Locked On Jayhawks - Daily Podcast On Kansas Jayhawks Football & Basketball - ANOTHER RIVALRY LOSS: QB Questions Emerge in Kansas Jayhawks Loss to Missouri Tigers

Starting point is 00:00:00 It's another loss to arrival and maybe KU has a quarterback controversy now. Not a great performance in the 17 point loss to Missouri. You are Locked on Jayhawks, your daily podcast on the Kansas Jayhawks, part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. What's up, Derek Johnson here on Locked on Jayhawks. Today's episodes brought to you by Kalshi for a limited time. Download the Kauci app. Use code locked on to get $10 when you trade it. $10. We're going to break down what happened for KU losing to Missouri by 17 points more than you

Starting point is 00:00:42 would hope for there. We get to our game awards, which may turn into a game, I guess, D awards. I don't know. And then what's next for KU? I apologize. This is not the normal recording studio. I'm out on the road for a wedding in Kentucky. So we're doing what we can here, right? Which is what KU probably felt like at different points in the game, but it did not go well for KU. Kansas in the end. 38 to 21 victory for Missouri as Kansas drops to one and one on the season. And stop me if you've heard this before, but Lance Leipold cannot beat a rival. KU is now 0 and 7 in Lance Lighthold's tenure at KU against rivals. And listen, I've said this before, like, Lance Leipold is somebody who raised the floor of where

Starting point is 00:01:28 the KU program was and now is, right? From where he took it over to where it is now, it was a successful hire for KU. But at some point in time, it's been six years. You have to beat a rival opponent. I get it. You got another opportunity against Kansas State, but Kansas State's probably going to be favored in that game. You're going to be on the road in that game.

Starting point is 00:01:50 Like, at some point you have to be rival school. That's not a prerequisite for Kansas. That's a prerequisite for all teams across college football. Beat your freaking rival. And now KU is 0 and 7 against rival schools in life. holds time at the University of Kansas. Like I said, has been a success overall, but has not been a success in that regard.

Starting point is 00:02:11 And now Kansas has, is it fair to say Kansas has a quarterback problem at this point in time? Because for my money, Isaiah Marshall was just like straight up bad in this game. Like, don't get me wrong. There were a couple highlights there for Isaiah Marshall. It looked pretty good, right? The ridiculous throw where he's like,

Starting point is 00:02:33 jump fading 360 out of bounds and throws it up and KU makes the catch. It's a cool highlight. It is. But it's also not a good throw. Like, it's not one that you should be making over the course of the game. The touchdown to Nick McMillan. Like, that was a good throw for Isaiah Marshall. On a play that, like, I think a lot of people were, like, as it was unfolding,

Starting point is 00:03:00 run the ball, run the ball, run the ball. And then he throws it anyway and throws it in the end zone and ends up being a touchdown, right? The touchdown throw to Nasei Cox, right? Like it took a great catch, but he gave him that opportunity to do it. There were some really good highlight throws. There were for Isaiah Marshall. But the consistency, something that we hear the coaching staff talk about all the time. The consistency was not there for Marshall in the end.

Starting point is 00:03:24 And it's the combination of the inaccuracy, which is honestly the biggest issue here. Right. How many different plays could you point to where KU had an open receiver that he just straight up missed? I mean, real question here, right? Is it four? Is it five? Is it six? Is it seven?

Starting point is 00:03:50 I don't know. I'm excited to dig into the film and get to the exact number of that. I would venture to guess off the top of my head somewhere between five to seven. And I get it. Like, it is college. Like, I mean, even at the end of it. NFL level. Like some of the good pros, occasionally you're going to miss a throw. Even if you want to knock that down to the college level, if you want to say, okay, they're going to miss a couple

Starting point is 00:04:12 throws. Like, nobody's perfect. These are humans, right? Especially 18 to 22 year olds. But it's another question when it happens six times or seven times in a game. It's another question when you're miss is on a receiver who's like wide the bleep open running 15 yards downfield and you under throw it by five yards like that's a whole other discussion and issue that we got to get to here right and like i honestly watching this game i thought andy kowtlick you did a pretty good job like kyu couldn't really get a push from the offense line or establish the run and so that kind of limits you in general as an offensive coordinator, but he, he had some plays where he like skeined some guys wide open and the throw just couldn't be there, unfortunately. Like going back to the idea that like,

Starting point is 00:05:12 I like this receiving core, Nick McMillan's a stud, like he's probably a future pro. I like Nazi Cox's ability to make some big plays here and there. You know, Keating in Quebec can make a play here and there. Campaic comes back in this game. I look at some of this receiver core and I'm like, this has the opportunity to be like a pretty darn good receiver core for KU. But if you can't throw the ball within five yards of them, what does it matter? You know? And what goes beyond that as the killer isn't just the lack of accuracy, the inaccuracy there. For example, what really kills you in the end is the turnovers, right? If you're going to be a quarterback who thrives off of, okay, I'm going to hit the occasional scramble play. I'm going

Starting point is 00:05:58 to run the football well. I'm going to be kind of game manager. I'm going to miss the occasional long ball play. But I'm not going to turn the ball over. That might be doable. Once you throw in inaccuracies and the misses with, hey, I'm going to go back-to-back plays to start the second half with turnovers. I'm going to fumble the football and then I'm going to throw an intercept. that combination becomes a real issue. You cannot win the game if you're Kansas where you're an underdog to Missouri when that situation happens, right? And that's kind of where we wind up here, right? The offense overall was a real issue for Kansas.

Starting point is 00:06:41 It's funny because in a game where Missouri scored 38 points and had two field goal blocks, so meaning they easily could have scored 44 points. I actually walk away from this game going, you know, I feel okay about the Kansas defense. I don't think they're a top 30 unit in the country, no. But do I think they can at least be top half in college football? Like, yeah, you know, they did some good things. They're on the field a lot more in this game.

Starting point is 00:07:08 They're dealing with some turnovers from the offense. They're leaving with short fields at the other end. Lee where Harris is a clear stud. Like, yeah, there's some fallacies on the defense in this game. But I don't walk away from this game going the biggest issue. the defense. I walk away from this game thinking the biggest issue is from the offense. Here's a perfect statistic example to break that down. KU had a fifth percentile performance in EPA per play with a first percentile. So about as bad as you can get, performance in success

Starting point is 00:07:43 rate. The second one, speak volumes. Because success rate is basically, can you pick up half the yards on each down on first and second down, right? So five yards on first down. If it's second and eight, can you pick up four yards on second down? If it's second and six, can you pick up three yards on second down, right? Half the yardage. And then on third and fourth down is just, can you pick up the first down? KU was not a successful offense in this game.

Starting point is 00:08:08 And I think a lot of that comes down to the quarterback and the inability to stay in a successful area. And so sure, like, I think Missouri won the line of scrimmage. I don't think it was as dominant, to be honest, as how well Missouri won the line of scrimmage a season ago in 2025. I would say they won the line of scrimmage because KU didn't get very much of a push from the offensive line. I think the KU defense line made some nice plays here or there. I think they're better against the run than they were about establishing kind of a pass rush without blitzing. So I would lean Missouri, but I think it was close enough that you could have won the game. but when you compound that with the struggling quarterback play,

Starting point is 00:08:50 and when you compound that with, I guess I would say just the defensive coordinator that you continue to not, I don't know. Like, do I want to throw blame for the defensive shortcomings? Because again, as I mentioned, I thought the defense was actually okay in this game. I thought Austin Simmons actually had a really good game for Missouri, and that hurts you there.

Starting point is 00:09:10 I don't know if I want to throw the blame for the defense more on. Is the secondary just, not very good or is D.K. McDonald just not good as a coordinator. You know what I mean? Like, who gets more blame there? I think that's something we're going to find out more as the season goes on. But like when you combine those, when you combine the third down conundrum, which we talked about, you know, last year in 2025, Kansas was negative 12 in EPA, total EPA on late downs against Missouri. and you lost the game by 11, right? And you look at this game, and Missouri had a 60-second percentile in success rate on third-downs,

Starting point is 00:09:52 so above average. Kansas was in the sixth percentile in third-down success rate offensively. So it's more about the KU offense, honestly, struggling in that area. But the other areas that stick out, right, like Missouri was up 17 to 11, and Havoc plays created. They're up eight to six in tackles for loss, meaning Missouri had more tackles for loss against Kansas than they did against Austin P the week before. So that's not great. And they were also up four to zero in sacks. So yes, the line of scrimmage stuff, the, I don't know, like the turnover

Starting point is 00:10:24 battle, Missouri led three to one. Like all those things do matter. But it's hard for me not to get away from this game and just look at one thing. And I hate to like, like I don't, it is what it is. I feel bad pointing fingers sometimes. I really do because these kids work so hard on everything. But at the end of the day, you know what the biggest difference in this game was? I'm not saying it's the only difference. But the biggest difference in this game was that Missouri had a quarterback who could make tough throws and Kansas had a quarterback who would miss easy throws. That was really the biggest difference.

Starting point is 00:10:57 So, yes, Lance Leibold can't be rivals. They're real quarterback one questions. And I do have serious concerns going into London as well as KU's ability to make a bowl game. I still think there's enough there that KU can do it. I still like certain pieces of this KU team, and that doesn't change in this game. And I still appreciate the hard work and the, I don't know, the savviness of some of the players on this team to continue to fight in a game like this. But it just wasn't enough in the end. And it leaves you wanting more like many other KU football games.

Starting point is 00:11:32 So we'll continue on with this conversation. This is Locked on Jayhawks. Today's episode of the show is brought to you by five-hour energy. And if you've got a sweet tooth like I do, you know how tough it is to find that perfect treat without all the sugar. That's why cotton candy, five-hour energy shots, bringing the snowsic flavor back in a whole new way. This is the all-new cotton candy taste you remember with a tasty caffeine boost and zero sugar where it's easy, it's quick. It's a great way to satisfy that sweet craving while keeping. things simple and on the go. The flavor really brings that throwback fruity vanilla vibe. It's

Starting point is 00:12:16 surprisingly smooth. I love how convenient it is, right? It's small, it's portable. You can usually throw it in your backpack or your pocket. You can grab it wherever you are and whenever you are when you need that little pick me up, right? Bring on the sweetness with cotton candy, five hour energy shots available online at five hour energy.com or on Amazon. So Missouri wins 38 to 21 as the final score here. And we're going to get to some of our game awards, which might be like D awards for this game with the way they're away for KU. But let's start with the highlights in the game.

Starting point is 00:13:01 Like, what were the big moments of the game for KU? I mean, all three touchdowns for Kansas were like very good highlights. Like you get the Austin Alexander touchdown on the blockfield. goal, which back-to-back games for Austin Alexander scoring a non-offensive touchdown against Missouri, that's really cool, right? That's going to go down as some, like, great trivia knowledge here. Unfortunately, they lose both games. Like, that's the other thing. If you would have said that KU was going to back-to-back non-offensive touchdowns against Missouri and still lose both games by double digits, that would be kind of sad. But nonetheless, we're trying to focus on the highlights

Starting point is 00:13:40 of the game, right? What other than the Marshall touchdown throw to Nick McMillan? That was a one where I was like as the plays unfolding, you're kind of screaming like, dude, just run the ball. Like you've missed a lot of these other passes. It looked like there was a clear lane to run the ball. Just run the ball, like take the first down, whatever. He throws the ball and you're like, oh, no. But then it ends up being a good throw. And Nick McMillan makes a nice catch in the end and you get a touchdown there. And then the Isaiah Marshall throw to Naze Cox for the touchdown that gets Kansas to 2821 and kind of gets you thinking again, okay, we have this little slip up with backpack

Starting point is 00:14:14 turnovers. They're up 14 points that gets us back to within seven. Maybe some rivalry magic can happen here at the end. We've got it back down to seven and it can happen from there. Unfortunately, it did not. But those who are the biggest highlights of the night. What would you pick for the low light of the game? I did not like I said earlier, I actually really liked what Andy Kodaliki did as an offensive coordinator. I know it doesn't show out with 21 points or the way the KU offense performed but like i think that was clearly the amount of times k u had a receiver running open and they just weren't hit on a pass i don't think that was about any kotaliki tonight right um that said i i do not like the third and 12 cuby draw to set up a 53 yard field goal that doinks away in the

Starting point is 00:15:02 early portion of the game not a fan of that but i think outside of that i like the kodalinkie did other low lights of the game, you know, giving up the Jamal Roberts touchdown that was the first touchdown of the game for Missouri that made it 7 to 7 because only one person even touches him on the play. And it's like a diving tackle attempt from Mason Ellis. That was not great either. Honestly, like this one could probably be like in the highlights in terms of, hey, it picked up like a big first down for KU.

Starting point is 00:15:34 but the double reverse pass where Ballard ends up throwing the ball to Marshall and he makes a nice catch and picks up the first down. Both quarterbacks get like hurt on the play. Obviously Marshall was fine and ended up keep playing. With Ballard, he ended up going out for the rest of the game. Now it sounded like Lance Leibolden Post game was optimistic about his diagnosis, which will be interesting because I don't know. It kept over the course of the game feeling like, hey,

Starting point is 00:16:04 Marshall is really struggling here. Are they going to go to Ballard? And as we've talked about a lot in the preseason, that ain't what Lance Leipold does. He picks the guy in the preseason and he sticks with him. Unless there is an injury, he sticks with that guy. And so that proved out to be true that he's going to continue to stick with him, right? But it would be nice if Ballard were healthy just in case things continue to kind of go south there.

Starting point is 00:16:31 But I thought those were going to low light of the game. And continue on, like pick your Missouri score at the end of the game or big play at the end of the game. Even though it wasn't a scoring play, Missouri throwing the football when it was 38 to 21 on first and 10 on the drive when there's like, I don't know, 40 seconds on the clock or whatever it was, that felt like a low light because it was like they're trying to run up the score on you and they have the opportunity to do it. That didn't feel great either, right? screwed up of the game was the the kind of back-to-back drives I don't think this would have determined who won the game like clearly Missouri was

Starting point is 00:17:07 Missouri won by 17 points I don't want to take away from that but it was screwed up that there was the the third down play by Austin Simmons where he's kind of throwing and he gets hit by Lerah Harris on the arm and it's like is it a fumble is it not it ends up not being a fumble

Starting point is 00:17:24 they punt the football they never reviewed it. But then on the next play, it's like, oh, you know, Isaiah Marshall's going to run up the middle, late fumble, they're going to call it on the field and then review it and keep it that way. When it looked like he honestly might have been down, that was kind of messed up that it's like, oh, so KU's going to get a review, but it's going to be an unfavorable review. And you're not even going to review the play from Leroy Harris. That was screwed up, in my opinion. I don't think it would have mattered on who won the game, but I don't know. I guess it's possible that it would have, right? Maybe it changes momentum or something like that. And then our next award is disappointing of the

Starting point is 00:18:04 game. For me, this was the lack of Yacine Willis. I don't know if you want to say like usage or effectiveness because neither really happened. Like you seen Willis had eight carries for 26 yards, wasn't very effective, had a negative EPA per play, had only a 25% success rate. So he wasn't great when he was getting the ball. But I thought he would have a much bigger load in this game trying to kind of power your way over Missouri, and that just did not end up happening for KU. Now, here's the other question.

Starting point is 00:18:35 Do we want to do game balls for this game, where you lose by 17 to rival? I guess we should, because it still shows, like, who played well when KU lost. Offensive game ball, honestly, I'd give it to Dylan Edwards. He only had five carries, but he had 41 yards rushing, right? He actually ended up with a positive EPA per play, EPA, and 40% success rate in the end.

Starting point is 00:19:00 I thought he looked pretty good. Like the one play where he had that nice run on like a second and long to make it more manageable on third down, where he like stiff-armed the guy. When I first saw the play on video, I was like, oh, that's Yassin Willis. He has like such a good stiff arm and ended up being Dylan Edwards. So I really like what we saw there. And then he also had one catch for 18 yards in the end. I would go with Edwards as the offensive game ball for KU.

Starting point is 00:19:26 I think Leroy Harris wins the defensive game ball for KU. I don't think it was a great game for the secondary for KU. I thought Lerah Harris made some at least negative plays and was able to win some here or there, so he would win the game ball on that end of the field. Let's finish up. What is next for KU? How do they move on from here?

Starting point is 00:19:45 This is Locked on Jayhawks. Today's episode of the show is brought to you by Fandual Sportsbook. you have waited all off season for this. Now it's time to make every NFL week count because Fandual is making this your most rewarding season ever. Whether it's backing a favorite team, building a same game parlay, betting player props, or making picks on the biggest matchups. Fandual gives fans more ways to play throughout the season. And for anyone who's new to Fandual, there's an even bigger reason to make this NFL season count.

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Starting point is 00:21:05 Today's episode of the show is also brought to you by Kalshi. Before season even kicks off, everyone's making predictions. Who wins the division? Who makes the playoffs? Who's lifting the trophy at season's end? On Kalshi, America's number one prediction market platform, you can trade those predictions. in a live market. Did you like what you saw from Kansas in week one, but didn't like what you saw from

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Starting point is 00:22:03 Calci. KAL, S-H-I, trade on anything. 18 plus only restrictions and eligibility requirement supply. Event contract trading involves risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Calci products are not available in all jurisdictions, prices, values, and available markets may differ. From those mentioned, for more information, see calshy.com slash regulatory. Thanks, you have, for joining us here on Lockdown Jayhawks and finish them things up with what is next for KU. So quite literally, what is next for KU is they're going to be playing Arizona State in London. Arizona State looked very good in week one. We'll see what happens.

Starting point is 00:22:44 As of recording right now, they're playing at Texas A&M on Saturday. That'll be a good test for them. A&M's a very good opponent, right? If they play them close, that makes you feel worse. If they beat them, that makes you feel a lot worse. If they get blown out, I don't know, maybe you feel a little bit better. But going into the international week, KU is in a situation where, I guess, regardless, the KU Arizona State game is a bit of a coin flip game, right? And when I say that, it might be Arizona State 60%, Kansas 40%, but close enough to a coin foot game.

Starting point is 00:23:19 this game could determine if Kansas makes bowl eligibility or not, right? Like, if you start two and one on the schedule that KU has, I think you actually feel okay. Obviously, you would like to beat rival, and they didn't in the Missouri game, but you might feel okay in general with where that's at. I don't know that you feel great about them winning that game after how tonight went, but I guess it's entirely possible. Who knows how that's going to go? The flip side is if you lose to Arizona State, you're now wanting to come back home.

Starting point is 00:23:55 I don't know how much fan interest there's going to be for the next couple home games for KU, right? And I'm a big football person. So, like, I'm going to have interest in it. But like for the general fan, I don't know what the answer is going to be to that situation, which is unfortunate, right? I think beyond that, there's a real question now from this game of is Kansas a bowlworthy team? obviously this win would have answered the question of I think Kansas wouldn't have been a bullworthy team because A this was a game that you probably viewed as a coin flip and so flipping that to KU's side would have been nice and you know that that would have been helpful to getting

Starting point is 00:24:32 into the six wins but beyond that I think when you look at things it's how Kansas because again this was 38 to 21 if Austin Alexander if KU doesn't block a field goal that Austin Alexander returns for a touchdown and that field goal goes in k u loses 41 to 14 how are you feeling about k u after the game if they lose 41 to 14 to to to missouri you feel like this is a three or four win football team right and that's not that crazy from happening so from a big picture standpoint is this a bowl team honestly i thought they'd be a bowl team before the season started after the first two games because of some of the worries with the quarterback play, kind of lean and no.

Starting point is 00:25:20 I'm thinking more four to five wins. But I am open to the idea that, you know, if you beat Arizona State, we're back on the bowling train, right? And that's where we're at. So a lot of pressure on what happens in England, which is unfortunate because you're coming off a rivalry loss. How are you going to get off the mat for that performance against the Sun Devils? Anyway, that'll do it for this episode of Lockdown Jayhawks.

Starting point is 00:25:45 You can find a show anywhere at your podcast, including on our YouTube page where you can like and subscribe to the show. Apologies again for a different recording studio and everything here. Like I said, I'm out and about at a wedding, but wanted to get this out to you. So thank you so much for everybody, like and subscribing to the show.

Starting point is 00:26:03 And we'll see you next time on Lockdown J-Hawks.

Locked On Jayhawks - Daily Podcast On Kansas Jayhawks Football & Basketball - ANOTHER RIVALRY LOSS: QB Questions Emerge in Kansas Jayhawks Loss to Missouri Tigers

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