Kansas Crimson

Dalvin Cook a gametime holdout yesterday and then Alexander Mattison rips Seattle for 112 yards on the ground. That's where we need to get with the zone block scheme.


Regarding conservatism, there's sticking to a philosophy, which is fine, and there is running a draw on 3rd and 11 with the game still in reach and you are in what has been 4-down territory all season long. That was an error.

This will be a tough week. Iowa State will be looking to run their score up into the 60's or beyond.

Apparently, Texas Tech's QB is out for a significant amount of time--having a bye week before what might be the last winnable game isn't awful.

One thing I'll say about this bunch (including coaching staff) is that we're not pinning our hopes on one guy offensively, e.g. just hoping to get the ball to Sims in space, or handing off to Pooka and expecting him to make eleven guys miss. Having a bit of variety on offense is really refreshing. Defense is still a rolling dumpster fire, but hopefully the scholarship cap gets tweaked and we can fill a bunch of holes in the offseason.

The defense took the bigger personnel hits in the offseason so that can't be ignored when looking at why it has seemingly taken a step back from what it was at the end of 2020. A major depth issue on that side of the ball and it seemed like every one of the starters took an injury timeout against Duke--suggests they might be playing too many downs.

What is encouraging is that we are 4 games in and I haven't really seen many of the KU defense patented plays where a slot receiver catches the ball 15-20 yards behind our last safety for a 75 yard touchdown.

CrimsonNBlue wrote: ↑Mon Sep 27, 2021 9:15 am Regarding conservatism, there's sticking to a philosophy, which is fine, and there is running a draw on 3rd and 11 with the game still in reach and you are in what has been 4-down territory all season long. That was an error.

Yeah you're right. That was not ideal. As KU fans like to say with Embiid #TrustTheProcess

It's going to be a process. But I see a competent staff and competent players.

Tech's starter will be out when we play them in a few weeks -- but their backup went 17/23 for 324/3 TDs.

Bean is a great passer and runner. Taking advantage of that better helps solve some problems and gets us ready for next year. The extended cushions on receivers is still a problem. Albeit, a lazy Duke threw what should have been a pick six. I still can't believe he was run down by the QB.

pdub wrote: ↑Mon Sep 27, 2021 12:19 pm Tech's starter will be out when we play them in a few weeks -- but their backup went 17/23 for 324/3 TDs.

We got torched by Tech's back up before. I think ISU took us behind the woodshed with a 3rd stringer once.

Some lunchtime thoughts on good Kotelnicki stuff:

Lets the clock run out on the first quarter to face a 3rd and 12 on Duke's 20. RZ scoring is hard at any level. Draws up something perfect for Locklin to get in space and and into the EZ.

Halftime, you knew Duke would adjust to shut down all of the over-the-top stuff to Wilson. Staff clearly saw some hole in Duke's run D and first play from scrimmage is a 62 yard Neal run.

It's been awhile since I have felt good coming out of timeouts, but that's encouraging.

PhDhawk wrote: ↑Mon Sep 27, 2021 1:04 pm

pdub wrote: ↑Mon Sep 27, 2021 12:19 pm Tech's starter will be out when we play them in a few weeks -- but their backup went 17/23 for 324/3 TDs.

We got torched by Tech's back up before. I think ISU took us behind the woodshed with a 3rd stringer once.

Yeah, it's probably not going to matter much considering how outmanned we are everywhere.

Only thing you can hope for with a backup QB is him making 1-2 mistakes the starter wouldn't make that would provide an extra 10-14 unaccounted for points.

CrimsonNBlue wrote: ↑Mon Sep 27, 2021 1:33 pm Some lunchtime thoughts on good Kotelnicki stuff:

Lets the clock run out on the first quarter to face a 3rd and 12 on Duke's 20. RZ scoring is hard at any level. Draws up something perfect for Locklin to get in space and and into the EZ.

Halftime, you knew Duke would adjust to shut down all of the over-the-top stuff to Wilson. Staff clearly saw some hole in Duke's run D and first play from scrimmage is a 62 yard Neal run.

It's been awhile since I have felt good coming out of timeouts, but that's encouraging.

Good points.

Just a reminder that last season:

Coastal: Down 28-3 at half
Baylor: down 17-10 at half
Okie St.: down 31-0 at half
WVU: down 17-10 at half
KSU: down 34-7 at half
ISU: down 20-7 at half
OU: down 31-3 at half
TCU: down 38-12 at half
TT: down 10-3 at half

This year we have had:
SD: up 7-0 at half
Coastal: down 28-15 at half
Baylor: down 14-7 at half
Duke: up 24-21 at half

KU really is a lot more competitive this year than they have been. Shit, prior to this year, Kansas' last halftime lead was in the 2019 season in the Boston College win where I swear the whole BC team must have gone out partying the night before or had a raging case of food poisoning go through the squad.

In their 3 losses, they lost them all in the 3rd quarter. All one score games ahead or behind in the 3rd quarter. Against 2 pretty good teams, one FCS team and a below average P5 team.

Once score game in EVERY GAME at some point in the 3rd quarter.

Man the line this week is 34. Whew.

Clones D is the best KU will face all year. However still just 2-2. Purdy has been a bit turnover prone this year.

Feel weird about this game. Feel like KU is figuring it out a bit. Expect a big L. But don't know if it's 5 TDs.

They will call OPI on a score that puts us 33 behind, preserving the line.

Right now KU just don't have the depth to keep up with the big boys. I do agree they will keep it close for awhile but as we have seen this year eventually they just wear down. Once you wear down physically mentally you also start to make mistakes and that is when it all starts to go downhill.

Baylor kept testing the edges and was never stopped in the Second Half like CCU figured out. That lack of closing speed has been killing KU since 2009. Not enough athleticism and depth at corner, safety and LB. That said, ISU is like the schools Leipold has beaten before. More of a physical, brutish battle than a speed game. KU might keep it close.

I think you could expect a score ( @ ISU ) similar to the Baylor game - something like 42-10.

Kansas has an offense this year; The Northern Iowa scheme plus Bean and some weapons. Still we have seen this act before. KU has been badly prepared for ISU for the last few years.

If ISU has an opportunity to put up 100, they will.