Kickoff for the Texas game was announced late last night for 2:30 p.m. The weather forecast calls for a chilly day but sunny skies.
It will be the last home game for several players who have stayed in the program and fought through adversity, multiple coaching changes, and have seen all the ups and downs with the KU football program.
Without going down the entire list players like Sam Burt, Malcolm Lee, Earl Bostick, and Caleb Sampson all come to mind. These are players who helped build and lead the foundation that was in place when Lance Leipold took over.
They believed in his message and saw it through. They will be part of the team who goes to the first bowl game in 14 years.
Nobody really knows what these players have been through, but there is one thing I do know…. they need the support from the KU fan base on senior day. The KU crowd has been good all season, including three sellouts.
Bundle up, pull out the gloves and get out the stadium on Saturday and support the players who are going through their final home game. They have given KU fans one of the best seasons in recent years and deserve your support.
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I believe the best chance for a win to get to number seven was last night in Lubbock. And that depends on what Texas team shows up in Lawrence on Saturday. They are very talented in the backfield. For as good as the Texas Tech running backs were, the Longhorns backfield is better. And so is their offensive line.
Texas has some legit Jimmy's and Joe's on defense. This will be the best defense the Jayhawks have faced in terms of personnel.
Their offense can sputter and TCU did a great job against them last night. There is going to be a quarterback controversy and that could complicate things for Steve Sarkisian. This game will be more about Texas than KU.
KU will face two of the best defenses to close the season.
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There is no doubt the staff will have to look for a kicker in the offseason, but doing that is a lot harder then people think.
I have talked with college coaches through the years and evaluating kickers is probably the hardest position of them all. You can go back through Chris Sailer's Top 10 kickers every year and about half of them aren't starting for their teams.
In high school kickers get to use a tee and even the best ones still taker advantage of that. I know several kickers who have gone to KU's camp that looked great on film and then when they had to kick without a tee it was a different story.
With the portal that is probably the best way to go. You have college film to evaluate. The best kickers to go after will be ones who enter the portal from G5 schools who have been successful but want a shot at the Power Five level.
I'm sure the staff will look for one, but it is not as easy as you think. When most Power Five kickers enter the portal it is because they couldn't win the job at their school.
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I really think this is the week Jalon Daniels will target his comeback. It might come at the right time if he can return because Jason Bean is banged up. Two straight weeks Bean has taken shots to his ribs. I believe Bean will be ready to go but he won't be 100%.
I expect Leipold to play his cards close to the vest, but the fact last night after the Texas Tech game he said Daniels is getting close give you a good indicator. Those are the most direct words he has said on Daniels.
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If there is one thing I take away from this team it is the fight they have until the end. They just don't give up. We all said before the season the one thing we want is to competitive football every week. Well, this team has delivered that. The only game I never felt good in the fourth quarter was Oklahoma.
It has been fun covering this team because of that reason. They have never quit. Last night against Texas Tech they went down to the last play trying to score with Evan Vasko. I went back and watched the fourth quarter and the defense was giving everything they had. Tech ran 50 plays in the first half but only ended up with 82. When they went down two scores they could have folded tent. That trademark will move forward in the program as they continue to build.
They remind me of some of Mangino's teams in the 2004-2006 range.
It will be the last home game for several players who have stayed in the program and fought through adversity, multiple coaching changes, and have seen all the ups and downs with the KU football program.
Without going down the entire list players like Sam Burt, Malcolm Lee, Earl Bostick, and Caleb Sampson all come to mind. These are players who helped build and lead the foundation that was in place when Lance Leipold took over.
They believed in his message and saw it through. They will be part of the team who goes to the first bowl game in 14 years.
Nobody really knows what these players have been through, but there is one thing I do know…. they need the support from the KU fan base on senior day. The KU crowd has been good all season, including three sellouts.
Bundle up, pull out the gloves and get out the stadium on Saturday and support the players who are going through their final home game. They have given KU fans one of the best seasons in recent years and deserve your support.
------------
I believe the best chance for a win to get to number seven was last night in Lubbock. And that depends on what Texas team shows up in Lawrence on Saturday. They are very talented in the backfield. For as good as the Texas Tech running backs were, the Longhorns backfield is better. And so is their offensive line.
Texas has some legit Jimmy's and Joe's on defense. This will be the best defense the Jayhawks have faced in terms of personnel.
Their offense can sputter and TCU did a great job against them last night. There is going to be a quarterback controversy and that could complicate things for Steve Sarkisian. This game will be more about Texas than KU.
KU will face two of the best defenses to close the season.
-------------
There is no doubt the staff will have to look for a kicker in the offseason, but doing that is a lot harder then people think.
I have talked with college coaches through the years and evaluating kickers is probably the hardest position of them all. You can go back through Chris Sailer's Top 10 kickers every year and about half of them aren't starting for their teams.
In high school kickers get to use a tee and even the best ones still taker advantage of that. I know several kickers who have gone to KU's camp that looked great on film and then when they had to kick without a tee it was a different story.
With the portal that is probably the best way to go. You have college film to evaluate. The best kickers to go after will be ones who enter the portal from G5 schools who have been successful but want a shot at the Power Five level.
I'm sure the staff will look for one, but it is not as easy as you think. When most Power Five kickers enter the portal it is because they couldn't win the job at their school.
------------
I really think this is the week Jalon Daniels will target his comeback. It might come at the right time if he can return because Jason Bean is banged up. Two straight weeks Bean has taken shots to his ribs. I believe Bean will be ready to go but he won't be 100%.
I expect Leipold to play his cards close to the vest, but the fact last night after the Texas Tech game he said Daniels is getting close give you a good indicator. Those are the most direct words he has said on Daniels.
------------
If there is one thing I take away from this team it is the fight they have until the end. They just don't give up. We all said before the season the one thing we want is to competitive football every week. Well, this team has delivered that. The only game I never felt good in the fourth quarter was Oklahoma.
It has been fun covering this team because of that reason. They have never quit. Last night against Texas Tech they went down to the last play trying to score with Evan Vasko. I went back and watched the fourth quarter and the defense was giving everything they had. Tech ran 50 plays in the first half but only ended up with 82. When they went down two scores they could have folded tent. That trademark will move forward in the program as they continue to build.
They remind me of some of Mangino's teams in the 2004-2006 range.
