Grading the Second Half of Year 2 - 98 Days Until Kansas Football
On yesterday's entry to the countdown, we graded the first half of last season's breakout results in just the second year of the Lance Leipold tenure. Today, we finish up our grades before turning our attention to the offseason for the Kansas Jayhawks.
Last year we had to grade on a bit of a curve given the unconventional timing of Leipold's hire and the loss of a large portion of the offseason preparation you would expect. But this year, there is no need to hold back.
So let's get into the grades for the second half of the year, plus an overall grade of year 2 on the field for the Jayhawks.
Week 7: at Oklahoma
Result: 52-42 Loss
In his first start of the season, Jason Bean showed why the pick of season starter was such a tough decision for the coaching staff. While he made a few mistakes, as shown by his two interceptions, he also made some athletic plays that Jalon Daniels wouldn't have tried to make. Of course that was a double-edged sword for him throughout his time in the starting position.
The defense looked completely overmatched in this one, as Dillon Gabriel returned from a concussion and quickly put up big numbers. But Kansas was able to get a big goal-line stand after Cobee Bryant left with an ankle injury to go into the half, and some big turnovers kept things from getting completely out of hand.
Given the talent and recruiting disparity between these two teams, it's hard to fault a Jayhawks squad that was shorthanded both before and during the game from struggling, but they get downgraded a bit for the slow start.
Grade: B-
Week 8: at Baylor
Result: 35-23 Loss
This game was disappointing, as the Jayhawks couldn't get anything going offensively in the first half. A total of three points and just 91 yards, plus two fumbles, sullied a decent defensive performance that included two interceptions.
For the second straight game, a big comeback in the second half saw the Jayhawks turn a non-competitive game into something worth watching. The Bears only got one touchdown in the second half, but it was enough to keep the game just out of reach.
Grade: C
Week 9: vs Oklahoma State
Result: 37-16 Win
Jason Bean finally got the support he needed in order to get his first conference win as a starter, as the Jayhawks took full advantage of a severely depleted Cowboys squad to secure bowl eligibility for the first time since the 2008-09 season. Bean had two touchdown passes and another on the ground, but the offensive star was Devin Neal, with 224 yards rushing on 32 carries.
The absence of Spencer Sanders was evident, as Oklahoma State's freshman Garrett Rangel threw two early picks to set the tone early. And when the Cowboys finally scored, Kansas reeled off 21 straight points to put the game away early in the second half.
It's hard to nitpick too much when the running game is that dominant, so instead we'll just account for the injuries for the opponent.
Grade: A-
Week 10: at Texas Tech Red Raiders
Result: 43-28 Loss
It's easy to write this one off as a blowout and letdown after securing a bowl berth, but Kansas was actually fairly competitive here. Despite a missed field goal, a turnover on downs and an interception that led to a last-second field goal, Kansas only trailed by six at the half.
But the offense was unable to take advantage of a shut-down defensive performance in the third quarter, and a fourth quarter offensive explosion put the game out of reach late.
It's easy to pile on this performance as one that got away, but given how well Texas Tech responded to their first year under Joey McGuire, there were some mild concerns but no big reasons to panic.
Grade: B-
Week 11: vs Texas
Result: 55-14 Loss
This game, on the other hand, was an absolute disaster from start to finish. There was an argument to be made that Kansas had some points taken from them by a bad officiating call, but it really wasn't going to matter. Bijan Robinson absolutely dominated the Kansas defense, and Texas was able to get revenge for the Kansas upset in Austin the prior year.
Grade: D
Week 12: vs Kansas State
Result: 47-27 Loss
On a rainy night in Manhattan, Kansas couldn't get out of their own way, and Kansas State was ready to capitalize. After forcing a punt on the first drive, OJ Burroughs fumbled the punt return to set up a quick score, and then they didn't let up. But despite giving up a safety, the Jayhawks were able to go into half just down by 9.
But the second half was all Kansas State, as Kansas was not able to sustain any drives. And when the rains moved in, the desperation of the Jayhawks worked against them. But regardless of the final score, this was a game that had a disastrous start and then didn't look nearly as bad as the box score indicated.
Grade: B-
Liberty Bowl: vs Arkansas
Result: 55-53 (3OT) Loss
After all the shenanigans surrounding a reported ducking of the Jayhawks by Missouri, Kansas ended up matched with the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Liberty Bowl. Kansas fans flocked to Memphis for the game, and they made their presence known. Unfortunately, Kansas struggled out of the gate, and the Razorbacks took a 31-13 lead into the half.
Jalon Daniels had a historic performance, totaling 565 yards and 6 touchdowns as he led the Jayhawks back from an 18-point fourth quarter deficit. The Razorbacks shut down Devin Neal, but the rest of the offense was able to take advantage late, and the defense clamped down at the end to make overtime possible.
Despite the loss in triple overtime on a questionable decision, it was easy to forgive as it happened on the sixth two-point conversion play that Kansas ran on the night. And the fire that the team showed was a great way to send the team off, even if they didn't get the win.
Grade: B
Overall
I made a bold prediction to start the year that I thought Kansas was going to go to a bowl game, but even I have to admit that my prediction was assuming a lot of things to go really well for this squad. The first half of the season was absolutely phenomenal, bringing College Gameday to campus for the first time ever in football, and the game lived up to the hype.
While the second half of the season was a struggle, the schedule was always going to be backloaded. And the emergence of TCU and Kansas State was a bit unexpected, so the struggles Kansas had was completely understandable. Overall, I have to say that the season performance showed that the team has some room to grow in terms of physical talent, but the attitude and coaching is absolutely on point.
Overall Grade: A-
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