Just got done re-watching the game.
First of all really down on the front seven. Listen, Skattebo is a nice back, okay. But its not like this guy is a Heisman candidate. Against Texas State they held him to 70 yards on 24 carries. Against Texas Tech he had 62 yards on 18 carries. Last night 182 yards on 25 carries. Not acceptable. Other defenses found a way to limit him.
They needed to turn Leavitt into a passer but they let the ASU ground game and Leavitt using his feet take over the game. Leavitt was 14-of-24. He's not a high percentage guy. Leavitt was clean for the most of the night. On 19 of his 24 attempts he had a clean pocket and was comfortable most of the game. The official numbers show zero hurries and he wasn't sacked. I don't know if they were afraid of his running but on the four blitzes the defense brought he was one-of-four passing.
Watching the game again it really highlighted some of the speed and athleticism issues on the defense. Leavitt ran past DE and LB several times and just looked faster than everyone.
The first TD was a well thrown ball over Mello and the coverage was pretty good.
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One the biggest sequences in the game came at the 2:54 mark until half and the first five minutes of the second half. On fourth down ASU pulled off the fake punt. They had all the momentum after that because KU was up 14-7 and was about to get the ball back. But the defense comes up with a big stop stripping Tyson of the ball and getting it back with 1:50 to go near the 40-yard line.
KU starts with an incomplete pass followed by a five yard run and a one yard run on third down. ASU uses their TO to stop the clock and gets the ball back with 1:18. Greaves had a 52 yard punt but Stovall returned it 39 yards. This can't happen! Now ASU has the ball at the 42 yard line and goes 58 yards to tie it up. The TE went on a drag route and Berryhill just lost him.
The sequence continues to start the half. KU takes the opening drive and goes down to the ASU four yard line first and goal. But have to settle for a field goal. From that ending of the first half to the first drive of the second half the game changed so much where the Jayhawks could have taken control of the game.
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A back-breaker play came late in the third when ASU had 3rd and 18 after a Dean Miller TFL and completed an 18-yard pass right in front of McGhee. They ended up scoring a TD a few plays later.
The throw to Skinner to take the lead was as good as it gets. The ball was in a spot only one person could get it, and Skinner made a great catch. I remember thinking at this point if you make Leavitt a pocket passer in the last two minutes you can win this game. What I didn't think would happen is the defense become a revolving door letting ASU run the ball at will. With 2:00 left I thought Leavitt would have to beat them through the air.
So disappointing to see Skattebo go for 39 yards on a terrible defended play deep into KU territory. Then Leavitt had a few rushes for another 21 yards.
Not sure I have seen a team win the TO battle (+2) in two straight games and lose the game.
16 missed tackles has to be cleaned up. But missed tackles is starting to become a theme so I don't know how they reverse that trend. I liked getting Neal involved in the pass game, not sure where that's been.
ASU played the last quarter without their best two defensive players and KU took advantage putting up 137 yards in the fourth quarter.
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Now the issue becomes keeping everything together. It is human nature for players to start hanging their heads. I heard last week was the best week of practice they had. That was a positive sign for me because when losses keep piling up you wonder how long they can keep that going.
With a bye week I will be interested to see if any changes are made. I think this might go more along the lines of personnel. They have to get Wheeler back. Maybe they start finding a way to get other players in the games and look at who isn't performing.
The whole narrative for now of "Fire Grimes" needs to fade. That comes from people who just follow internet trends and get caught up in catch phrases and don't watch the games. The last two games aren't on Grimes. They've had 850 yards of offense and scoring points. The offense is starting to look better. Jalon Daniels is starting to look better.
The challenge now is to keep everyone engaged and playing with effort.
Giving up 313 yards rushing isn't acceptable. That's for coaches and players.
First of all really down on the front seven. Listen, Skattebo is a nice back, okay. But its not like this guy is a Heisman candidate. Against Texas State they held him to 70 yards on 24 carries. Against Texas Tech he had 62 yards on 18 carries. Last night 182 yards on 25 carries. Not acceptable. Other defenses found a way to limit him.
They needed to turn Leavitt into a passer but they let the ASU ground game and Leavitt using his feet take over the game. Leavitt was 14-of-24. He's not a high percentage guy. Leavitt was clean for the most of the night. On 19 of his 24 attempts he had a clean pocket and was comfortable most of the game. The official numbers show zero hurries and he wasn't sacked. I don't know if they were afraid of his running but on the four blitzes the defense brought he was one-of-four passing.
Watching the game again it really highlighted some of the speed and athleticism issues on the defense. Leavitt ran past DE and LB several times and just looked faster than everyone.
The first TD was a well thrown ball over Mello and the coverage was pretty good.
---------
One the biggest sequences in the game came at the 2:54 mark until half and the first five minutes of the second half. On fourth down ASU pulled off the fake punt. They had all the momentum after that because KU was up 14-7 and was about to get the ball back. But the defense comes up with a big stop stripping Tyson of the ball and getting it back with 1:50 to go near the 40-yard line.
KU starts with an incomplete pass followed by a five yard run and a one yard run on third down. ASU uses their TO to stop the clock and gets the ball back with 1:18. Greaves had a 52 yard punt but Stovall returned it 39 yards. This can't happen! Now ASU has the ball at the 42 yard line and goes 58 yards to tie it up. The TE went on a drag route and Berryhill just lost him.
The sequence continues to start the half. KU takes the opening drive and goes down to the ASU four yard line first and goal. But have to settle for a field goal. From that ending of the first half to the first drive of the second half the game changed so much where the Jayhawks could have taken control of the game.
----------
A back-breaker play came late in the third when ASU had 3rd and 18 after a Dean Miller TFL and completed an 18-yard pass right in front of McGhee. They ended up scoring a TD a few plays later.
The throw to Skinner to take the lead was as good as it gets. The ball was in a spot only one person could get it, and Skinner made a great catch. I remember thinking at this point if you make Leavitt a pocket passer in the last two minutes you can win this game. What I didn't think would happen is the defense become a revolving door letting ASU run the ball at will. With 2:00 left I thought Leavitt would have to beat them through the air.
So disappointing to see Skattebo go for 39 yards on a terrible defended play deep into KU territory. Then Leavitt had a few rushes for another 21 yards.
Not sure I have seen a team win the TO battle (+2) in two straight games and lose the game.
16 missed tackles has to be cleaned up. But missed tackles is starting to become a theme so I don't know how they reverse that trend. I liked getting Neal involved in the pass game, not sure where that's been.
ASU played the last quarter without their best two defensive players and KU took advantage putting up 137 yards in the fourth quarter.
----------
Now the issue becomes keeping everything together. It is human nature for players to start hanging their heads. I heard last week was the best week of practice they had. That was a positive sign for me because when losses keep piling up you wonder how long they can keep that going.
With a bye week I will be interested to see if any changes are made. I think this might go more along the lines of personnel. They have to get Wheeler back. Maybe they start finding a way to get other players in the games and look at who isn't performing.
The whole narrative for now of "Fire Grimes" needs to fade. That comes from people who just follow internet trends and get caught up in catch phrases and don't watch the games. The last two games aren't on Grimes. They've had 850 yards of offense and scoring points. The offense is starting to look better. Jalon Daniels is starting to look better.
The challenge now is to keep everyone engaged and playing with effort.
Giving up 313 yards rushing isn't acceptable. That's for coaches and players.
