Week Thirteen Jayhawk Spotlight: Jason Bean

The Kansas quarterback was almost perfect against Cincinnati.

Remember just a few weeks ago when some Kansas fans were all over Jason Bean after a late game interception filled loss to Oklahoma State? We do, and after that game we defended Bean in this same column space. Now, all of a sudden, there don’t seem to be as many Bean haters out there. The reasons are obvious. So today, we once again highlight the Kansas “backup” quarterback, a man who has made this season the most memorable in many years.

Jason Bean wasn’t even supposed to be in this position. The clear backup to the conference preseason offensive player of the year, presumably Bean came back to Kansas for his final season to take his chances when he got them late in games and in two QB setups, as well as to be a part of a Kansas team picked to make a bowl game two years running. What none of us expected was that he’d lead this team to greatness. We’re not using the word backup again to refer to Bean. He’s the Kansas starter now and has been for two months. He’s played like it.

Bean has been good all year, more than you should expect out of your supposed second string quarterback. For the year, Bean is 105 of 171 through the air for 1,681 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s been deadly throwing the long ball this season with completions of 39, 40, 49, 52, 58, and 80 to break games wide open. The elite rushing of Devin Neal has helped open up the passing, but Bean’s accuracy on the long ball has really benefited KU.

His ability to run is also something that sets him apart from the typical quarterback. Sure, many quarterbacks run now, it’s almost a prerequisite, but few look like Bean when they take off. He has elite speed, his ability to get to the edge and turn the corner already has some more optimistic souls thinking he could get a shot at the NFL. That talent was exemplified in his first TD run against Cincinnati and his pace was on display in his second. The man is a blur in the open field, defenders thinking they have a chance at a tackle, only to see Bean disappear around or past them.

Haha this is absurd. Jason Bean should just be everyone's favorite CFB player at this point. https://t.co/GCxp22cCmY pic.twitter.com/AuCotDUuS0

— Kansas Football (@KU_Football) November 26, 2023

And since this is a weekly spotlight feature, we need to talk more about the game that Bean had against the Bearcats. It was possibly his best as a Jayhawk, and you could argue that it was his most complete. Bean was 13 of 17 through the air, with at least two of those passes being throw-aways when he had no other option. Unlike earlier in the season, Bean never tried to force anything in the game in the Queen City. It’s almost as if the expectation of Jalon Daniels returning hampered Bean, but now that he’s the clear number one, he is playing his game, open and free and, and at least in the Cincinnati game, he was close to perfect.

His two TD passes were nice, but the throw to Jared Casey was pinpoint perfection. Only Jared could catch it and the timing of the pass is something that you just don’t see from backup quarterbacks, even if they’ve been playing for the majority of the season. Again, referring to Bean as an understudy is doing him a disservice. The man is the starter and has earned that job.

Bean goes to Jared for 6 🎯

📺 Watch on ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/Bc7VG5P2Nf

— Kansas Football (@KU_Football) November 26, 2023

The quick drive as time expired in the first half to build the lead was a game changing and momentum swinging drive. Bean orchestrated it with ease and he deserves all the praise he has been getting since the game. He was exceptional. His quarterback rating against Cincinnati was 99.5, the best of his career, narrowly beating out his outstanding game last season as KU beat Oklahoma State to clinch a bowl berth.

There is no doubt in this writer’s mind that if Bean were healthy in the second half of the Texas Tech game and available for K-State, Kansas would’ve won both of those games. As it stands, KU is 8-4, headed to a bowl game and Jason Bean, a man many didn’t think would even play for the Jayhawks this season, is a key reason why.

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