KU Football: Three Things to Watch VS Memphis Tigers
By Mike Norris
It’s been a tale of two weeks for the KU football team during the 2016 season. The Jayhawks dominated FCS foe Rhode Island in Week 1, then looked like shades of 2015 in a double-digit home loss to Ohio last week.
Second-year head coach David Beaty wasn’t pleased with how his team played in the 37-21 loss to the Bobcats, but he did find positives. Following a defeat that included being out-gained 329-26 on the ground, two muffed punts and a minus-2 turnover differential, Beaty seemed to like the attitude of this team, per Matt Tait of the Lawrence Journal-World.
If the second half was any kind of indicator, Beaty’s words ring true. After trailing 28-7 at the half the Jayhawks defense allowed just three field goals after the break, outscoring Ohio 14-9. According to Tate, Beaty said there “was no excuse” for what happened in the first half.
Whether that was just a bad half, or a true measure of who the Jayhawks are, 30 minutes of awful football against the Memphis Tigers on Saturday will be nearly impossible to overcome.
Beaty on last week: There is no excuse for what happened in that 1st half. Bottom line: We didn't play complementary football... #KUfball
— Matt Tait (@mctait) September 13, 2016
The Tigers (1-0) of the American Athletic Conference, are no slouch. They walked into Lawrence last year and left with a 55-23 victory over the Jayhawks. This year’s squad lacks current Denver Broncos quarterback Paxton Lynch, but Memphis can still put up points.
While the Jayhawks will have to run and pass, and stop both on defense, one of the biggest keys will be to avoid falling into an early hole.
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