Jayhawk report: West Virginia 33, Kansas 14
First Quarter
Key play: Just before the end of the quarter, WVU QB Clint Trickett hit Kevin White down the right sideline for a 63-yard touchdown to break it open and give the Mountaineers a 16-0 lead.
Key stat: White’s three catches were each for more yards than the 24 the Jayhawks offense picked up in the quarter.
Second Quarter
Key play: T.J. Semke blocked a 47-yard WVU field goal attempt with 11:07 remaining in the first half. The ball was recovered by Isaiah Johnson and gave the Jayhawks some hope.
Key stat: Kansas only had one play in WVU territory in the entire first half, a third-and-4 from the Mountaineers 48 on the drive after the blocked field goal.
Third Quarter
Key play: West Virginia’s Jordan Thompson muffed a punt that was recovered by Austin Barone and gave Kansas its best starting field position of the game at the Mountaineers 18. It led to a Corey Avery touchdown for the Jayhawks.
Key stat: Kansas allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown for the first time this season.
Fourth Quarter
Key play: Nick Harwell returned a punt 76 yards for a touchdown with 2:23 remaining in regulation.
Key stat: Kansas did not turn the ball over for the first time since the season opener against Southeast Missouri.
Report Card
Offense: F. It was obvious from the opening snap that Kansas was going to have problems moving the ball against the West Virginia defense. Quarterback Montell Cozart was largely ineffective and was replaced at halftime, but gaining 176 yards isn’t going to get it done in the Big 12.
Defense: B-. Yes the defense allowed 557 yards and gave up a couple of big plays, but the damage could have been considerably worse had the team not toughened up with its back to the wall in the first half and limited West Virginia to field goals instead of TDs. This unit didn’t allow a point in the second half.
Specials teams: B-. The grade would have been higher had it not given up a kickoff return for a touchdown. Nick Harwell returned a punt for a touchdown and T.J. Semke blocked a field goal. The Jayhawks also punted 14 times, a record for most punts by a West Virginia opponent.
Coaching: A-. It would be hard to be too critical of Clint Bowen and his staff after less than a week. This was not an easy team to prepare for. Bowen also deserves kudos for having the temerity to pull his starting quarterback at halftime in his first game running the team.
Key stat: Kansas did not turn the ball over for the first time since the season opener against Southeast Missouri.
Player of the game: White changed the game with his 63-yard touchdown catch at the end of the first quarter. He finished with six catches for 132 yards and the lone score.
Reason to hope: The Jayhawks defense did suffer a couple of breakdowns in the passing game – they were flagged for pass interference a couple times and got burned deep by White – but despite allowing 557 yards they were consistently able to stop the high-octane Mountaineers and forced five field goal attempts in the first half.
Reason to mope: The Kansas offense appears to be in disarray. There was very little flow and less continuity as the team changed quarterbacks from Montell Cozart to Michael Cummings to start the second half in an effort to jump-start the stagnant attack.
Looking ahead: KU will host Oklahoma State this week. The Jayhawks have lost their last four against the Cowboys, nine of their last 10, dropped five straight to them in Lawrence and have not defeated Oklahoma State at home since Oct. 29, 1994.
Keith Barnes,
Eagle correspondent
This story was originally published October 4, 2014 at 9:38 PM with the headline "Jayhawk report: West Virginia 33, Kansas 14."