Jayhawks try to claw out of Big 12 cellar
Kansas suffered through another disappointing season as the Jayhawks continue to battle through depth issues.
Fourth-year coach David Beaty signed the program’s best recruiting class in February.
Kansas has a wealth of experienced players returning, but he program has struggled for years in a tough conference. The Jayhawks are No. 108 in Orlando Sentinel college insider Matt Murschel preseason 2018 college football rankings.
Murschel ranked all 129 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in the country. The Sentinel staff takes a closer look at a new team daily, counting backward from No. 129 to our projected No. 1 team. 2 2
9 Kansas
David Beaty (3-33, entering fourth season; 3-33 overall)
1-11, 0-9 in the Big 12 Conference, last in the league
During the past decade, Kansas has won just 23 percent of its games — the worst winning percentage of any team in the Football Bowl Subdivision. During that stretch, the Jayhawks have suffered through a winless season (2015), two one-win seasons (2012, 2017) and two twowin seasons (2011, 2016).
OL Jayson Rhodes, OL Mesa Ribordy, TE Ben Johnson, DE Dorance Armstrong Jr., DE Isaiah Bean, CB Derrick Neal
QB Peyton Bender, RB Khalil Herbert, OL Hakeem Adeniji, OL Chris Hughes, WR Jeremiah Booker, LB Joe Dineen Jr., DT J.J. Holmes, LB Keith Loneker Jr., S Bryce Torneden
The Jayhawks finished last in total defense in the conference two of the past three seasons. However, the unit returns 10 starters in 2018, a trio of All-Big 12 selections led by linebacker Joe Dineen Jr. He paced the team with 137 tackles and 25 tackles for loss. Dineen is joined by defensive tackle Daniel Wise, who racked up seven sacks. Sure, the team lost defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr., but there is experience at just about every position, including at linebacker, where Kansas added VMI graduate transfer Brian Lipscomb.
The Jayhawks’ rushing attack was one of the worst in the country last season, averaging just over 100 yard per game in 2017. Khalil Herbert showed flashes of brilliance at times, including a career-high 291 yards in a loss to West Virginia, but injuries slowed him down. Kansas has finished last in total offense in the Big 12 during each season since 2010. Peyton Bender started most of last season at quarterback, passing for 1,609 yards with 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The Washington State transfer started out by throwing for 300 yards in each of the team’s first three games, but he couldn’t sustain that production. Bender, junior Carter Stanley and sophomore Mile Kendrick have battled for the starting job throughout the spring.
Tight end Ben Johnson, a second team All-Big 12 pick is gone as well.
Beaty is coming off his best recruiting class since arriving at Kansas, landing the program’s first four star players: tailback/receiver Anthony Williams and cornerback Corione Harris, who are listed among the 10 best players recruited at the program, according 247Sports.com.
But there is still work to be done, according to Beaty, who says the program is still a few years away from getting up to 85 full scholarships.
Opportunities for wins will be limited, with a few manageable games in September before the schedule gets difficult in October and November. to