Kansas Jayhawks 2011 Team Preview

2010 Season Breakdown

Final record (overall, conference): 3-9, 1-7
Bowl game: None
Final ranking (AP, Coaches’): NR, NR
Conference finish: 6^th Big 12 North
Offensive rank: 113^th
Defensive rank: 98^th

2010 Individual Statistics Leaders

Rushing: James Sims, 742 yards, 9 TD
Passing: Jordan Webb, 1,195 yards, 7 TD, 8 INT
Receiving: Daymond Patterson, 487 yards, 2 TD
Tackles: Steven Johnson, 95 tackles
Sacks: Jake Laptad, 4.5 sacks
Interceptions: Tyler Patmon and Isiah Barfield, 2 INT

2011 Schedule (all games Saturday unless noted)
*denotes conference game

September 3 vs. McNeese State
September 10 vs. Northern Illinois
September 17 @ Georgia Tech [12:30 PM ET]
October 1 vs. Texas Tech*
October 8 @ Oklahoma State*
October 15 vs. Oklahoma*
October 22 vs. Kansas State*
October 29 @ Texas*
November 5 @ Iowa State*
November 12 vs. Baylor*
November 19 @ Texas A&M* [3:30 PM ET]
November 26 vs. Missouri* [12:00 PM ET]

Key Matchups

September 3 McNeese State: Given, right? Kansas fell to North Dakota State to start the year in 2010. With wins likely to be at a premium, getting this one is going to be important.

October 22 vs. Kansas State: The Wildcats blew the Jayhawks away last year and Kansas will look to save a little face in 2011.

Key Departed Players

Johnathan Wilson, WR; Jake Laptad, DE; Justin Springer, LB; Drew Dudley, LB; Chris Harris, CB; Olaitan Oguntodu, S

Key Returning Players

Jordan Webb, QB; James Sims, RB; Daymond Patterson, WR; Tanner Hawkinson, OT; Jeremiah Hatch, C; Steven Johnson, LB; Huldon Tharp, LB; Isiah Barfield, CB

Offensive Overview

Jordan Webb and Quinn Mecham each saw action as the starter a year ago and are back to compete for the starting job again this season. They’ll have to contend with incoming freshman Brock Berglund, though, who is set to be on campus for fall practice. Nevertheless, it’s likely Webb’s job to lose heading into the fall. Former quarterback Kale Pick moved to receiver last year but struggled to get into the mix. This spring, though, he took a step forward and promises to have a greater impact in the passing game. He’ll join Daymond Patterson and Christian Matthews in the receivers corps as the Jayhawks hope to improve upon last year’s lackluster passing performance. Tight end Tim Biere also returns after catching 19 passes for 228 yards and a team-high four touchdowns in 2010.

James Sims is back this year after leading the team in rushing a year ago with 742 yards and nine touchdowns, but fans are excited about freshman Darrian Miller who’s listed behind Sims on the post-spring depth chart. Brandon Bourbon could figure into the mix as well once he’s healthy in the fall. Tackle Tanner Hawkinson, center Jeremiah Hatch and the rest of the KU offensive line need to do a better job at keeping the quarterback upright. They allowed 3.1 sacks per game a year ago and need to do a better job at keeping opposing defenses from penetrating. Hawkinson, Hatch and guard Duane Ziatnik provide some experience up front.

Defensive Overview

Like the offensive front needs to keep teams from getting into the backfield, the defensive front needs to figure out how to do just that. The Jayhawks ranked 105^th in sacks and 104^th in tackles for a loss a year ago, but hope comes in defensive tackle/end Pat Lewandowski and end Toben Opurum, who each took a step forward spring. Richard Johnson and John Williams return on the interior, while projected starter Patrick Dorsey will be out several weeks after breaking his foot in fall camp. The second level will feature the return of linebacker Huldon Tharp, who missed 2010 with a leg injury after a breakthrough 2009 campaign. Steven Johnson returns this year after leading the team with 95 tackles a year ago. The secondary is looking like it could be in very good shape this year. Cornerbacks Isiah Barfield, Greg Brown and Tyler Patmon each return, while Lubbock Smith returns at safety. It’s a couple of former wide receivers, however, who are listed as the starters at the safety positions on the depth chart: Keeston Terry and Bradley McDougald.

Beat Writer’s Take

I’ve asked writers and alumni from around the country to give their take on the local team heading into the 2011 season. Providing his take on the Jayhawks is Matt Tait of the Lawrence Journal-World and KUSports.com.

“After crashing back down to Earth in 2010 under first-year coach Turner Gill, the Kansas University football team enters 2011 looking to restore a little bit of the excitement and winning ways the program enjoyed during former coach Mark Mangino’s final few seasons in Lawrence. The Jayhawks lost a handful of key seniors from last year’s squad but return a ton of players who gained valuable experience during last year’s 3-9 run. The offense will be based around a rushing attack that features last year’s leading rusher, James Sims, and a host of talented freshmen, and the defense should benefit from a simpler approach brought in by new defensive coordinator Vic Shealy as well as a deep and talented group of linebackers and a secondary that seems destined for stardom. While there are plenty of reasons to get excited about 2011 – not the least of which is a top-40 incoming recruiting class – the Jayhawks’ hopes are likely to be tempered somewhat by their nightmare schedule. Not only does KU have to play every team that remains in the Big 12 this season, it also must endure tough non-conference games against Northern Illinois and Georgia Tech. The Jayhawks are improving and this year’s team should be much easier on the eyes than the one Gill trotted out there in 2010. But anything more than four wins seems unlikely.”

Top Draft Products

Jeremiah Hatch, C

Season Prediction

10^th Big 12

There are bright spots on the Turner Gill-led Jayhawks, but don’t expect this to be the year Kansas makes its resurgence to its 2007 form when it reached #2 in the BCS standings and won the Orange Bowl. In fact, with nine conference games on the schedule including all of the former Big 12 South, Kansas is a way long shot to earn bowl eligibility. Beyond the opening weekend matchup with McNeese State, it’s hard to imagine Kansas being the favorite in any of their remaining games. (Maybe the Iowa State matchup?) There’s talent on the team, but first the Jayhawks have to get better in the trenches.

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