In 2024 four of our five losses have come with 4th quarter leads. In three of the losses we have had leads under the 3:00 minute mark. In three of those losses our final possession was a turnover (fumble or INT). Most of us are aware of these stats, it has been quite frustrating. There have been many debates about whether it is the offenses or the defenses fault, the obvious answer is both. However, the difference between last years successful season and this years horrible start is firmly on the offense. Not because the defense has been good, but because the defense was this bad last year, we just had an offense last season that did a better job of hiding the defense in critical late game situations.
Against ASU this year we hit Skinner for a 34 yard TD with two minutes on the clock giving ASU more than enough time to beat our defense. If we simply get the first down on that play, and run another 90 seconds off the clock before we score, we might just win. Yes, we risk not being able to score at all and still losing, but given our defensive performance late in games this season (and last), the slow roll offense seems like a better option than the close our eyes and hope defense.
WVU game, KU put up a TD at 5:39 to go up 11. WVU scores 8 at 3:27, our offense only burns off a minute, and WVU takes the lead with another TD at 0:26. 15 points in three minutes. We simply had to burn more clock on offense and keep the defense off the field.
Against UNLV our second half offensive possessions were three and out, INT, three and out, four and out, FG, four and out. Our defense allowed UNLV to score the winning touchdown by running off nine and half minutes of clock leaving us with less than two minutes to come back.
Our last four possessions against Illinois were INT, three and out, three and out, fumble and Illinois put up 10 points under the 10 minute mark with their last two possessions.
Our defense has given up a scoring drives in the last couple minutes of every loss this season.
Looking at games last year, OCAK got the ball with 8:02 on the clock up 8 against BYU. He ran the clock down to 1:33, kicked a field goal, up two scores, Iced the game.
Against OSU we had back to back INTs which killed momentum, but we were still up two points with the ball at the 9:28 mark. We had the ball 4th and 5 at the OSU 40 with 6:23 on the clock. We went for it on 4th, because we knew even last year our defense was going to give up the go ahead score. We lost that game in similar fashion to every game this season.
Against the sooners, OU scored a go ahead TD at 5:22. KU threw an INT, then OU ran the ball three times and punted a touch back giving KU the ball with 1:57 remaining. KU scored and took a 5 point lead, OU got the ball at their own 25 with 0:42 on the clock. They were on the KU 27 at 0:08. We got lucky and held on. If we had given them the ball with 1:42, that is a loss.
Against ISU, they scored at 8:11 to make it a 3 point game. We responded with a first play bomb TD to Arnold to go back up by 10. ISU went down in less than three minutes and kicked a FG to make it a one score game. KU started at our own 25 at 4:45. OCAK weathered two stop clocking time outs and ran the clock out to win the game. ISU never got a shot to score the tying TD. This is how we have to win close games with this defense.
Against Tech, down 13-0 in the 4th quarter, Tech misses a FG giving us good field position and KU (Ballard at QB) scores a TD at the 12:12 mark to make it 13-7. We hit a FG at 4:42 (down three) and another at 0:25 to tie the game 13-13. Should be OT. Tech has the ball at their own 25 with the clock at 0:20. They go 63 yards on three plays in less than 20 seconds on our defense and kick the winning FG.
Last season, down 31-27, we had the ball at the KSU 11 and Ballard threw a 4th down INT in the endzone. KSU took over at 5:24 and ran the clock out against our defense, we never saw the ball again. However, even if Ballard throws the TD and we go up, history shows that KSU would have gone down and scored. The only chance would have been if they scored quickly and we could have somehow answered and scored to take the lead with no time on the clock.
Looking at last season and this, we need two score leads to win games, or we need to score with no time on the clock so the opponent cannot gash our D for the game winning score. HCLL has to be able to see the need for a defensive overhaul. We have some players, but we need better coaching. The defense has consistently collapsed late in games since this staff arrived. Our offense took a step back this season (we miss OCAK, Lubick, and Bean) which has created closer games in some cases and eliminated our ability to close out games on offense in others.
I have watch OCAK and Penn State some this season. He has a knack of having a play up his sleeve that will move the chains in critical situations. He gets that first down late in games to keep the clock running, he scores the TD instead of settling for a FG, we simply do not have that this season. Way to many three and outs in critical situations.
I believe the offense is going to have to get better for us to win some games this year, because I have no faith in Borland changing three straight years of bad defensive coordination.
