Expectations Tempered
by I need more Esteban on Oct 13, 2009 10:14 AM CDT
36 comments
Before we played Iowa St. at Memorial Stadium this week, I was very confident in this team's ability to win the North. After the horrible showing by our defense and season saving job by our offense, I've lowered my expectations a little. I truly thought that our defense was better and it looked like it might not be. Is there still time for them to be better? Oh yes, lots of time and I'm not willing to concede that they are as bad as they looked Saturday. I saw too much in the non-con that I didn't see last season. But are they going to win us any games? Probably not.
Let's start with the bad. Linebacker has to be our weakest position (not surprising). So what is going to be done about it? Personally, even though he is a true freshman, I would like to see a lot more of Huldon Tharp. Even though he is undersized, the kid seems like he is just a playmaker. A nose for the ball is what has been said about him on more than a few occasions. Get him in there on a constant rotation.
Vernon Brooks name is starting to pop up around conversations. Where is the Juco All-American that we signed, hoping to give a depleted linebacking crew a boost? I tend to trust the coaches because this is their job, there has to be a reason he isn't seeing the field. But maybe it's time to throw him out there and see if he makes plays.
The secondary was exposed Saturday. Daymond Patterson looked absolutely awful. I had been impressed with him threw the non-con for the most part but Saturday he realllly looked lost. He was burned on several occasions with his head constantly turned away from the QB. Are there any DB's from our top 5 nationally ranked DB class ready to play? Probably not, but others should probably be ready to play if needed.
More Ryan Murphy. The last two games he has started to see the field a lot more and I think that is a good thing. He has been making a lot of plays and think he needs to keep seeing the field.
D-Line still isn't getting enough pressure. There isn't much of a problem with Laptad and Max has had some good games as well. But we need more of a pass rush to take pressure of of our secondary. It all starts up front, and the secondary can only cover for so long, so we need more pressure. Quinton Woods, this would be a good time to start adjusting to Div. 1 football and give us another pass rushing presence. DT's, let's start clogging up the middle more.
Offense. I'm not too worried. Sharp back will be another weapon and maybe we'll start seeing some 2 back sets which could really change the way opponents have to prepare for us.
This Colorado game didn't scare me at all in the pre-season. Now, even though Colorado has looked bad I am nervous. It has the feel of an upset type of game. Crazy things happen in Boulder (see OU 2007). In the end, I think we will win the game and go into the matchup with OU at 6-0 which would be so great. Hopefully then, we have the primetime game and Memorial will seriously be rocking. OU definitely has more talent than us but we are due to beat Coach Mangino's former team at some point.
For the rest of the way, well, I'm not sure yet. I still think that we can beat NU at home even if they are the better team than us. It's going to be a very tough road as a win in Lubbock looks very hard as well. We can still do this, but there is no doubt that a name we haven't heard much from will have to step up on defense and make some plays for us to go to Dallas.
Thoughts?
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Nice way to sum up
some of the same thoughts we’ve all had Esty.
As for feeling like this Saturday is primed for an upset, I can see what you’re saying – Defense on the ropes, playing in Boulder, coach trying to keep from being fired, new QB…BUT. I feel like KU will be pumped going into this game. I think (or at least hope) ISU was the slap of reality this team needed.
No one is going to hand this team anything just because they went to the Orange Bowl in 07. This team shouldn’t feel entitled to win anything much less a spot in the Big XII championship game. The games all count from here on in and I think our boys really know it now.
Wait. Sarah Palin's in Hong Kong? But who's watching Russia?
Agreed, nice summation
Patterson did look the fool Saturday, but the middle of the line and field was consistently exposed. Don’t know if it was scheme or just getting shoved around, but that can’t be repeated against CU. An effective ground game makes Tyler Hansen’s job easier, and he showed last year that he’s suspect in the aerial game.
I think Stuckey has been there this year, but just hasn’t delivered the game-changers yet. I’m confident we’ll hear his number called more as conference play ramps up further.
I think part of
what made Patterson look so bad was the height advantage of the WR. He had really good coverage if he was on a 5’6" WR.
As for our holey defense. I think it’s a combination of lack of talent and a scheme that maximizes that lack of talent. We lack speed at the second level but we have a glut of DB’s. However, we lay our DB’s so far off the ball that the under routes and inside screens are open all day long. Our LB’s are left on an island attempting to make an open field tackle while the DB’s are coming back up field to assist on the play.
Wait. Sarah Palin's in Hong Kong? But who's watching Russia?
Yeah, that ISU dude was a bit of a tree
roster has him at 6’4", and he looked every bit of it against Patterson. Sort of looked like my wife next to me.
The thing that stinks about the Oklahoma game
Is that Oklahoma will probably be ranked lower than Kansas in that game.
"That pitch wasn’t down and in, that pitch was down and up." Tim McCarver
by wrigleyrocker12 on Oct 13, 2009 5:29 PM CDT reply actions
when's the
last time that’s happened I wonder….
Wait. Sarah Palin's in Hong Kong? But who's watching Russia?
I know that we beat OU a
few times in the 90’s…
Wait. Sarah Palin's in Hong Kong? But who's watching Russia?
three straight years from '95-'97
including a pair of beatdowns in Norman, one on national Sat night ESPN broadcast (’95) – Dorian Brew returning a pick for a score to ice it; Eric Vann with a 99-yard run in the ’96 game.
I was at KU
during those years. Serves me right for being young and stupid.
Wait. Sarah Palin's in Hong Kong? But who's watching Russia?
Thanks for the post este...
I’m in agreement on the linebackers. If we’re bad, let’s just get Huldon out there and get him the experience. He’s shown he’s as good as anyone and we’ve burned the redshirt so let’s develop the kid.
With Brooks, I heard from the get go that he was pretty far out of shape when he arrived. He’s talented but that hands down remains the biggest hurdle. If you aren’t physically at the level you need to be coming in anymore, it’s hard to get their during the season. From the sound of things conditioning was clearly a concern from arrival.
Some people are like Slinkies...not really good for anything but they make you smile when pushed down the stairs.
It might have been a good thing
that we got the scare that we did from ISU. If we had blown them out, then this kind of performance may have happened in Boulder where it would’ve been much tougher to rebound from.
This might have been a wake up call that this team needed.
by I need more Esteban on Oct 14, 2009 1:59 PM CDT reply actions
You know what?
Good post Este, but I gotta say, I’m sick of the negativity around here. “Boo hoo, we had to take full advantage of our amazing offense to get to 5-0.” Eff That.
Every game the rest of the season is gonna be a fight. Are we going to sit around and feel sorry for ourselves because our team isn’t perfect, or are we going to man up?
Before the season began, what did we hope KU’s record would be at this point? 5-0. And what is this team’s record? 5-0. It’s time for us as fans to get behind the team we have, not the team we wish we had. Are we going to keep whining about soft zone coverage, an occasional misthrow by Reesing, etc., or are we going to enjoy the fact that once again Mark Mangino has us nationally relevant, in position to win the Big 12 North, and a team with brilliant players like Todd, Kerry, and Desmond every week?
Three short years ago, KU lost 2 games in overtime, a third game by one point (to Baylor, for crying out loud), and a fourth game by 3. Win those, and a 6-6 season with no bowl game turns into 10-2. We spent that entire season thinking, “oh, if we just did X, we could’ve won.”
Now we’re doing the exact opposite- “oh, if we just did X, we could’ve lost.” It’s a credit to MM and his entire staff for such a dramatic turnaround. But we as fans really need to do a better job of appreciating just how lucky we are.
So I say Todd Reesing for Heisman. I say Kerry Meier and Desmond Briscoe for All-American. I say Boomer Sooner better watch out for what we’re going to unleash upon them in Lawrence. I say WE are in the driver’s seat for the Big 12 North. And I say we go to a friggin BCS game for the second time in three years!
GET ON THE BANDWAGON NOW, BOYS. ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!!!
by KennyGregoryRockThaCradle on Oct 14, 2009 2:23 PM CDT reply actions 5 recs
Dez spells his name with a Z!
Step your game up Kenny!
I agree about being too negative, I think we just all have such high hopes for the season, and right now we are scared poopless of how our D has looked recently.
rec'd again
ain’t nothing wrong with a shootout if you’re still standing.
You make the plays you have to make in order to win the games. If Arnaud makes the play, ISU may have won. But he didn’t, so sucks to be him.
NEXT!!
*cowers
okay…I promise to stop whining about Clint Bowen…
BEAK ’EM HAWKS!!!
Wait. Sarah Palin's in Hong Kong? But who's watching Russia?
good find
the best point made:
Which brings up this point: Part of the reason why the Big 12 South has “tough” schedules is because they have to play some quality teams from the North like Kansas, Missouri or Nebraska. So how come when the North quality teams beat each other up, they get dumped in the rankings, but when a South team beats them, it’s a “quality” win?
Wait. Sarah Palin's in Hong Kong? But who's watching Russia?
Who do we cheer for on Saturday
In the Oklahoma Texas game?
"That pitch wasn’t down and in, that pitch was down and up." Tim McCarver
by wrigleyrocker12 on Oct 14, 2009 5:30 PM CDT reply actions
I've been thinking about that too
I’d like to say OU because then our game with them the week after will be bigger. But then I’d say Texas because I want a Big 12 team in the title hunt still. Tough one.
by I need more Esteban on Oct 14, 2009 5:44 PM CDT up reply actions
Yeah but
Kansas also play Texas. They will either be playing 2 middle ranked teams, or one lower ranked and a high ranked.
"That pitch wasn’t down and in, that pitch was down and up." Tim McCarver
by wrigleyrocker12 on Oct 15, 2009 4:41 PM CDT up reply actions
I say Texas -
We want Texas to have a clean shot at the NC so we can take the Fiesta Bowl…
Wait. Sarah Palin's in Hong Kong? But who's watching Russia?
I agree with this. Although I still got a feeling Texas is gonna drop one to someone it shouldn't
I don’t know why…just a feeling. Having watched Texas this year…they perplex me. McCoy hasn’t played well all year, they don’t have a running game, and Shipley really is their only big playmaker on offense.
As much as I love the Big12 and hate the SEC, I think if Texas made it Florida or Alabama would be too much. Blech, did not like saying that.
I hope you're right on Texas dropping one to someone it shouldn't,
as long as its us.
by play4'ships on Oct 16, 2009 11:03 PM CDT up reply actions
That, especially on the road, would be epic
But in all honesty I think they will fall to OSU, or someone like that. A team that has some firepower and is a solid team, but going into it we think they (Texas) will win for sure. If KU knocked off Texas in Austin, especially if it only had say 1 loss, you could book us for a BCS trip.
But we gots to take care of them buffs first. I’m scared enough about that game, so no more day dreaming for me.
I don't think Texas will fall too far with a loss this weekend
The Oklahoma name, if nothing else, will prevent UT from taking too much of a hit for losing a game at a neutral site- especially if it’s close and well-played. If OU wins this weekend, it isn’t a stretch to say KU has a chance to beat two top ten teams this year.
by KennyGregoryRockThaCradle on Oct 16, 2009 3:06 PM CDT up reply actions
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