Week 8: vs. Texas 2011: 8-5 (4-5)

Source: Bleacher Report

We like to think that Sheahon Zenger had his mind made up on Turner Gill after the Sunflower "Showdown", but it is without question that Gill was as good as gone after a 43-0 beat-down in Austin, Texas late last October. Kansas amassed just three first downs in the entire game, their lowest total since 1968 (a completely different era and brand of football, mind you), 46 total yards, and just 36 total offensive plays.

Texas returns talent, but is still uncertain at the quarterback position. Kansas gets them at home, and should keep this game within reach by halftime. Can they finally beat the Longhorns? Texas has won all 9 in conference...

Week 7: @ OU 2011: 10-3 (6-3)

Source: Athlon Sports

Last October, KU trailed Oklahoma just 27-17 at halftime in Lawrence. In the second half, the Kansas offense stalled, mustering just 6 total yards and one first down.

Oklahoma was ranked No. 3 in the country at the time, and was still in contention for a national title berth. They would struggle a bit down the stretch, but ended the season with a win over Iowa in the Insight Bowl. Heading into 2012, Oklahoma is, once again, a title contender. Does KU even have prayer?

Week 6: vs. OSU 2011: 12-1 (8-1)

Source: Vegas Harps

The 2011 Oklahoma State Cowboys were just a cold, November night in Ames away from Bedlam. The 2011 Oklahoma State Cowboys were just a cold, November night in Ames away from 11-0. The 2011 Oklahoma State Cowboys were just a cold, November night in Ames, and a Bedlam win away from a National Championship. Bedlam will be spoken about in high regard. As for that fateful, cold, November night in Ames...

Cyclone tailback Jeff Woody plunged into the end-zone, and seemingly every able-bodied mammal within a 100 mile radius of Ames, IA stormed the field,  as Iowa State knocked off OSU 37-31 in double overtime. Men, women, children. Cows, sheep, pigs. It was the biggest upset in Iowa State history, arguably the biggest upset of the 2011 season, and quite possibly one of the biggest of the past decade. It was a great season for Cowboy fans, nonetheless. OSU loses a lot of talent from that 2011 squad, but is primed for another run at the Big 12 Championship.

Week 5: @ K-State 2011: 10-3 (7-2)

Source: Orlando Sentinel

How does that Twain saying go, again? "I did not have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead." Yeah, that one. Well, insert said quote here, because if you are looking for a nice, brief breakdown of the 2012 "Sunflower Showdown", at/around 1000 words or less, then you will have to look elsewhere.

But if, perchance, you are looking for a long, meandering post with plenty of tangents and asides and just a smidgen of reliable analysis, then you have come to the right place. So, welcome (for those of you who have not closed your browser... yet). Let's do this thing.

Fall Camp Begins

Source: KU Sports

Thursday started early for the Jayhawks. A 6AM conditioning test woke them up, and an afternoon practice concluded the first day's work. Check back here for updates on the team.

Week 4: @ NIU 2011: 11-3 (8-1)

Source: NIU Today

After the conference opener against TCU, Kansas will leave the friendly confines of Memorial Stadium for a brief 2 game road trip featuring Northern Illinois and in-state rival Kansas State. After two straight home field drubbings under Turner Gill, the trip to K-State game looms large, but Kansas must first get through their last non-conference task, the Huskies in DeKalb. Nothing from last years' game says that it will be easy (4 ties and 7 lead changes).

Week 3: vs. TCU 2011: 11-2 (7-0)

Source: Athlon Sports

I'm trying to think of the last time a game this early in the season meant so much to Kansas Football. Georgia Tech in '10 was nice, South Florida in '08 was a big one... but were they "circled" on the schedule-- I don't know? Charlie Weis has made it pretty clear that he wants this one.

Kansas christens TCU into the Big 12, and needs to do so with a victory if it wants any chance at post-season play. Sure, it only marks the 1/4 point of the season, and there are a lot of games left to be played, but Kansas plays 6 of its next 9 on the road. 5 of the 6 road games in the Big 12. Here is how this one breaks down...

Big 12 Media Day Coverage 2012

Source: Twitter

We are still a few days away from Big 12 Media Day, but once it gets going, check back here for updates on the Jayhawks and the rest of the league. I always consider this the "hump", and once we got over this, it is downhill from here until kickoff. August 1st, the players report, then Kansas has its own Media Day, then classes start, and then it is only a matter of days. But for the time being, check out the new addition to the KU Football uniform. Updates after the jump.

Week 2: vs. Rice 2011: 4-8 (3-5)

Source: Chron

In the event that the South Dakota State Jackrabbits don't crash the party like their brother's from the north did, Kansas will be 1-0 and set to play the Rice Owls, from Conference USA, in the second of three non-conference games. If that is the case, Kansas will have a shot to tie their win total from last year. Not in conference. Not against their rivals. But from the entire season... it has been some pretty trying times around the Anderson Complex lately.

Week 1: vs. SDSU (FCS) 2011: 5-6

Source: GOJACKS.com

Today marks Part 1 of a 12 part series, breaking down the 2012 KU Football schedule. In this series, I hope to analyze each opposing team (positions, coaching, maybe a little obeisance to the mascot) and how they match up with KU. I don't feel terribly comfortable making predictions before the season has even started, but I'll give it a shot. It'll be fun.

First up on the schedule, a game set for September 1st with a team from Brookings, South Dakota, the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State.

Debunking the "Talent" Myth

Source: Sports Illustrated

We follow recruiting religiously. Like, seriously. It is its own religious sect. It's own denomination. Sure, it's a much more common practice in the deep South, but here I sit with 7 tabs open on my browser. 6 of the 7 are KU Football recruits. The 7th is this blog, where I am writing about recruiting. Find a blog post where I don't talk about recruiting, or a specific recruit, and I will buy you a yearly subscription to something. I don't know what for, say, a college recruiting website? Point being, we invest countless hours following the game's next stars, praying, begging, that they bring their talents to our Alma mater. After thinking about it for a while, following college recruiting is a lot like breathing: you barely notice you do it, but if you stopped, you'd probably keel over and die. I mean, you guys follow college football recruiting a lot too, right? Like 2, 3, 9 hours a day, right? Guys? Sooooo, this will come to the chagrin of a lot of you, but SPOILER ALERT: identifying "talent" in a high school athlete is a bit of a crap shoot. Yes... I said it. I'm just as befuddled by that statement as you are. I don't want to believe that "stars" and other ranking gauges are not an exact science. I don't want to believe that our newly signed 3* linebacker doesn't actually run a 4.5 and can't bench the bar. But I have to. Here is why.

Summer's Grind

Source: Missourian

This is the time of the year when YouTube becomes my best friend. Not really of my own free will, but out of childish bad habit. There never really is enough news to quench my insatiable, and often unhealthy, thirst for everything KU Football, regardless of the time of year, but this is heightened tenfold in the summer, so I always spend a few hours here, a few hours there, a few days here, a few days there, watching, re-watching, and re-re-watching highlights from years past. Yeah, I've got problems. Un-diagnosed OCD. Call me a doctor.

For the team, though, this summer will be spent in the weight room and on the hill, improving strength and conditioning. What time is not spent in those two loci should be spent committing the playbook to memory. It is an uphill race against Father Time for the players and coaches, but for us fans, Spring Ball is over, and fall camp is still a few months out. Here are some questions that we have right now, heading into the hiatus, and the answers that I anticipate are disclosed come August.

Spring Game 2012

Source: KU Sports

Led by MVPs Tony Pierson and Michael Reynolds, the Kansas "Blue" team won Saturday's Spring Game 45-0 over the "White" team. The "Blue" team was essentially comprised of the first string players; the "White" team: the second and third string players. Actually, Michael Reynolds suited up for what came to be known as the "Light Blue" team (mostly defensive linemen), but for conversation's sake, he led a stifling "Blue" team defense. Here's hoping that he translates that to the "real" team this fall.

Dawning of a New Era

Source: KU Sports

Just months into his contract, it is clear to even the most casual observer that El Capitan Weis is running a tight ship on the Mount Oread (giving Skipper Leach a run for his money at Washington State). As scrupulous as they come, Chuck has Saturday's Spring Game planned out to the very minute... he has also cut the cord on several knaves.Today we will cover that and much, much more (albeit, this should be a relatively happy post all the same!). Although it may be a little scatter-shot, today's overarching themes: change, newfangled discipline, a new era of KU Football.

A Method to His Madness

Source: KU Sports

You may notice that the offensive version of the "Pre-Spring Depth Chart" is a little--well--unconventional. Yes, it meets the requirements mandated by NCAA rules, with at least 7 men on the line of scrimmage, and yes, it features a quarterback, halfback, two tackles, two guards, and a center, like most successful offenses, but where the offense loses its familiarity is with the wide-outs, fullbacks, and tight ends. Fear not, because Mr. Weis knows a thing or two about running an offense. Today, I will touch on the unique packages that Weis will incorporate on the offensive side of the ball, and what Dave Campo and the defense plan to do this fall, all the while counting down the days until kickoff.

Hope Springs Eternal

Source: KU Sports

The hubbub in Lawrence is not Kansas Football, and justifiably so, because Tyshawn "Turnover-less" Taylor and the greatest coach in the country, Bill Self, have piloted the team to the school's 14th Final Four and 8th straight Big 12 Championship. Kansas bettered the state of North Carolina (both the Wolfpack of NC State and the Tarheels of North Carolina) and former head coach Roy Williams (with a triangle and two defense that I'm still not sure if he has figured out yet) on the way. I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge their accomplishments, so football is going to have to simmer on the back burner while basketball turns up the heat. But, in case you were wondering, Spring Ball starts tomorrow and the Spring Game is but a month away.

A Running Total of: "The Late Additions"

Source: Husker Extra

During his press conference earlier this year, head coach Charlie Weis promised the hungry Kansas fan base that it would be fed: by May, we could expect a string of fifth year transfers and under-recruited high-school players to join the team. Let's just say that Weis and company are a little ahead of schedule. Granted it's only March, so there is still a lot of sand in the hour-glass, but I felt like if I didn't at least create a post to keep tabs on the additions, then I would leave you too far out of the loop. And who isn't looking for some easy reading until the spring game on April 28th? (I apologize for the photo. I thought I would never stoop down to this level, but hey, Josh Williams is ours now, you corn-fed traitors.)

2011: Season in Review (The Defense)

Source: KU Sports

So, the 2011 Kansas Jayhawks Defense is today’s topic of discussion. It’s not going to be fun, so you may want to avert your eyes, but in my defense, I presaged you. So, here we are.  It’s March and spring football practice just kicked off yesterday. I hope Dave Campo and company are tackling (pun intended) the problems that ailed the team right now, but we will find that out on the other side. For now, it’s time to review your very own, league leading point allowing defense, the 2011 Kansas Jayhawks.

Mission Impossible 2012; Schedule Released

Subsequent to their official exit from the Big East Conference, the West Virginia Mountaineers tied the knot with the disheveled Big 12 Conference, which allowed the A.D.s to make their 2012 schedules. Once the A.D.s submitted their proposed schedules, the Big 12 officials then reviewed and finalized those schedules after a long, long, drawn out period of quiescence. On Tuesday the officials finally released those 2012 football schedules to the public for geeks like me to salivate over. Yeah...except I haven't been salivating too much. After looking at all of the schedules, I can't tell you much, but I can tell you one thing: Kansas's is going to be a bear.

Signing Day 2012

Source: Jayhawks Football

Signing day always gets my heart going a little faster than usual. I can't quite put it in words, but there is something that just makes it feel like Christmas morning all over again. The day is especially fun when Kansas hauls in a nice handful of good looking recruits, and for the Jayhawks, based on that criteria, signing day 2012 was a success. Although it was a bit overshadowed by the Missouri signing of number 1 recruit, Dorial Green-Beckham (which loomed large over all of America, to be honest), Charlie Weis and company had another good day at the office, getting familiar names and even a few surprises to dot the line at the last minute.

2011: Season in Review (The Offense)

Source: LJ World

With College Football officially over, it is finally time to put a wrap on the 2011 Jayhawks. While we would like to forget the past year entirely, it is out there all the same. There were several areas that ailed the Jayhawks and will continue to ail them if they are not accounted for (hopefully they will be in about 48 hours), so we will try to bring those weaknesses into the limelight. Today we will start by breaking down the offense (the defense will be saved for a later date, thankfully).

Meet the Press

Source: KU Sports

Charlie Weis addressed the press earlier today in jovial spirits. Beside him sat a trio of stud transfers: QB Dayne Crist, QB Jake Heaps, and WR/LB Justin McCay (all dressed in KU blue). For the first time since his initial press conference after accepting the job, Weis sat down and talked Kansas Football. Here is what he and the players had to say...

Surprise! KU finds DC; Staff Completed

Source: Bleacher Report

It's only fitting that Dave Campo comes to Lawrence as the new defensive coordinator. Wait, what? Dave Campo? Fitting? Well, yes. With regards to Kansas Football, we have learned (of late) to expect the unexpected. After all, when Charlie Weis was hired in December, it came as a surprise to all of the pundits, myself including. Names like Fedora, Dykes, and Malzahn were the frontrunners, not Weis...right? Campo's hiring also comes as a surprise to Jayhawk fans, who planned on either Al Groh, Jim Leavitt, or Willie Martinez. News is good, and although it seems to be out of the blue, when it is all said and done, Kansas fans should be pleasantly surprised.

New to the Staff: Bowen, Blasko, and then Some

Source: LJ World

Former player and assistant coach, Clint Bowen, is back in crimson and blue after a short stint with North Texas. Bowen moved on from Kansas after Mangino's firing in 2009, but rejoins Charlie Weis and staff. There are no hard feelings, though; Kansas welcomes him back with open arms (Bowen has an excellent reputation as a defensive backs coach and is a Jayhawk through and through). What's not to like?

Another Domino Falls

Source: Rivals

Jayhawkslant.com is reporting that former Oklahoma wide-receiver Justin McCay has committed to Kansas. With the help of former teammate, Tre Parmalee, and head coach, Tim Grunhard, McCay heads to Lawrence and will be eligible to play for the Hawks in 2013 and 2014. Charlie Weis and the Jayhawks have added yet another big splash transfer.

Dry Spell Ends Today

Source: UHND

After missing out on OL, Duaron Williams (Iowa State), and TE, Sean Culkin (Missouri), Kansas plans to make January 3rd a day to remember. Naturally, "Dead Period" will be one of the slower times of the year recruiting wise because coaches can only call prospects once a week with no visits to speak of from December 16th to January 4th. Expect that to change tonight. The Jayhawks have officially named Rob Ianello the new recruiting coordinator and wide-receivers coach, and look to add All-American WR Gehrig Dieter tonight at the Semper-Fidelis All-American Bowl.

The Coup Continues

Source:LJ World

After boggling our collective minds, hauling in not one, but two 5 star quarterbacks, Coach Weis is back out on the recruiting front, and he is also back to recruiting the transfer-type players. Weis hit a towering home-run with the two quarterbacks, Dayne Crist and Jake Heaps, and he looks to turn even more heads with his encore performance. Names have surfaced on the both sides of the ball, but two in particular, at a position of dire need, have perked our ears: two wide-outs, USC's Brice Butler and Oklahoma's Justin McCay, are starting to show serious interest in becoming Jayhawks.

A Very Merry CRISTmas (Heaps Joins the Fray too)

Source: NCAA

News broke earlier this morning that former Notre Dame Quarterback Dayne Crist is heading to Kansas. Expected to resurrect the floundering Kansas Football program, Crist will need to work miracles, but unlike most Kansas quarterbacks, he actually has the physical tools to do so.

Staff, Recruits, and Such

Source: Mlive

Things are really starting to get exciting around the Kansas Football program. New head man Charlie Weis is signed and sealed, assistant coaches are starting to file in, and big name transfers are considering Kansas. It sure kicks the crap out of last season...

It's Weis

And it is official! Charlie Weis has officially been hired as the next head coach at Kansas. Read inside for the latest...

Part V (A Couple More for Good Measure)

Source: Jayhawks Football Tickets

Kansas is still on the lookout for a new head football coach and more rumors are coming your way. 2 hot names have caught some traction and it is safe to finally add them to the new and improved coaching hot board. It is Day 11 of the search, and it looks like we have reached the calm before the storm...

Big 12 Wrap-Up

Phew. After about 5,000 words on the coaching search, we are going to finally take a step aside and wrap up the Big 12's regular season. Don't worry, more is surely to come on the coaching prospects, but it is time for a much needed break from the drama.

Part IV (The Long Shots)

Kevin Sumlin

Kevin Sumlin is now as good as gone. From the looks of it, he will sign either at Arizona State (who offered him 2.5 million for 5 years), or at Texas A&M. Sumlin was a nice guy to pull for, but there wasn't a very realistic shot that he was coming to Kansas. It pains me to say it, but Kansas is not the most coveted job in all of college football. Sure it is a BCS job and KU has excellent workout facilities, but the tradition is lacking and the team is in disarray.

Part III (The Third Tier)

Source: Bleacher Report

Mike Leach

Number 1 is off the board now, so I will give you three more candidates to chew on. It would have been nice to get "The Pirate" because he would stimulate a lot of interest in the program right off the bat, but I guess Leach saw Washington State as an easier turn-around (they went 5-7 this past year and the Pac 12 is a much better draw than the Big 12). I thought of all people, Leach wouldn't shy from a challenge, but he is gone, so let's not waste our breath.

Part II (The Strong Contenders)

Source: Features

Here is Part II of the "Coaching Carousel". As we will learn, A.D. Sheahon Zenger has a lot of football connections and I really think this program is in good hands. I'm sure Zenger will be considering these well-qualified candidates...

A Coaching Carousel: Part I (The Favorites)

Come one come all; join in on the Coaching Merry-go-Round. Mark Mangino: gone. Turner Gill: gone. Who is next? It feels like we just experienced this drama! Come to think of it, it was just a short 2 years ago.

Mizzou Runs Away with Game and from Rivalry. BREAKING: TURNER GILL RELIEVED OF JOB

Source: KC Star

It was the season’s finale on Saturday and the Kansas Jayhawks put up a tough fight with arch-rival Missouri, falling 24-10. The game was competitive, like Turner Gill promised, but the ‘November to Remember’, that included a 61-7 thumping, was not enough to save face or his job. Sheahon Zenger made the call to fire Gill.

Special Feature: The War is over; Missouri Secedes from the Big 12

Source: KMBC

Happy late-Thanksgiving! Maybe the turkey and pumpkin pie is finally starting to settle, or maybe you are going back for seconds. Whatever the case may be, there is a lot of good food sitting around. Oh, and it is Missouri week. With Saturday’s game fast approaching, and Missouri leaving for the SEC, the Border War is in need of a last hurrah. Let’s hope I can do it justice in the short time I’ve been given. Enjoy.

Texas Toast; Lone-Star State Unkind to the Hawks

Source: KU Sports

No, the 43-0 stomping at the hands of the Texas Longhorns actually was not rock bottom for the Kansas Jayhawks. On Saturday, Kansas pitched its worst game of the season, maybe one if its worst in program history, falling 61-7 to a mediocre Texas A&M Aggies team. Kansas did not compete in any phase of the game, at least as far as I know (I quit on the Jayhawks at halftime: 44-0 A&M).

So Close, yet so Far; Senior Day Especially Sour

Source: KU Sports

No. 25 Baylor 31, Kansas 30 F/OT

It was Senior Day in Lawrence on Saturday and the Kansas Jayhawks nearly gave its fans a Superb Senior Sendoff. The Hawks, who fell to 2-8 (0-7), deserved a win after playing their hearts out, but a man with the moniker, RG3, would say otherwise.

Missed Opportunities Galore: ISU 13, KU 10

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.

What a Nightmare! Jayhawks continue to disappoint in another late-October blowout.

Source: KU Sports

A happiest of Halloweens to everyone! I hope you are enjoying the holiday season; the weather sure has taken a turn for the better here in the Midwest.

So if your day is going swimmingly and you want to keep it that way, I recommend you close your web browser before you read on, but if you are in for some bone-chilling reading, proceed slowly…

For want of a Coach! Sunflower Beatdown: Kansas State 59, Kansas 21

Inflection Point—(noun) a point on a curve at which the curvature changes from convex to concave (A.K.A. When things go from good to bad—instantly).

Example: Saturday, October 17^th, 2009: the most critical day in Kansas Football history.

Source: KU Sports

From the fall of 2007 to October 17^th, 2009, the Kansas Jayhawks were 25-6, they had won a co-Big 12 North Championship, an Orange Bowl, an Insight Bowl, were 5-0 on the young season, ranked No. 17 in the country, and had a perennial Heisman trophy candidate, Todd Reesing, leading the charge. But from October 17^th to date, Kansas has gone 5-21, has lost to the North Dakota State Bison, lost the last 5 meetings with their rivals, Missouri and Kansas State, and has returned to their place as Big 12 doormat.

Positives to Take from a 30 Point Loss? Fiery defense, Hawks put a scare in the Sooners.

Source: KU Sports

In a game where KU gave up 47 points, 610 yards of total offense, and lost the time of possession battle, steps were taken in the right direction on defense. It’s a little baffling, but this is where we are as a program. Nonetheless, it’s something to hang your hat on.

An Ode to the Big Man, an Elegy of Sorts

Source: KU Sports

A pitfall of mankind: we don’t know a good thing until it’s gone. As the Oklahoma State Cowboys scored at will this past Saturday in their 70-28 win over a demoralized Jayhawks team, I began to reminisce about the Mark Mangino days. Mangino won KU 3 bowl games, including a BCS game over the No.3 Virginia Tech Hokies. KU football was heading in the right direction, what a season...

History Repeats Itself. New Uniforms, Same Outcome. Defense Improved?

Source: KU Sports

Homecoming 2011 featured an 11 AM start for the Kansas Jayhawks, a start that appeared a little too early for the visiting Texas Tech Red Raiders. The 6 point favorites appeared to be wiping the sleep from their eyes while the Jayhawks executed to perfection.

What the Rell? Defense putrid; offense strange

Source: KU Sports

I apologize for taking my time in writing this. I have been bogged down by homework, tests, and papers. So, I am cutting out “nap-time” for this week’s blog! This one should be especially fun!

Webb Stellar, but Keep Feeding Sims!

Source: KU Sports

Jordan Webb not only played well enough to go toe-to-toe with stud NIU quarterback, Chandler Harnish, he played well enough to beat him. Harnish, a fifth year senior, shredded the Kansas secondary all night, but Webb out-dueled him with a clutch, game-winning 6 yard TD pass on 4^th down with just seconds left in the game.

2011: One Step Closer to 2012.

Source: KU Sports

Turner Gill’s 2011 tenure started off nicely on Saturday night-- in hindsight--it started off with a bang.