Kansas Football: Pros and cons surrounding Les Miles

Kansas football is 0-7 on their 2020 campaign, and with challenges on the field and the recruiting list, the future is very unclear for head coach Les Miles and the Jayhawks.

It’s no question that this season has been a train wreck for fans of Kansas football. We’ve seen an offense stripped of their rushing dynamic, a frustrating quarterback situation, and a special teams nightmare. Not the ideal sophomore effort from Kansas head coach Les Miles.

Some of these concerns have fans wondering, whether or not it’s time to evaluate what good comes from Miles and his future in Lawrence:

Pros

• Time: Programs don’t turn around overnight, and while many fans have been irked by the stalled efforts put forth so far by Miles, it is only a matter of time before some more positive recruiting gives Kansas some new options to work with. We’ve seem programs turn out before, and Kansas should be no exception.
• Opening opportunities: This year, we’ve seen many underclassmen step up to fill roles on both offense and defense. Miles has had guys step off the bench and display what they’ve got to compete in the Big 12. Young talent Nick Channel and Marcus Harris are prime examples, they’ve been some of the more physical Jayhawks on defense this year, putting up solid numbers.
• Gradual improvement: The argument could be made that Kansas began to see some more success under the later years of the David Beaty era, however by the time he tagged three wins on the schedule, upperclassmen talent was out the door and he was starting from scratch. Assuming Miles can find more talent over the next 3-4 years, Kansas could be seeing more playmakers step into the mix.

Cons

• Recruiting: So far, Miles has struggled with keeping Kansas’ top tier commits. This year had some key prospects such as 4-star receiver, Keon Coleman. He had been committed to the Jayhawks before the start of the 2020 season. It was only a short way into the season however that he announced his plans to re-join the recruitment scene.
• Sustaining interest: Kansas has struggled this year to sustain much talent from the class of 2021. One local prospect, however, Devin Neal has been committed since March of 2020. Miles has expressed his interest in local recruitment, and it is something he needs to do more for this team. Neal has shown excitement about the program and hopefully will fit well into the roster. Keeping recruits on board will be necessary going forward, especially if Miles wants to attract more talent in the future.
• Staying Healthy: Injuries have plagued the Jayhawks this year. From playmakers Velton Gardner, Stephon Robinson, and even true freshman quarterback Jalon Daniels, who’s seen an abundance of pressure this season. While this isn’t necessarily a direct issue as a result of Miles, he is responsible for the line that protects his quarterback. The more injuries seen under Miles will not play in his favor. Keeping playmakers healthy is integral to sustaining morale on both sides of the ball. Absences can throw off an offense, and this only adds to the troubles Kansas sees behind the ball.

Les Miles has only begun his era with the Kansas Jayhawks, and it’s safe to say it probably isn’t what he was expecting when he came to the sunflower state. Miles is getting older too, and this may or may not have an impact on his ability to engage with the team.

This isn’t to say he isn’t capable of doing so, but it’s something we should watch out for going forward. I want to see success under Miles, I genuinely do. It would be a big transition for Kansas and I believe he is capable of doing it. However, it seems the rebuild of Kansas football is off to an unfavorable start so far.