Kansas football hopes for a better start Saturday against Memphis
On an afternoon in late August, the third period at Kansas football practice was marked by a drill called Fast Start, which is a fairly apt summation of what the drill entails. Moments after finishing a special-teams period, 22 Kansas players sprinted onto the field and lined up, offense versus defense, and head coach David Beaty offered a scenario.
On that day, quarterback Montell Cozart recalls, the offense found itself in “second and manageable,” meaning it had two plays to pick up a first down. The defense had two snaps to earn a stop. The drill was live.
“It’s exactly like a game,” Cozart said. “It’s an offensive emphasis and a defensive emphasis.”
In Beaty’s first season at Kansas, the Fast Start period has become a staple of practice — and the program. Beaty talks relentlessly about tempo. The drill sets the tone for each day.
In the Jayhawks’ season-opening loss to South Dakota State, the goals of Fast Start weren’t entirely achieved. The offense played fast enough, reeling off 90 plays on the day. But the “start” portion of the drill could use some work. Kansas fell behind 31-7 in the first half and could never fully escape the deep hole in a 41-38 setback.
“It absolutely can be better,” Beaty said. “I think the key for us is making sure that we control the tempo.”
For Kansas, the next opportunity for a fast start comes at 6 p.m. Saturday against Memphis at Memorial Stadium. Beaty says the answer is not always simply more speed. The Jayhawks, he says, will need to vary their offensive tempos to keep defenses honest. But after reviewing the film from last week, offensive coordinator Rob Likens believes KU has the ability to slip into an even higher gear.
“I felt like we could have gotten over 100 plays,” Likens said. “We just have to get the ball snapped a little bit quicker.”
Can a faster tempo pay dividends? After a loss in week one, the Jayhawks find themselves as double-digit underdogs to Memphis in week two. Memphis coach Justin Fuente, who guided the Tigers to a 10-win season in 2014, exercised caution. His team wouldn’t overlook Kansas, he said, even after demolishing Missouri State last week.
“We are playing a (Kansas) team that played an opponent that was much further along than our opponent,” Fuente said. “I think that’s a fair assessment.”
The Jayhawks, meanwhile, are embracing the underdog role, Beaty said earlier this week. It appears unlikely that Kansas will be favored to win another game this season. But it’s up to the Jayhawks, Beaty said, to change that perception.
“We know that the people outside of our facility (are) not banking on us being able to get these wins,” Cozart said. “But it’s all about the guys inside. And we know what we’re capable of. We know Saturday wasn’t our best. And although we only lost by three points, we know that’s not who we are. And we’re going to build on it and get better.”
To reach Rustin Dodd, call 816-234-4937 or send email to rdodd@kcstar.com. Follow him on Twitter: @rustindodd.
Memphis at Kansas
▪ WHEN: 6 p.m. Saturday
▪ WHERE: Memorial Stadium, Lawrence
▪ TV: Time Warner Cable SportsChannel
Three story lines
1. Will freshman quarterback Ryan Willis see any snaps? One week after burning Willis’ redshirt — Willis played just two snaps against South Dakota State — KU coach David Beaty was noncommittal about Willis’ future playing time. In a perfect world, Beaty says he’d like to get Willis more experience. But Willis is still learning the offense, and junior Montell Cozart had an impressive season debut after two early turnovers.
2. The attendance watch: Kansas announced an official attendance of 30,144 for the season opener at Memorial Stadium. That was down from last year’s total of 36,574 for an opener against Southeast Missouri State. Last year, KU drew 34,822 for its second home game, which came after a blowout loss at Duke. How will the stands look for a matchup with Memphis?
3. What’s next for true freshman defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr.? Armstrong, a Houston native, recorded a sack in his first college game. The moment caused Beaty to reflect on his recruitment. “I took a brief second to go, ‘Man, that was a good get,’” Beaty said. For now, Armstrong is playing behind senior Ben Goodman and junior Damani Mosby at defensive end. But his future appears bright.
This story was originally published September 11, 2015 at 11:08 AM with the headline "Kansas football hopes for a better start Saturday against Memphis."