America has the attention span of a gnat hopped up on caffeine watching a Real Housewives marathon, and it shows when it comes to the perception of Kansas football.Under head coach Lance Leipold – arguably the best going if you could NASCAR this and give everyone the same equipment to work with – Kansas is among the most exciting teams in college football.The 55-53 loss to Arkansas in the 2022 Liberty Bowl was one of the best bowl games of the last several years, the drama was there last season with six games decided by a touchdown or less in the first ten, and the praise continues to be heaped on a program that won a total of nine games from 2017 to 2021.Remember Kansas? For the investment public, Kansas sent kids to summer camp, paid for premium gas on every third fill-up, and allowed people to hit 20% on the tip screen once in a while. And why?
Because it ALWAYS lost, and badly.Under Leipold, KU built up to last year’s 9-4 season, but totally forgotten is how it was the first winning campaign in Lawrence since 2008.Winning lots of football games at this school isn’t normal.The 2007 team that was in the national title mix. A crazy outlier of a 1995 season, and the 10-1 1905 Kansas football team that took out William Jewell, Drury, Emporia College AND Emporia State. Those were the only three KU teams that had better seasons than what the 2023 version enjoyed.And now, from the 0-9 2020 season under Les Miles, to 2-10 in Leipold’s first year, to 6-7, to 9-4, to …Yeah, with this schedule and this team, if the starting 22 can stay relatively healthy, a trip to the Big 12 title game in the new conference is possible, and … KANSAS PREVIEW 2024: OFFENSE – The offense will once again be a blast. There were moments when the thing didn’t work, but even with star QB Jalon Daniels hurt for most of the year the attack still cranked up 446 yards per game and had one of the more efficient passing games.And now Daniels is back now that the back is right. He was constantly questionable, but he didn’t go after the win over BYU. When he played, he hit 75% of his throws with five scores and a pick, and he ran for 74 yards his three appearances.One of the most dynamic players in the nation, he’s good enough to carry the team to one of its best seasons ever helped by …- The Jayhawk receiving corps is loaded. The top four wide receivers are back and they can all get deep. Leading target Lawrence Arnold averaged 18 yards per grab with six scores. Quentin Skinner averaged over 20 yards per catch, and Luke Grimm was second on the team with 33 grabs averaging 17 yards a grab. They’ll do even more with Daniels back, BUT …- The offensive line isn’t totally starting over, but it’s close. The runners are there. Daniels can move, Devin Neal averaged six yards per carry with 16 scores, and Daniel Hishaw ran for 626 yards and eight touchdowns.The line will be fine around Michael Ford at one guard and Bryce Cabeldue is back at right tackle. It’s not a thin line, and the transfer portal should help a bit, but it needs transfer Shane Bumgardner at center and a few other options to be great right away. KANSAS PREVIEW 2024: DEFENSE – The defense wasn’t a rock, but it was FAR better. The 2022 bunch got ripped to shreds, and it was stronger than the 2021 version that allowed 506 points. The 345 points allowed were the fewest since 2009, and that’s with one extra game. Average allowing just 378 yards and 26.5 yards per game again, and the team will be good starting with …- The secondary was the second-best in the Big 12 in yards allowed. The offenses in the conference were strong, and it was all relative, but this was Kansas.Playing defense was a big deal, and it has a terrific corner tandem of Cobee Bryant – possibly the best in the Big 12 – and Mello Dotson. Marvin Grant and OJ Burroughs combined for 103 tackles and should be at least that productive again.- The front seven is experienced up front and big in the linebacking corps. Taiwan Berryhill is a 230-pound factor on the outside, and a slew of the parts from the rotation of last year will get a shot to shine. The veteran front four will help.North Dakota State transfer Javier Derritt will take over one tackle spot next to the combination of DJ Withers, Tommy Dunn and Caleb Taylor will be better.The pass rush could stand to do a little more without Austin Booker around, but Jereme Robinson will be a factor again at one end. Outstanding transfer prospect Bai Jobe might be an instant star at one outside gig. KANSAS KEY TO THE SEASON Be much, MUCH better defensively in the red zone.It wasn’t just that offenses scored every time but once when getting inside the Kansas 20 – the Jayhawks were dead last in the nation in red zone D, allowing teams to score 49 times in 50 chances; for shame, Oklahoma, that one miss mattered in the loss – but it was how.In general, you’re doing okay if you allow teams to score red zone touchdowns at about a 55% clip or better. Kansas? It allowed TD a whopping 70% of the time – including five in six tries against Oklahoma. KANSAS KEY PLAYER Shane Bumgardner, C Sr.Again, it’s a good front five that needs a little tweaking, and it’s up the 6-3, 290-pound transfer from Tiffin to step in for Mike Novitsky and be the leader up front. The nation’s top Division II center might not be big, but he’s a technician with the experience to be the right fill in. If he’s able to make the jump up in weight class, the O line will be fine. He might be the best transfer, but … KANSAS TOP TRANSFER, BIGGEST TRANSFER LOSS Top Transfer In: Bai Jobe, EDGE, RFr.Michigan State – back when it had Mel Tucker – got a whopper of a recruit for his defensive front. Jobe slipped away from Oklahoma and went to East Lansing, but he was held out for most of last year making just two tackles. One coaching change later and the monster pass rushing prospect will now be doing his thing for the Jayhawk D.Top Transfer Out: Ar’Maj Reed-Adams, OG Jr.A good starter who locked down the left side, he has 6-5, 325-pound NFL size, good power, and a world of upside to get nastier over his last two seasons. Kansas has options, but the new Texas A&M Aggie will be missed. KANSAS KEY GAME at Kansas State, Oct. 26The Jayhawks miss just about everyone in the Big 12 that’s good, but there are a few landmines. Going to to West Virginia is tough, BYU and Baylor should be better, and watch out for that date at Arizona State. But the Jayhawks are working on a 15-game losing streak to its rival – the last win a 52-21 whacking in 2008.If they can win this, though, and break the streak, getting to the Big 12 Championship won’t be asking for the world. KANSAS 10 BEST PLAYERS 1. Jalon Daniels, QB Jr.2. Cobee Bryant, CB Sr.3. Devin Neal, RB Sr.4. Mello Dotson, CB Sr.5. Lawrence Arnold, WR Sr.6. Marvin Grant, S Sr.7. Jeremy Robinson, DE Sr.8. Quentin Skinner, WR Sr.9. Luke Grimm, WR Sr.10. OJ Burroughs, S Sr. KANSAS 2023 FUN STATS – 2 Point Conversion Attempts: Opponents 4-for-14 (29%), Kansas 0-for 6 (0%)- Punt Return Average: 19.8 yards, Opponents -3 yards- TDs Scored: Kansas 61, Opponents 42 KANSAS 2024 SEASON PREDICTION, WIN TOTAL, WHAT WILL HAPPEN Can Kansas handle the home games in Children’s Mercy?With renovations happening to Memorial Stadium, KU doesn’t get a true home game – its playing its games in Kansas City. It gets six real road games, there won’t be any real rhythm to the season, and …Boo hoo.Kansas doesn’t have to face Utah. It doesn’t play Arizona or Oklahoma State, either. Going to Kansas State is never easy for this program, but it’s missing three of the four likely best teams in the conference, and UCF and Texas Tech might not be terribly far behind.Oh yeah, and there’s no Texas or Oklahoma this time around, either.As long as Jalon Daniels can stay in one piece, Kansas has a chance.The defensive improvements from last year shouldn’t regress, and the running game will blast through teams at times. Combine all of that with the loaded receiving corps and a schedule with eight games against teams that didn’t go bowling last season, and there’s no reason to get to at least nine wins again.Set The Kansas Win Total At … 7.5Likely Wins: Lindenwood50/50 Games: at Arizona State, at Baylor, at BYU, Colorado, Houston, at Illinois, Iowa State, at Kansas State, TCU, UNLV, at West Virginia,Likely Losses: There aren’t any apparent sure-thing losses on the KU slate- Kansas Football Schedule: 3 Things To Know
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