 |
| Source: KU Sports |
Louisiana State 9, Alabama 6. I’m sorry, but was there any other game this week besides the “Game of the Century”? I realize these teams are by far the most talented and best coached, but how much time and money was invested into this one freaking football game? I now firmly believe that football is a religion in SEC land. Gag me.
Now for the good stuff: what you’ve all been waiting for. Heading into Saturday’s game between the Iowa State Cyclones and the Kansas Jayhawks, critics were calling the game a ‘must-win’ for both teams. Iowa State, 4-4 and (1-4), wanted to avoid a letdown performance against Kansas after their 41-7 thromping of Texas Tech; Kansas, 2-6 and (0-5), needed to win for their coach, whose bum is burning from the hot seat he is occupying, and to keep their far-fetched bowl aspirations alive. How this game did not get the national attention and College Gameday just baffles me.
The Hawks showed some fight, but in the end the Cyclones were the ones who kept their bowl-eligible hopes alive, winning 13-10 on a late field-goal by kicker Zach Guyer. In keeping their bowl aspirations possible, ISU crushed the Jayhawks’.
Apparently, for the visiting Jayhawks, not all was lost though. To some Jayhawk fans, a 3 point loss on the road in Big 12 play is as good as a win, considering how the Hawks have played of late. The recent box-scores may agree, but really it’s not so. Kansas missed on several opportunities to not only win their first road game in their last 11 tries, but to do so in convincing fashion against a less talented Cyclones squad.
First off, I want to get this off my shoulders. I suddenly have this subconscious need to purchase a slice-o-matic. I have no idea why, but there was something so memorable about this clip…
The slice-o-matic must have some sort of huge share with Fox College Sports, the game's broadcast station, because it seemed like every commercial break featured at least 2 slice-o-matic sales pitches and when it wasn’t slice, it was Bosley. Fun, fun, fun.
Now if you read last week’s blog and you are pointing your finger at me, I get it, I will gladly eat the crow. It wasn’t that I was hoping for yet another Big 12 flop by the Hawks, it’s just that I didn’t think that they could keep the game competitive for 4 quarters. Just look at their recent track record.
Let me be blunt, I will never root against the Jayhawks because honestly no loss will help this program. Unlike the Indianapolis Colts ‘Suck for Luck’ campaign (see photo below), losing games in College Football does not better your draft status, rather it hurts your recruiting. I think Gill is gone by season's end regardless, so losing games is not really a "necessary evil" anymore. I desperately want to win a football game, people! Granted I don’t exactly want to find any reason to keep Gill another year, but I am still pulling for these guys week in and week out with all my heart.
Let me be blunt, I will never root against the Jayhawks because honestly no loss will help this program. Unlike the Indianapolis Colts ‘Suck for Luck’ campaign (see photo below), losing games in College Football does not better your draft status, rather it hurts your recruiting. I think Gill is gone by season's end regardless, so losing games is not really a "necessary evil" anymore. I desperately want to win a football game, people! Granted I don’t exactly want to find any reason to keep Gill another year, but I am still pulling for these guys week in and week out with all my heart.
 |
| The Colts are bidding for the first pick in the 2012 NFL draft, highly-coveted Stanford QB Andrew Luck. Source: Yard Barker |
I am happy to know that Kansas did not lose by 30 plus like I had predicted; I was wrong. You win guys; however, I do not take back when I said that the season was lost. The Jayhawks lost the football game when they had ample opportunities to win it: enough said. The few positives there are to take from this close loss taste a little stale because of how poorly Iowa State played (3 turnovers and quite a few dropped passes) . There were too many missed opportunities for Kansas to not only win this game, but seize command of it.
Yes, Kansas was competitive in a Big 12 game. Yes, they nearly stole a win on the road. Yes, they were playing a well-disciplined and motivated Iowa State team who had upset the No. 20 team in the nation the week before...
I understand all of this, but it really does not matter. Kansas, in my eyes, was the more athletic team on Saturday (take that with a grain of salt), but they still managed to lose. They may have showed fight, but they also showed that they know all to well how to lose a football game.
When Iowa State handled Texas Tech in Lubbock, Iowa State was playing their “A” game. Just 7 moons before the Kansas game, the Cyclones had forced 3 turnovers, amassed a total of 512 yards, 368 on the ground, while only allowing 290. They dominated the time of possession 40:09 to 19:51, they converted 13 of 24 on 3rd and 4th down and they beat a No. 20 Texas Tech team on the road, 41-7. Their tailback, James White, charged for 138 yards and a TD, and Duran Hollis added 101 on just 4 carries. But Iowa State came back down to earth on Saturday, and luckily for them, it was against the Kansas Jayhawks. When Iowa State topped Kansas on Saturday, it would be generous to give them a “D” grade.
Iowa State gained 426 yards on Saturday, but outside of the 125 yards that quarterback Jared Barnett scrambled for on 22 carries, the Running Backs were held to just 126 yards. Barnett threw for just 175 yards and he was picked off once. Iowa State turned the ball over thrice and nearly split the time of possession battle 30:43 to 29:17. Maybe Kansas played well defensively, but the moral of the story is that Kansas caught a very suspect team, as is, on their bad day. There really should not be any moral victory from losing a close game to a lower-tier team who came out with a poor showing.
Iowa State gained 426 yards on Saturday, but outside of the 125 yards that quarterback Jared Barnett scrambled for on 22 carries, the Running Backs were held to just 126 yards. Barnett threw for just 175 yards and he was picked off once. Iowa State turned the ball over thrice and nearly split the time of possession battle 30:43 to 29:17. Maybe Kansas played well defensively, but the moral of the story is that Kansas caught a very suspect team, as is, on their bad day. There really should not be any moral victory from losing a close game to a lower-tier team who came out with a poor showing.
Kansas (2-7,0-6) vs. Iowa State (5-4,2-4)
Date: Nov 05, 2011
Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 Score
----------------- -- -- -- -- -----
Kansas.............. 7 0 3 0 - 10
Iowa State.......... 3 7 0 3 - 13
So missed opportunities: here we go. First I will start with the obvious: the 2 missed field-goals by place-kicker Alex Mueller. On a 4th and 5 early in the second quarter, the freshman missed a 49 yard field goal, and on the next drive, a 4th and 8, he missed a 36 yarder wide-right. Had he made those we are looking at Kansas 13, Iowa State 3 and a final score: Kansas 16, Iowa State 13. But could he have made those? Fat chance. Mueller’s long on the year was a 36 yarder and he had missed 5 of 6 from 30 yards and out. Why not just go for it, Gill? Had KU gone for it, they might have scored 6... twice.
Second, on the opening drive, Kansas was aided by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and had the ball at the Iowa State 46, but a holding call on guard Duane Zlatnik stalled the drive. KU was in position to put 3 to 7 points on the board, but that was not to be; Kansas punted.
Kansas had Iowa State by the ropes after Ron Doherty downed the punt on the ISU 3, but allowed ISU quarterback Jared Barnett to scamper off for 31 yards on 2nd and 12. On 3rd and 15, just a few plays later, Barnett found Albert Gary for 31 yards, and Iowa State came away with a field goal. Those are 3 points that could have been spared.
More missed opportunities turned the tide of the game. On 3rd and 3 from the Iowa State 23, with 1:54 left in the 2nd quarter, James Sims carried for 5 yards, but put the ball on the carpet. Iowa State took over, and Kansas lost another 3 to 7 points.
With just 2 timeouts left, Kansas opted to punt with just 2:37 remaining in the game. Then Gill burned a timeout after Iowa State gained 7 yards on first down. Am I the only one who is confused here? Maybe if the Jayhawks had held the Cyclones to 5 yards or less would I have burned a time-out so early in the possession, but what do I know?
So honestly I can count anywhere from 12 to 20 points that KU left off the board, and 3 points that they handed to Iowa State. Granted Iowa State made some costly mistakes of their own, but let’s say Iowa State played sloppy and Kansas played a cleaner game, the Hawks could have realistically won the game by 15-23 points.
On a brighter note, I did like the trickery that we saw on Saturday. I have been calling for it for weeks from coordinator Chuck Long. Kansas ran a reverse to WR D.J. Beshears and what do you know? Beshears scored on a 22 scamper to take an early 7-3 lead. When I saw it executed to perfection, I couldn't contain the smile on my face.
On a brighter note, I did like the trickery that we saw on Saturday. I have been calling for it for weeks from coordinator Chuck Long. Kansas ran a reverse to WR D.J. Beshears and what do you know? Beshears scored on a 22 scamper to take an early 7-3 lead. When I saw it executed to perfection, I couldn't contain the smile on my face.
Sometimes, as the old adage goes, the only place to go after you hit rock bottom is up. Maybe the Texas game was rock bottom for the Hawks and Gill is finally starting to right this ship before our eyes. After all, KU had more yardage in the first quarter of the Iowa State game than they had in the entirety of the Texas game.
Of course the O-line played better compared to the Texas game, it was one of the worst offensive performances in Kansas football history! But even still, not all of their problems were resolved. Kansas only gained 24 yards on the ground in the second half. 2nd half adjustments (I hate repeating myself) have plagued this team all year. The offensive line lost its mojo sometime in the 2nd quarter and it was gone for good.
Defensively, Kansas played its best against the run, outside of the quarterback scramble, and probably its best against the pass all season. The Kansas skill players matched up much better with Iowa State. Cornerbacks, Isaiah Barfield and Anthony Davis, covered their men well, but the d-line rarely got pressure on key 3rd downs. The game was lost in the trenches, both offensively and defensively.
At the same time, I thought defensive end Toben Opurum played well, and I was upset that a holding penalty was not called once on him throughout the game. Several times as he came barreling around the end he was horse-collared and “held”, but nothing was called. On a 4th down and 6 at the KU 28, late in the 3rd quarter, KU stiffened and stopped the Cyclones. Finally, I thought to myself as the side judge threw a flag, a holding penalty was called. 'Holding, defense'. KU cornerback Isaiah Barfield was called for holding when I clearly thought Toben Opurum was tackled from behind by a Cyclone lineman… what gives!
KU forced three turnovers on Saturday, but still lost the game even with a +2 turnover differential. "Star" player Jordan Webb receded into the background when KU really needed a clutch play from him. Had he played like his early season self, KU could have stolen this game. Webb was disappointing, but one player in particular, Kansas safety Bradley McDougald, was a man on a mission. McDougald tallied 11 tackles, an interception with a 29 yard return, and a forced fumble. I know I have been hard on him all year, but I’m glad to see how he played Saturday. It’s especially comforting to see because he will be anchoring this defense next year. Now let's hope Webb is ready for Robert Griffin III and the Baylor Bears come Saturday.
It wasn’t all good for the KU D, mind you. Iowa State ran their own trickery, a double reverse, and Aaron Horne broke what I counted, 4 tackles with 8 Jayhawks in the vicinity of the ball (it was eerily familiar to what we have seen all year). That play defies good defense, so although the 13 points the defense allowed were the fewest they had allowed in a Big 12 game since 2007, I still cannot say we have “fixed the problem.” The Jayhawks had no answer for Barnett scrambling on 3rd and long. Iowa State converted 7 of their 15 3rd downs, the majority of those coming from a last-ditch effort by Barnett.
You can’t call it a Jayhawk Football blog without some good old Gill-bashing. I was really upset when I saw that speedster Tony Pierson didn’t take the field for a single snap on Saturday, but I found out that he is fighting an injury right now. Ok, fine, there is a rational reason behind it. Even so, Gill’s not getting off easy this week; there were too many blatant mistakes.
On a 4th down and 1 on the ISU 6 yard line, trailing 10-7 midway through the 3rd quarter, Turner Gill spent a timeout to collect his group. Fine, it was a big play. The message he was sending to his team: we want a touchdown. Darrian Miller took the handoff and squirted through the line for 2 hard earned yards, perfect.
Now in this situation, I’m looking to #29, James Sims, but Gill must have known something I didn’t, so he stuck with Miller. 3 plays later, Kansas was sending its kicking team out with the ball on the ISU 2 yard line.
Here is my take… I realize Darrian Miller was the hot hand at that point in the game, but if I am Gill, why not use my very own battering ram, Sims, who is averaging 4.4 yards per carry on the year? It’s a cold day in hell when he actually loses yardage on a play, and according to cfbstats.com, he has carried 30 times for 97 yards and 6 touchdowns this year when KU is in the opponent’s red-zone this season. Even in 2010 he was 34 for 107 with 7 TDs. The guy has a knack for finding the pile-on. On his career, Sims was averaging 3 plus yards inside the opponent’s red-zone, and KU had 1st and Goal at the ISU 4. So Sims would have had 4 cracks to get 4 yards. I like those odds.
Heck, bring Sims in on 3rd down at the ISU 1, rather than running that blown option play! (more on that in a bit). Even if he just gets back to the LOS like he always does, you live for another down. After losing a yard on the infamous option play, Gill shied away from 4th and 2, and opted for a field goal. After the game, Gill said the 4th and 2 scared him away from going for it; he preferred 4th and 1. Okay, but let’s say you give it to Sims, rather than running a fluky cute play, and he gets stuffed. You still have your 4th and 1, Gill, and 1 more shot at 6 points.
The option play was bad in and of itself, but when it all goes to heck and a hand basket, you should have an outlet. Yell ‘FIRE’, something! You don’t just quit on a broken play. Webb should have had the composure to throw the ball away, rather than lose a critical yard. I realize it is easy for me to sit here and play Monday morning quarterback, but this was a crucial point in the game, folks.
If Sims’s early fumble was what earned Sims a permanent spot on the bench in the second half then pencil me in confused. Let’s look at a larger sample size, the body of work as a whole. Yes, Sims fumbled earlier in the day, but he only had 2 fumbles, and just 1 lost on the season after that turnover. The option play involved QB Jordan Webb and RB Darrian Miller, who combined for 7 fumbles and 3 of which were lost. Do you really feel better by running an option, a risky play as is, with players who have accounted for 7 fumbles on the year, rather than letting Sims plow through the line on a safe dive play?
And finally, the time-out that was spent was used because Kansas was going for a touchdown, right? But I guess Gill suddenly changed his mind and settled for 3. He very well could have kicked the ball and spared the time-out, but instead the Jayhawks still scored just three points on the possession, and had 1 less time-out in their pocket. Kansas would only gain 20 yards of offense following the field-goal, Iowa State would kick a field goal, and the clock expired.
Gill’s coaching philosophy is beginning to worry me. I will buy into this “Month of November” stuff if I actually see a different team this month. But the talks of “ratcheting up the intensity” are beginning to worry me. If Gill suddenly changes his style to “no more Mr. Nice Guy” it will ring hollow with the players. These kids will see right through a coach who changes his approach mid-season. Instead, he needs to be adamant, convicted, unyielding with what he knows and what he has done all along: good, bad, or indifferent. Stick to your guns, coach. I support you.
A 3 point loss to Iowa State does not assuage the pain we have felt all season, but if Gill’s ‘November to Remember’ motto comes to fruition, with competitive games the rest of the way against Baylor, @ Texas A&M, and Missouri in Arrowhead, then I might call it improvement. Until then, let’s take the wait-and-see approach with the thought in mind that we are going to fire him at season’s end.
Speaking of Missouri… anticipate an extensive breakdown of the “Border War That Was” come Mizzou week. Thanksgiving Break combined with the fact that those traitors are bailing for SEC country (just tongue in cheek MU fans, don’t take it personally), makes for a long, long sob-story. I truly feel that in a few years down the road, the Tigers will look back at this decision with regret. If not, kudos to them.
The Gridiron
The Gridiron
Awesome stuff.
Here is the "watered down" Iowa State version of The Gridiron. It's like you are watching a completely different game:
No comments:
Post a Comment