Though it wasn't the outcome anyone anticipated, senior quarterback Dayne Crist tried valiantly to lead the Jayhawks to a victory on Senior Day.
Well you can rock chalk this one up into the disappointing loss department as the Jayhawk get dealt a surprisingly lopsided loss to the Cyclones.
Kansas falls to 1-10 on the season but what is truly the gut-wrencher is the way that Kansas seemingly fell apart in the second quarter.
Jayhawks Nation did their part and created a fantastic atmosphere that was aided by the surprise unveiling of the new black uniforms that the fans in attendance ate up.
The Jayhawks were leading 14-10 largely due to the (no surprise here) two-headed rushing attack of James Sims and Tony Pierson. Though neither eclipsed the 100-yard mark the Jayhawks still finished the day with 252-yards on the ground.
Heading into a bye week, the Jayhawks will attempt to get off the snide when they head to West Virginia to finish off the regular season in two weeks.
Video Interviews and my thoughts from the game on the flip-side in this week’s disappointed version of Scotten’s Scribbles.
Quarterback Carousel
It was another lack luster day for the Jayhawks passing game although it was their most successful since a week 5 loss to the K-state Wildcats where Dayne Crist threw for 189 yards.
Saturday, it was Crist again heading the passing game after starter Michael Cummings again struggled to move the ball through the air.
Cummings finished the day going 2-5 for 33-yards compared to Crist’s 9-20-1 for 156-yards and a touchdown.
After the game, Coach Weis indicated that putting Crist on the field in obvious passing situations was the plan all week and both QB’s prepared as such. However, Weis did say that once the Jayhawks were down three possessions that Crist was forced into more playing time than they had anticipated.
Dayne Crist
Solid O-Line Outing
I know it wasn’t the outcome that any of us in Jayhawk land wanted but if you want to take any positives from this week’s game it was the play of the offensive line.
Kansas’ senior offensive linemen Trevor Marrongelli, Tanner Hawkinson, and Duane Zlatnik had a fantastic showing in their final game at Memorial Stadium not giving up a single sack to a feisty ISU defense.
Though we’ve come to expect the line to excel in run blocking, what we haven’t seen a lot of is good pass blocking. That was not the case today as both QB’s had plenty of time to seek out targets down the field; the problem was on the receiving end however.
But for a group filled with seniors, it was an impressive day to culminate their final day at the base of Campanile Hill.
We talked to center Trevor Marrongelli after the game who gives the Jayhawk faithful a parting message of hope.
Trevor Marrongelli
Jayhawk D
By far the most disappointing aspect of the game was the regression of the Kansas defense that seemed to be hitting stride.
For the most part, the Jayhawks had taken the best punches from the potent Big 12 offenses and held their own. Saturday however was the exception as the Jayhawks yielded over 500-yards of offense to a Cyclones team that had not scored more than 38 points all year.
Surprising even Coach Weis, the Cyclones inserted 3rd string QB freshman Sam Richardson who had an All-Big 12. Richardson finished the day with more touchdowns than incomplete passes going 23-27 for 250 yards and 5 touchdowns (4 passing; 1 rushing).
Though there will be a bye week for the Jayhawks to catch their breath next week, the tasks won’t get any easier when the Jayhawks return to action in two weeks when they attempt to corral Heisman hopeful Geno Smith.
