The KU football team will host the TCU Horned Frogs this weekend and the Jayhawks need to find a way to stay competitive in this game.
Since decisively winning their first game of the season again Rhode Island, the KU football team has struggled to stay in games.
In their losses to Ohio, Memphis, and Texas Tech, they have lost by an average score of 45-16, and the most points they’ve scored is 21.
Two of those losses came to schools from smaller, less powerful conferences than the Big 12. Now that the Kansas Jayhawks are immersed in their league schedule, every game will be against a good team.
Everyone hoped the Jayhawks would be better in 2016. After going winless in 2015, the first season for head coach Dave Beaty, things looked hopeful after KU stomped Rhode Island by seven touchdowns.
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Unfortunately, the progress stopped there.
This program is in a tough spot. It is hard to push up from rock bottom in a good conference. Few big recruits are going to consider a school that has become a perennial doormat.
The Jayhawks weren’t supposed to win many games this year. The program has to take baby steps. It is discouraging, though, that the three losses have been lopsided.
In both the Ohio game and the Texas Tech contest, Kansas had stretches where they competed and held their own. Unfortunately, those periods of time weren’t near long enough.
TCU has not been overly impressive on defense so far this season. They held a bad SMU team to just three points, but in their other four games, their opponents have scored an average of 38.5 points.
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If Kansas is going to compete, they have to score some points. Sophomore Ryan Willis will make his first start of the season at quarterback. He may not be as mobile as Montell Cozart, but the Jayhawks are hoping for a spark from the big armed youngster.
Kansas has little to lose in trying to find a way to get the offense to be more consistent.
Cozart can look good at times, but he tends to make key mistakes that kill any momentum the team might have generated.
If the offense can control the ball longer, and keep from committing so many turnovers, the defense, which has been scrappy, might be able to perform better. If they don’t have to defend a short field all game, they might enjoy a bit more success.
The Jayhawks have 13 turnovers this season. That is a lot to ask a defense to overcome week in and week out.
The defense has been on the field almost ten more minutes a game than the offense. That needs to even out with longer drives and fewer turnovers.
If the Jayhawks can do those things, there is a chance they might turn into a competitive team before the end of the season, even if it doesn’t translate into victories.
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The KU football team needs to play a good game this week against TCU. They need to be competitive and build confidence for the rest of the season.
The Horned Frogs aren’t the powerhouse they’ve been in recent years, so the Jayhawks might be able to stay close and maybe something good will happen for them late.