Posted:
#1
1-0
I think it’s pretty safe to say that Charlie Weis’ is not a defensive mastermind, and along with that, the team he inherited doesn’t really have a knack for defense either. The past two seasons, this Kansas team has ranked toward the bottom of D-1 in total defense, and it would appear they’re headed that same way again after losing a few key players on that side of the ball. In game #1, they played similar in the yardage department to South Dakota State, a team who hasn’t had a winning record at the FCS level in a couple years, and a team picked to finish sixth in the MVC Football preseason poll. That was in fact, the closest that South Dakota State had come to within a Big 12 opponent and close to the most points it had scored on a Big 12 opponent in its history. Now, I’m not a big believer in how a team fares in the week 1, or from week to week, as last week’s results have no bearing on how this week’s game will play out, but it would appear that Kansas has not fixed the weakness of its team. Bringing in Charlie Weis, you’d expect the offense to pick up a little bit, but how much? He was awful at Notre Dame, and surely didn’t make headlines as the OC at KC or Florida. Prior to the last game, it had been a while since this squad out-gained a foe in the yardage department (they had two 100 yard rushers and they only outgained SDST by 21 yards last game). So while I think the offense will be a bit better as a unit this year, I just don’t think they have the weapons in the right spot to make a difference, and if the defense isn’t forcing stops, then it’s only going to make it tougher on the offensive unit to move the ball. Trying to turn the program around right away, Weis opted to go with a bunch of transfer players, most notably Dayne Crist from Notre Dame. Decent QB, but the problem is he has nobody to throw to. Pierson at RB is a nice weapon, but still not a focal point of the offense and technically is a backup as the starter is suspended for a few games early. I think Crist was something like 17/36 on a bad secondary last week, they just don’t have many playmakers to be consistent enough on offense. Now, Rice is certainly no world-beater. In fact, they suck, too. But there is some positives. One, they’re coming off facing the Pistol, an offense extremely tough to prepare for, and they did well for three quarters before wearing down in the fourth. And two, they’re facing a defense that isn’t built to stop a spread it out style of offense. Saturday, they get back to the basics in a little more original defensive scheme. The game plan should be pretty simple, stop the run in a simple scheme or at the worst control it in stretches, and force KU to put the ball in the air and make plays. If they can make plays, I’m OK with a loss, but it’s going to have to be something they haven’t done in a while. All in all, I think this is a game of who sucks worse come Saturday. Which team has the offense designed to make the big play, which team has the defense than can make (perhaps) a single stop? Tough questions for sure, but 10 points is too much in a game that features as equal teams as who takes the field on Saturday. On an additional note, I get the sense that Kansas was a little happy with a victory in week 1, albeit to a FCS school. Could we see a little letdown here, with a meeting with #20 TCU at home on tap? We’ll find out.
Rice +10.5
GL
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