Kansas vs. Bye Week Preview

The Kansas Jayhawks don’t have a game this week, so there’s no traditional opponent preview. Instead, KU is facing the bye week in the hopes of fixing plenty of issues prior to next week. Let’s break down what has to be done.

Opponent Overview

Team: Bye Week

Record: 5-0

Line: Bye -3.5

Team Form

The form for the Jayhawks is…not good. This has been a rough start to the year to say the least. Most didn't expect KU to lose four games all year, let alone four straight in the first six weeks. It’s not just the record and the disappointment compared to expectations. It’s that they have been in a position to win each of the last four games and have squandered it in a number of painful ways.

Players to Watch

Obviously Jalon Daniels could use some continued work getting his accuracy but I also want to see more consistency from the receivers. Quentin Skinner has had some drops and fumbles, Lawrence Arnold has not been a mainstay in the offensive game plan, and who can step up as another option? Luke Grimm has been the best by far, but outside of those three, no other receiver has more than 10 receptions. Can KU get Jared Casey, Trevor Kardell, or Trevor Wilson into the mix?

The entire defense would do well to run quarterback scramble drills over and over all week. A few of these early losses could have gone differently if awareness and gap integrity were sharper. Cobee Bryant could also do with some one-on-one work to limit these costly penalties when QBs do throw his way.

Matchups to Watch

As should be expected, the biggest matchup is between Jeff Grimes’ playcalling and the execution. Does the coaching staff make a change to the strategy – like not forcing so many screen plays that aren’t properly blocked – and add a little more confusion and variety to what has become a predictionable series of plays?

This is also where KU can reinforce the fundamentals and stop the flood of turnovers that have been costly in the first six games of the year. This isn’t just pertaining to Daniels’ interceptions. The fumbles from the receivers have also come at critical moments.

Prediction

Fans can sleep easy knowing that they can’t be hurt this Saturday, but the Jayhawks themselves should be hard at work. KU has fortunately been relatively healthy so far this year, so while this week gives the banged-up Hawks more time, it should be a week where most of the team can get focused.

The mental break should be good for this group to stop the bleeding ahead of a winnable game against Houston next week. But I’m still not convinced the Jayhawks will win, even against themselves in the bye.

Bye Week 28, Kansas 24

Record ATS: 1-4-1

Record Straight Up: 2-4

(Last week: Arizona State 35, Kansas 31)