Kansas vs. Iowa State Matchup Breakdown
by Owen on Oct 28, 2010 11:30 AM CDT
in Kansas Jayhawk Football 2010
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PrintSticking with the lean format again this week for the matchup breakdown because Kansas doesn't offer many compelling matchups.
Yes Iowa State is probably one of the games on the schedule where Kansas could matchup, but after the last three games it's getting harder and hardr to argue that Kansas can matchup with anyone.
Kansas Offense vs. Iowa State Defense
The good news? The reality is that the Iowa State defense is not a very good one. As noted in Warden's Tale of the Tape they have the #108th ranked run defense and the #116th ranked overall defense. That's the good news.
The bad news? Well Kansas has been anemic throughout and things often gradually slide of the tracks too early for the Jayhawks to be competitive.
The hope? Quin Mecham takes over at quarterback and at this point a spark from anyone could tilt enough to move the football against a defense like the Cyclones. If Long keeps it simple, balanced and Mecham can make the reads and the throws then maybe Kansas can get something going. The biggest thing, it can't be a slow start and it needs to be a start that brings some confidence across the board.
Kansas Defense vs. Iowa State Offense
Iowa State runs the ball well, but doesn't have a great passing game. Conventional wisdom would say Kansas has a chance. The Jayhawk defense showed promise against the run early in the season and maybe this is a style they can compete with.
Lee Corso says...NOT so fast my friend. Kansas faced a team that relied on the run earlier this year in Kansas State. How did that go? The Jayhawks made a pedestrian quarterback in Carson Coffman look like a Heisman candidate. If I'm Paul Rhoads I go against the grain and let Austen Arnaud keep mix it up and win the ball game.
The hope for Kansas comes if the offense get's going and ONLY if the offense get's going. Playing at a deficit on a short field hasn't been a good recipe for success and that's not going to change.
Special Teams
DJ Beshears is on the bench so I'm not sure if there is much hope here for the Jayhawks. Bring back the ghosts of 2007 when special teams was a strength. I think perhaps a good goal for this team from here on out would be to be the best special teams team in the conference. That alone can keep you from getting blown out in a hurry. Problem is I don't think that switch can be flipped after 7 weeks.
Coaching
Paul Rhoads does with Iowa State exactly what I would have loved to see from Turner Gill at Kansas. 4 wins was the ceiling for Kansas in the minds of many, but the manner by which those 8-10 losses appear to be coming is absolutely horrific.
Yes Iowa State has had some ugly losses this year but they've been against Oklahoma and Utah two top ten teams. On the flip side the Cyclones went into Austin, rallied around their coach and got a win in a very tough place to play. They did the same in Rhoads first year when they won in Lincoln during the 2009 season.
Turner Gill and Kansas don't seem to be achieving that same mojo. For all the positive talk, and all the likable coaches, it isn't translating to the field the way it has for Rhoads at Iowa State. I hope it's a matter of turning over some of the veterans on the team and I hope this improves with time. But for this year, there is zero reason for me to believe that things will change. Point blank, we're just getting through it at this point.
The only way Kansas wins the Coaching battle in this one is if Paul Rhoads pukes all over himself on the sideline. That won't happen he'll be ready and Kansas we'll be challenged to respond.
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Actually
If Coach Rhoades were to puke all over himself, I bet his players would player HARDER for him and we’d still be in trouble.
My only hope for this one is that we lose by less than 5 tds.
build a damn football program, beat some ass, and get on tv more.
it was a metaphorical puke...
not an actual puke.
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Sounds like an awesome name for a hybrid Heavy Metal/Jam Band
Metaphorical Puke
The only people who really know where [the edge] is are the ones who have gone over it.
by SagehenMacGyver47 on Oct 28, 2010 1:20 PM CDT up reply actions
When Kansas plays Iowa State, who wins?
Answer: No one. There are no winners here.
by KennyGregoryRockThaCradle on Oct 28, 2010 7:54 PM CDT reply actions
The Difference
as pointed out in yesterday’s column is that KU has had a habit of driving the football well early in the game only to lose the football, turn it over on downs just outside FG range, or stall b/c of some stupid penalties. Not sure why it spirals out of control so badly after that, but it seems that a very little improvement early in the game could result in a huge turn around in the game overall.
More Koolaid please :-)
agreed...
it just feels like a team with some serious confidence issues and when it goes bad, it snowballs quickly.
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Player confidence is instilled
by the coaches.
build a damn football program, beat some ass, and get on tv more.
So
if we go out and play confidently Saturday, keep the game close or even win, you will be giving the coaching staff the credit afterward?
by PenguinHawk on Oct 29, 2010 8:13 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
no turnovers
this team kills itself with turnovers and ill-timed penalties…we are not good enough to overcome that…must get off to a fast start, as has been mentioned already.
BOOM YOSTED!
by Home Run Tony Cogan on Oct 28, 2010 9:53 PM CDT reply actions
Coach Gill question?
Hey all, I haven’t commented over here in a long while, and I don’t mean to sound like a troll or pile on.
But I have read and heard quite a bit about Gill’s new system and him saying his players he inheretid aren’t the right players for his system. Is the system he has in place what he and his staff are sticking with, or is it evolving as time goes on? If it’s the first one wouldn’t it be a wise move for him and his staff to change the system to best fit the players he has in place now, and slowly work his way back to his system as he gets more of his recruits in.
Has this been covered somewhere and I missed it, or overlooked it?
I have no idea what "his" system would be.
He talks a lot about speed and we imagine that Long wants to run more of a traditional offensive attack but I’m far from the best guy to answer this question.
Glad I came, just wish I hadn't stayed so long.
People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball...Rock Chalk Talk
I guess if I had to say where the system isn't fitting...
it’s everywhere. We don’t have a dual threat quarterback that is truly a dual threat. Pick doesn’t appear comfortable throwing and Webb is still very green.
Offensively the line should have been a strength. Injuries impacted that group and then they aren’t the kind that is going to blow of the ball and win the line of scrimmage. Again, they should have been at least able to pass block…but that isn’t working either.
I’d go position by position and point to where it might not fit and where it might, the fact is it should be working better than it is. At this point it’s a buy in thing. I think whatever Gill is doing, it’s not reaching everyone on the team right now and players are pretty much confused and a bit puzzled by what’s going on. The result…you lose the team in a sense.
I’d say Gill has evolved his system a little bit to try to accomodate his personnel, but it hasn’t been enough or as clear to the team as it needs to be. Right now I think we’re in a spot where this year is going to be bad, we’ll see some turnover in personnel headed into next season which I think will also be bad, but by year three he has to get the buy in and personnel to a point where they believe in and can execute his system.
If he hasn’t done it by year three and these horrible losses continue. He has to go and it was clearly a bad hire. I’m still hopeful at the moment though. It’s bad, it may get worse, but Kansas has always struggled with continuity and I think giving him a fair shot is important.
I’d say one of the best things going at Mizzou is the continuity and cohesiveness of the staff. It’s something Kansas needs.
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Um...
it may get worse
I’ve been way too negative but we’re being outscored 53-8 in Big 12 games. Lost to a 5 and 3 D1AA team. Starting the 3rd string qb this week.
Glad I came, just wish I hadn't stayed so long.
People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball...Rock Chalk Talk
When I say it could get worse I’m looking squarely in the face of three games. Okie Light, Nebraska and Mizzou…those three teams will score in bunches against us. It might feel like they are awarding 14 points per touchdown.
Questions, Comments? email me at denverjhawk@hotmail.com
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They can't score a whole lot quicker or shut down the offense a whole lot more
than Baylor or K-State did.
Glad I came, just wish I hadn't stayed so long.
People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball...Rock Chalk Talk
In addition to what the others said above,
My impression was that Gill went into the season with a “New Offensive Approach, Come Hell Or High Water” attitude, but as soon as NDSU showed that they offense wasn’t even close to ready, they softened that stance and started to use more spread-option type plays. Gill wants 2 TE and/or a Fullback to be the offensive staple. You have to hope that the team will go with what works and slowly move toward the power-run offense as the players get trained in and recruited for the system.
All that said, it doesn’t seem like the staff has done a good enough job of tailoring the offense to suit the players’ strengths. Which is a bad sign any way you look at it.
The only people who really know where [the edge] is are the ones who have gone over it.
by SagehenMacGyver47 on Oct 29, 2010 4:22 PM CDT up reply actions
Heard some Coach on Radio
say the other day that the 2nd year is either tougher or almost as tough as first year, can’t remember who said it though. My guess is alot of players have already quit somewhat on Gill and going to see alot of changeover in players from this point in time to next season. I think KU needs to stay on course with Gill though and realize the rest of this season is going to be tough and next year probably going to be bad also. Can’t get rid of him this early unless you just see it developing into Ron Prince type territory.
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