Three keys for Kansas Jayhawks football against the Arkansas Razorbacks

What are the main things Kansas needs to do to come away with a victory?

The Kansas Jayhawks will play in their first bowl game since the 2008 season as they have been preparing to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks in the 64th AutoZone Liberty Bowl. With some questions being posed in the press conferences today about the relative levels of motivation of each team, there are some questions about what it will take for Kansas to come away with the victory. So with that, what three things will be the biggest keys to this game?

Jalon Daniels - Playmaker

The Kansas Jayhawks offense averaged 34.2 points this season, but the Arkansas Razorbacks also managed to score 30.7 points per game. This football game could easily be a high-scoring affair, with the over/under currently set at 68.5 points. What it boils down to is Kansas will have to score touchdowns led by quarterback Jalon Daniels, this Jayhawks offense will be potent and have the ability to strike through the air or on the ground.

Before Daniels injured his shoulder he was one of the top quarterbacks in the nation. He threw for 1,470 yards with 13 touchdowns with only two interceptions. Not only was he stellar through the air he was using his legs effectively. Daniels rushed the football for 398 yards and six touchdowns. The Jayhawks are expected to have their full arsenal on offense heading into the game.

The Jayhawks averaged 424.2 yards on offense this season, with 230.3 coming through the air and 193.9 on the ground. The Razorbacks will be without their defensive coordinator, former Missouri head coach Barry Odom. Odom has accepted the head coaching job at UNLV and will not be in attendance. The Razorbacks will also be without starting linebackers Bumper Pool and Drew Sanders. Pool will miss the game due to injury, while Sanders elected to prepare for the NFL draft. Arkansas also had a few others enter the portal on the defensive side of the football.

QB Containment

The Kansas Jayhawks' defense faced numerous Heisman candidates this year, so they are familiar with potent offenses. K.J. Jefferson is a very athletic and talented quarterback who threw 2,361 yards this season with 22 touchdowns and only four interceptions. Similar to Daniels, Jefferson also uses his legs and was able to rush for 510 yards and add seven scores on the ground. One thing going against him is the turnover at the wide receiver position. Out of four major contributors on offense for Jefferson, only one will play in the bowl game. Tight end Trey Knock along with Ketron Jackso Jr. will test the transfer portal and Jaedon Haselwood elected to enter the NFL draft.

The Jayhawks struggled this season as they finished in last place in the Big 12, allowing 33.8 points per game. The defense also finished in the Big 12 with 451.7 yards per game. Kansas will have to find a way to force the Arkansas offense into punts or create turnovers and make them play from behind.

Solve the Arkansas run game

This game will rely on the Kansas Jayhawks defense stepping up and holding a good SEC football program in containment. The Razorbacks have a very elusive and powerful running back in Rocket Sanders. Sanders was able to finish second in the SEC on the ground with 1,426 yards and ten touchdowns. As stated above the Jayhawks' defense struggled against good offenses, and they were gashed significantly on the ground the entire season.

Kansas allowed 193.8 yards rushing per game this season which again puts them in last place in the Big 12. Arkansas was second in the SEC averaging 223.4 yards on the ground. There is definitely some disparity in these statistics and if the Jayhawks want to have a chance at winning this football game the defense will have to stop the rushing attack.