Sports > Kansas Jayhawks

Posted on Sat, Oct. 31, 2009

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Jayhawk report

First quarter

Key play: Kansas defensive end Jeff Wheeler sacked Texas Tech quarterback Seth Doege, and KU’s Max Onyegbule recovered at the Tech 3 and ran it in for a 7-0 KU lead.

Key stat: Texas Tech ran 22 plays and gained just 32 yards.

Second quarter

Key play: Kansas defensive end Jake Laptad sacked Doege, who fumbled into the hands of KU’s Lubbock Smith. Toben Opurum punched it in from two yards out to tie the game at 14.

Key stat: KU quarterback Todd Reesing was sacked four times in the first half.

Third quarter

Key play: Reesing spun out of a sack and hit wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe for a 6-yard touchdown pass to give the Jayhawks a 21-14 lead.

Key stat: The Jayhawks forced three Texas Tech turnovers through three quarters.

Fourth quarter

Key play: Trailing 28-21, Reesing fumbled on fourth-and-1, and Texas Tech’s LaRon Moore recovered and ran it in for a 31-yard touchdown return.

Key stat: The Jayhawks allowed 28 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.

Report card

Offense: F. When KU is trailing by 14 in the fourth quarter and Reesing isn’t in the game, you know it’s been a bad day. The Jayhawks totaled just 258 yards and fumbled the ball away three times.

Defense: B+. Despite giving up 124 yards rushing in the fourth quarter, the Jayhawks deserve credit for holding the Red Raiders to 358 yards. KU forced three turnovers and sacked Doege five times.

Special teams: F. Kicker Jacob Branstetter missed a 45-yard field goal, and Bradley McDougald fumbled a punt return away to Tech. And, according to KU coach Mark Mangino, he does not have a kicker capable of kicking an onside kick or a squib kick, which is why Branstetter booted it deep from the Tech 40-yard line up 21-14.

Coaching: D. The Jayhawks have become stale offensively, and the players can’t take all the heat for that. Mangino made several questionable decisions _ not trying an onside kick or a squib kick from Tech’s 40, going for it on fourth-and-1 from the KU 31 with plenty of time on the clock and removing Reesing from the game.

Player of the game

Jake Laptad. The Kansas defensive end had six solo tackles, including a sack that forced a fumble and led to a KU touchdown.

Reason to hope

Well, at least three of the next four games come against the Big 12 North. And wasn’t that the goal all along, to win the North division? It’s still a possibility, even though it’s hard to believe.

Reason to mope

Suddenly, KU isn’t very good on offense. Defensive struggles will play into the hands of the next two opponents, Kansas State and Nebraska.

Looking ahead

The Jayhawks travel to Kansas State, looking to get back on track and win their fourth straight against the Wildcats.

— J. Brady McCollough