” Kotelnicki said. “That’s still true, We are fortunate we have guys be able to go in who have confidence they can run the offense. That is a blessing, that we’re not going into the game with a different kind of call sheet.”
Bean, who started the first nine games for a 2021 Jayhawks team that would finish the season 2-10, is back at the helm after backing up Daniels to open KU’s 2022 campaign. Daniels was hurt in the first half of last week’s 38-31 loss to TCU, an outcome that dropped KU’s record this season to 5-1 (2-1 Big 12). Oklahoma is 3-3 (0-3).
“I feel terrible for what happened to Jalon. He’s still in my prayers each and every day trying to get him back,” Bean said. “I put in a lot of work to be in this position. I think the hard work I put in (during) the offseason is finally getting to show.
“The quarterback position is just next man up. The standard doesn’t change because who is in, who is out. Whoever is in, they know their job and have to do it to the best of their ability.”
Bean threw for four touchdowns in taking over for Daniels for the second half of Saturday’s loss. A year ago, in 10 games (nine starts), Bean completed 102 of 181 passes for 1,252 yards and six touchdowns with six interceptions. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound senior from Mansfield, Texas rushed 92 times for 400 yards and two TDs.
“We’ve said all along Jason has some elite speed, real-deal elite speed,” Kotelnicki said, “So you have to utilize his capabilities to handle that kind of stuff.”
According to Kotelnicki, Bean has “had a great week of preparation He’s doing a fantastic job.”
Bean credited “confidence level, knowing the offense, knowing where guys are supposed to be. Being able to put guys in the right spot is the biggest thing for me. When you are confident at the quarterback position, you can do pretty much whatever you want.”
With Daniels sidelined — and he’s definitely out this week, Leipold said Wednesday on his Hawk Talk radio show — the new backup is true freshman Ethan Vasko, a 6-4, 200-pound native of Chesapeake, Virginia.
Of Vasko, Bean said: “I’ve seen a lot of growth in the short time I’ve been with him. I’m trying to pass down everything I know to him just to make sure he’s ready when it’s his time to step in. I’m excited about his future.”
Oklahoma enters Saturday’s game on a three-game losing streak. The Sooners, however, have won 17 consecutive games against KU. The Jayhawks are trying for their first win in the series since October 4, 1997. A win would be Kansas’ first win in Norman since 1996.
Oklahoma is favored by nine points.
Prediction: Kansas 44, Oklahoma 29
Last game prediction: Kansas 47, TCU 34 (actual TCU 38, KU 31)
2022 record on picks: 4-2.
2022 record vs. spread: 3-3.
This story was originally published October 14, 2022 at 10:06 AM.
