Locked On Jayhawks - Daily Podcast On Kansas Jayhawks Football & Basketball - Early Looks at Kansas Jayhawks Football vs Houston & K-State + Why Cornerback is KU's best position

Episode Date: August 19, 2024

Early preview at Kansas Jayhawks football's games vs the Houston Cougars and Willie Fritz and at Kansas State Wildcats and Avery Johnson. Keys to KU and Lance Leipold coming out on top of both. Plus, cornerback room preview and why CB is KU's best position for now and the future led by Cobee Bryant, Mello Dotson and more.For your next listen, check out the Locked On College Football podcast! From NIL deals to never ending conference realignment rumors, Spencer McLaughlin gets you ready for an exciting season on the gridiron! Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply.eBay MotorsFrom brakes to exhaust kits and beyond, eBay Motors has over 122 million parts to keep your ride-or-die alive. With all the parts you need at the prices you want, it’s easy to bring home that big win. Keep your ride-or-die alive at EbayMotors.com. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers.FanDuelNow through September 22nd, ALL FanDuel customers can bet FIVE DOLLARS and get a THREE WEEK free trial of NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV. Visit FANDUEL.COM/LOCKEDON to get started. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

On today's Locked on Jayhawks, early looks at KU's games against Houston. And yes, that's right, the K-State game. And why the corner position is KU's most loaded for this year and beyond. You are Locked on Jayhawks, your daily podcast on the Kansas Jayhawks. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. How's it going? I'm Derek Johnson. You can find me on Twitter at DJohnsonRadio, and we are brought to you on today's episode

by FanDuel Sportsbook. It's going to be a fun one. Thanks for joining us today and making Locked On Jayhawks your first listen every day. Make it every day. I was catching each and every show. We are free and available wherever you get your podcast. You can also find us on our YouTube page where you can like and subscribe to the show. And we're talking early previews, early look-aheads to the KU Houston game, to the Kansas-Kansas State game.

Can they break the 15-game losing streak? We're also going to get to our cornerback room preview. Why it's possibly the best position for KU football when you take into account top to bottom. When you take into account now versus future. Pretty loaded for KU. So we'll get into all that on today's edition, which is, as I said, brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. Now through September 22nd, all FanDuel customers can bet $5

and get a three-week trial of NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV. Just visit FanDuel.com slash locked on to get started today. We're going to start with our early preview of the KU-Houston game, then we'll get into the KUK State game. And then we'll finish up with the cornerback room preview. So what does Houston bring to the table? Well, this is one of those teams where they're a little tougher to figure out because a lot of faces left, a lot of new faces coming in via the portal.

Coaching staff gone, gets fired. Coaching staff comes in. Obviously, Houston didn't have a great first year in the Big 12, but also they're sitting on an area that if you said in 10 years, Houston ended up being one of the top half teams in the Big 12 over that 10 year stretch. It wouldn't shock you given the recruiting area that they kind of get to occupy in their footprint that they have in terms of entering the Big 12. But just four wins a season ago, and that was even considering, I mean, they had a Hail Mary victory and they had another victory that was a converted two-point overtime play. So, I mean, you have a couple things go against you. All of a sudden, you're a two-win team.

Now, you could also play that the other way and say, well, what if they win that game that was really close? Like, I forget if it went to overtime, but would have gone to overtime with Texas. Like, maybe that could have flipped one the other way. But obviously, a year before, we saw KU play Houston. And that was when they were still in the American, their last year in the American. And that was a game at Houston and Kansas crushed them on their home field.

They got down like 14, nothing early. And then from there, it was all Kansas. And that was a really impressive showing for KU. And at that moment in time, that year was like, oh my gosh, Kansas might make a bowl game. And they certainly went on to do so. But a lot of people are picking Houston this year to finish last in the big 12. I, I don't really know who I would pick to finish last to be clear,

but I don't know. I would almost just be like, if you gave me the option of will Houston finish last, will they not finish last? I don't know that I would pick them to finish last just because of the trust that I have in what Willie Fritz brings in as a head coach into the program. So he comes over from Tulane. Willie Fritz has like Kansas city ties.

And I think he came over from like the FCS level. And then eventually wound up at Tulane. Obviously the last two years, they won double digit games. They won the cotton bowl a couple of years ago over USC, really impressive stuff, what he did there. And I even remember like a year before that,

when they were like, I think they had like a 2-10 team, and they almost beat Oklahoma in like the first week of the season. So Willie Fritz, very, very good head coach. And last season, I mean, he's got a lot to work on for this Houston team. They ranked 90th in scoring offense, 108th in scoring defense. And I can tell you all these other stats and stuff, but that pretty much well summarizes it.

They weren't very good on either end of the field. So it's a big transition for them because offensively you were a pass first team under, I mean, not just Dana Holgerson, but really some of the previous coaching staffs like Major Applewhite before that, that they were a pass first team. And now you go to under Willie Fritz, more of a run first team. They do bring back five starters. Donovan Smith is back at quarterback and he has the potential to be one of the better quarterbacks in the big 12 he's a good player and an experienced

one at that uh parker jenkins is a star running back and they've got a talented group there so i mean if you're talking about wanting to run the football that's a good start to have both of those guys but what hampers things is the four offensive line starters are gone off last year's team. And that's from a team that only averaged 91st most yards per carry. They were 64th in sacks allowed per attempt. So this is not a great offensive line to begin with last season. And now you're losing all those players, which theoretically, if you're backfilling with players who are backups to players that, you know, didn't make it a great offensive line,

that's not a good place to be. But they did bring in a lot of transfers to kind of try to overcome that. Defensively, it's a new scheme again. Basically, almost completely new too deep. When you're looking at the players from last year that finished the season to what they have now, a lot of group of five transfers. They do have five returning starters. But, yeah, it's very, very new across the board there.

Pick six previews rates them as the 16th best D-line of 16 teams in the Big 12, 16th best linebackers and DBs, so like by far the worst defense in the Big 12. Phil Steele does have them 7th for D-line, 11th for linebackers, and 16th for DBs. They allowed the 108th most points per game. They're 101st in rush defense totals, 117th in pass defense totals. They actually did okay at preventing big plays despite some of those bad numbers. But, yeah, this was just not a good defense last year, and now there's a lot of new faces on there.

So what's going to be the key for KU in this game? I mean, number one is don't overlook the game, right? It's easy to see Houston pick last in the Big 12 and say, oh, you're playing them at home. This should be an easy win for you, especially when you're talking about this game coming on the heels of that Kansas State game where you could easily look ahead to that game in Manhattan.

And then you add in the Willie Fritz factor, the idea that he's performed well in these underdog roles, that he is a good coach. On top of it, he's going to be extra motivated. I mean, this was a job that he wanted. He wanted the Kansas job when it was between Lance Leipold and Jeff Munkin. And so don't overlook this game because even if they come into the game,

if Houston is, I don't know, two and four, I don't know how many games they played before this one, two and four or something like that, you still can't overlook it because of that kind of stuff. Also give them a taste of what they want to do to you because what Willie Fritz wants to do, he wants to run the football. He wants to establish the lines of scrimmage. But in this early iteration of Houston,

they're still building that line of scrimmage. You lose all those offensive linemen, the defensive line has some questions there. Give them a taste of your own medicine because you're a team this year who should have a good offensive line. Dominate with your defensive line against what could be one of the worst offensive lines in the Big 12. You be the team. Dominate the line of scrimmage and do what they kind of want to get done when you're looking at their program goals, I guess, so to speak.

And then the last one here is hit them with the big passing plays. So both those magazines, when I look at pick six previews and Phil Steele, agree that they have the worst defensive back room in the Big 12. And so even though their explosive pass rate defense was actually better than any of their other key defensive numbers, it still was 77th in the country. So that's still like, you know, a little bit below average. You're going to have opportunities to hit some big plays is going to be my assumption in this. And you're going to have some opportunities to win some one-on-ones. And if you're giving me a one-on-one with the KU receivers versus a DB room that is not expected to

be super talented for Houston. I know who I'm taking on that end of the matchup. So hit them with some big passing plays in this one. What's going to be their expected result. I was actually surprised that it wasn't more than this, but looking on a ESPN FPI, it has KU as about a 14 point favorite on a neutral site against Houston. So if you're looking at a home game for KU, which again, kind of remains to be seen just how many points do you add for a home game, even if it's at Arrowhead? And maybe we'll learn about that earlier. They have their first home game against TCU.

This will be their second home game of the season coming against Houston. How impactful is that home field going to be for KU? So maybe you've got a 17-point favorite at home where you are going to be expected to win the game. But again, don't overlook them and just kind of get business done from there. Let's get on to the next game, which is maybe the biggest game of the season. At Kansas State, at least for the regular season, you hope there's plenty of postseason chances for KU.

We'll get to that and an opponent synopsis of K-State, what it's going to take for KU to win that one. Our corner room preview as well on Locked on Jayhawks. We were brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. You've heard us talk a lot about FanDuel, America's number one sportsbook. Well, here's something a little different for you. Now through September 22nd, all FanDuel customers can bet $5 and get a three-week trial for free of NFL Sunday ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV. Then with a YouTube TV-based plan, you'll be able to watch every regular season Sunday afternoon out of market

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this week with all of our big 12 compadres doing a big 12 show kind of previewing that season from a big picture look of things we'll also get to our early preview later this week at the kui state games kubyu games we got our offensive line preview still to get We're going to try to get Nick Schwert on with us later this week. We're going to be a week away on Thursday from the KU Lindenwood game, so we'll break down that one a little bit more coming up on Locked on Jayhawks. All right, KU K-State, this is a big one. KU's lost 15 straight games, and obviously beyond the fact that, you know, you want to beat your rival and that you've lost those many games,

you want to end that stretch, it's also the idea that your most difficult game in theory the best opponent you play and it is on the road is the at kansas state game so if you win that game not only do you conquer all of those um you know past losses that you've had from them but also you are able to set yourself up in the best possible way because if you're taking care of your hardest game to win, that means everything else is easier from there. Obviously we see teams get upset all the time in college football, but point being, you know, that one kind of shows, okay, if we can win this game, why can't we win any of the others? Right?

So obviously K-State's one of the other big 12 favorites. They are one of the most consistent programs across the league. And even though they were nine and four last season, they easily could have had a better record. They were one in four in one score games. They easily could have won 10 or 11 games. Let's please not discuss the one game that they won in the one score games. They had a top 10 scoring offense a season ago that was built on running the

football and a really strong offensive line. They had a ton back on the offensive line a season ago, but interestingly enough, they only rank 106th this year in returning production according to pick six previews. Now part of that is because at the quarterback position, like Will Howard goes to Ohio State, Avery Johnson takes over. But it kind of sounds like Avery Johnson was going to be the starter anyway,

so I don't know how much that affects certain loss. He certainly has huge potential. But also there is a lower floor for what Avery Johnson could be to what Will Howard is. Like Will Howard, kind of a known commodity at this point like insane speed and running ability for avery johnson the question is going to be the passing i think he's going to be good but that's kind of a polarizing take around these parts nowadays um but yeah if he is if he does live up to the hype they'll be even better at that position if he doesn't and it takes a year to adjust or he's just not that good of a passer, then I don't know. Maybe there are some real questions about just how good they'll

end up being. But strong running backs too for K-State. DJ Giddens is a really good runner for them. Dylan Edwards they added from Colorado, former Derby kid who super speed at the running back position. That's a really good one too. Jace Brown is a really good receiver. They have an All-Mac transfer receiver in Dante Cephas. They did lose Phillip Brooks, who was kind of a KU killer. They did lose Ben Sinnott, who was kind of their top target at the tight end position. And then the offensive line lost a ton too. Cooper Beebe, who was kind of the leader

of that really good offensive line among three starters. But I do kind of feel like with that offensive line, like K-State always reloads on the offensive line. So that's one of those positions where it's like, you look at like LSU, like they lost two first round receivers after losing another first round receiver like a year or two before and losing another couple first round receivers a couple years before that you're

almost just like oh lsu will still have a good receiver this year maybe it's not as good as last year but like they'll still have it right yeah there's some programs where their positions you're just like oh they lost this player they'll be fine right you just almost it's like alabama in the next saving day is like oh they lost mark ingram they'll be fine derrick henry comes in it's like oh you lost derrick henry it'll be fine it's like oh tj yelled in. They lost Mark Ingram. They'll be fine. Derrick Henry comes in. He's like, ah, you lost Derrick Henry. It'll be fine. It's like, oh, TJ Yeldon. I don't know.

I might be mixing up the order. Anyway, you get my point. The defense for K-State should be one of the best, if not the best, in the Big 12. They ranked really well in past defense. They were 17th in the country in QB rating against last year, 27th in the country in points allowed per play. And now they rank 12th in the country in points allowed per play. And now they rank 12th in the country in returning production. They have eight returning starters, including five that are on one of Phil Steele's all

big 12 teams. And three are on the top two teams on pick six previews, each at a different level. So they've got a defensive lineman, a linebacker, and a defensive back there. Phil Steele also gives them the number one defensive backs in the conference, which I think that's probably maybe a bit controversial with Kansas and Kansas state, right? With KU, you got Kobe Bryant, Mello Dotson, Marvin Grant, and OJ Burrows, but Jacob Parrish is kind of their stud at the corner position. So what's going to be the key for KU in this game? Let's just get the obvious one out of the way.

No dumb crap, or maybe this goes into that same bucket, or it's a different bullet point altogether. Either way, no special teams mistakes. Wouldn't those be swell? Wouldn't those be nice? No dumb crap, no special teams mistakes. I think those kind of explain itself because that has kind of been the theme. Like it seems like every year KU plays K-State, K-State does something spectacular on special teams and KU does something tackular on specialty. I don't even know that that's a word, but you get what I'm saying. The other big key in this one, I'll be interested to see, like, do you spy Avery Johnson? Now,

part of this will be how is Avery Johnson throwing the football coming up to this point in time? Do you use an extra defender to spy him and try to stop the run here and there, right? Who does that end up being? Do you use an athletic linebacker? Do you use a guy like Marvin Grant? We've seen KU at times struggle against guys who are dual threat quarterbacks. So with the quarterback run and everything. So I think that kind of becomes interesting. The Jalen Daniels health is obviously, I mean, that's a storyline for each and every game, but I wanted to rebring it up in this one specifically because it is your biggest game because it's a little later in the season.

It's at the middle point of the season. And because we haven't really gotten to see a healthy Jalen Daniels against Kansas state. So he played against Kansas state in the 2021 season, but that was after Jason Bean got hurt and he gets thrust into the action. Then in 2022, it's his second game back, but we saw the Texas game where it just wasn't the same. And so it's not 100% Jalen Daniels. And then you get to last year and he obviously doesn't play in the game. He was injured at that point, right? So can we see a fully healthy Jalen Daniels in this series and how impactful would that be?

And then another key to this game, like Devin Neal takeover mode. We saw this in last year's game. Devin Neal tried to take over that game and did everything in his power to do so. He was unbelievable. He was willing Kansas to try to find a way to win. Unfortunately,

they still wound up on the bottom end because of some things that didn't go their way or some plays that they didn't make or some plays that K-State did make. But he did everything in his power, left it all in the field to win that game, as did many other players. But if he does that again, it gets you in the ballpark, and then you hope you have a healthy Jalen Daniels to maybe get you over the top there, right? So what's going to be their expected result in this one? This is kind of interesting. On ES espn fpi kansas is actually a one point favorite on a neutral site obviously the game is not on a neutral site is in manhattan which that could be worth three four or five points so i would almost assume k-state probably two and a half three three and a half point favorite in this

game again this is late enough in the season that enough could change with the records that it moves that around um but kind of tells you it'd be kind of a coin flip game, to say the least. Let's get to our corner room preview. I think it's the best position that KU has. We're going to talk about why, not just for now, but for the future on Locked on Jayhawks. This episode is brought to you by eBay Motors. Passion, drive, and patience. The formula for winning championships is also what keeps your ride or die alive.

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Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. eBay Guaranteed Fit, only available to U.S. customers. Thanks again for joining us on Locked on Jayhawks. Again, plenty more content coming out to you this week. If you're interested in one of the teams, we've talked about KU playing or I don't have another sport you're interested in. You can check that out all across our Locked on podcast network. We are wide. We are

diverse. We have all sorts of shows and check it out because we got a lot of other great hosts across the Locked On Podcast Network. Let's get to our cornerback room preview. I think this is KU's best position. You can make the argument that, okay, for top heaviness or who's the best player, you'd say it's Jalen Daniels. You could say it's Devin Neal, right? You could still argue corner with Kobe Bryant.

They'd all be in that discussion. But I think when you're talking really top to bottom, when you're talking now and future, this is the best position for KU. Because think about it. Like I said, if you're talking who's the best player on KU, that discussion is Jalen Daniels, Kobe Bryant, and Devin Neal, right? In some order. If you want to throw somebody else out there and get sexy with it, go for it. But like those three guys consistently, whoever you ask, like somebody might come up with a fourth guy, but those guys are getting brought up in that conversation consistently. So you have that top guy who's going to be an all big 12,

all American candidate. Mellow Dotson is your second corner. He's still an all big 12 candidate guy. I mean, he was a like 13 all American on, on one of the publications a season ago. As good as Daniel Hyshaw is his backup, right? As high as the potential is for like Isaiah Marshall as a backup, a quarterback as high as I seem to be on Harry Stewart coming

in. That's not your second guy is also all big 12. That's another level. And then when you look at the backups, it's a lot of youth. It's a lot of young players, although you do have Demaryius McGee, who is an upperclassman, but that's a former top 300 recruit, former LSU transfer. Like that's a lot of talent. And then outside of that, it's a lot of youth, but it's a lot of youth. It's a lot of young players, although you do have Demarius McGee, who is an upperclassman, but that's a former top 300 recruit, former LSU transfer. Like, that's a lot of talent. And then outside of that, it's a lot of youth, but it's a lot of really talented youth that could be coming together. So you got Kobe Bryant, Melo Dotson as the senior starters.

I mentioned Demarius McGee. He's a redshirt junior, and he seems to be making really big steps up this year. Then you got B.J. Dilworth, redshirt sophomore. He was somebody who was one of KU's highest graded recruits when he came into the program. Like, he could put it all together this year. Jameel Croft, redshirt freshman. He was somebody who was one of KU's highest graded recruits. When he came into the program, like he could put it all together this year. Jameel Croft, redshirt freshman, been very high on him. Jalen Todd, true freshman, very high on him.

You have Drake Gibson, who's a freshman. Austin Alexander is a freshman, both highly recruited guys. Jacoby Davis, highly recruited guy, redshirt freshman, right? You are loaded at this position, not just for this year, but I think for the future moving forward. And then you have the walk-ons too. Jameel Moore, freshman. Will Gavin, a redshirt junior. And Tyler Sukow, a redshirt junior.

So you look at this position, I think you feel good about it this year. I think even when Kobe and Melo depart after this season, when they graduate, obviously those are going to be huge holes or shoes to fill. And I don't know that you would expect KU to be as good at corner in 2025, but you still feel like it'll be a good position for KU, I guess is kind of my point. And that would still be with some guys who are probably starting as like sophomores next

season, which means you could be maybe just as good in 2026 or something like that. So biggest storyline here at this position, can Kobe or Mello take that jump from being a all big 12 first team player to being like a first team all Americanamerican you know can they take that jump uh of being a really good corner to being like considerably the best or winning the what is it the thorpe award for the db something like that right can one of them be like a first or second round draft pick because if like it's one thing for k you'd have good corner what they do if you have that special season for one of those guys we saw what that did with a keep to leave right um it's not everything but it's a lot of things and it does a lot for you so i think that's So if you have that special season for one of those guys, we saw what that did with Aqib Talib, right?

It's not everything, but it's a lot of things, and it does a lot for you. So I think that's kind of the big question here. You already feel great about those corners, but can they take that next step from great to, I guess, elite or whatever, however you want to kind of phrase that. And then who's going to fill out the two deep? Maybe most pertinently, who takes the Kalen Girvin role, which is kind of that third corner nickel fill-in.

Like Kobe got suspended a half for – I guess he missed a half and then suspended another half for the targeting call in the Illinois game. You had – I think Kobe get injured in the Oklahoma game the season before where he missed some time. I want to say Melo Dotson got hurt in one of the games last season, but I cannot remember off the top of my head which one it was. So, like, point being, there's going to be opportunities for somebody else to step up seems like it'll be Damaris McGee does he lock that down and then beyond that who's the fourth guy because then

you slide into the the previous third string role right and even to begin with like if you're the fourth and fifth corner you're gonna get on the field and there's a lot of young talented guys so like for my money right now I'm assuming Kobe and Mello those would be your starters I'd assume Damaris McGee is gonna be your third I feel like Jalen Todd and Jamil Croft would be your fourth, fifth. But it would not be crazy if it was Dilworth or Alexander or Gibson or Davis because all these guys are very talented even with their youth. So I think that'll be very interesting. And then when you go on top of that, it's like, well,

how does that set those up to be starters in 2025? Obviously, if Damaris McGee is the three this year as a redshirt junior, you expect him to be a starter as a redshirt senior come 2025. But who would be that other starter? It would be Jalen Todd. It would be Jamil Croft. It would be Andre Alexei, right? One of these guys, right?

So better or worse or the same to last year, I say better. This, to me, is the best position unit that KU has top to bottom and for the future. And you still have Kobe and Melo, but they could be even a little bit better than they were a season ago with another year under them. Yes, you could take Kalen Girvin, and Quinton Lassiter played solid roles for you as third and fourth corners.

But even though it's less experience at the third and fourth corners this year, I think there's more pure talent at the third and fourth corners this year for KU. And there's probably even deeper talent across those five, six, seven guys or however deep you want to go on this year's team. So I think this position is even better than it was a season ago when it was already a strength for you last season on the defense. That'll do it for this episode of Locked on Jayhawks. You can find our show anywhere you get your podcasts,

including on our YouTube page where you can like and subscribe to the show. We will be back on tomorrow's episode with an early preview of the KU Iowa State and KU BYU games. Plus we'll get to our offensive line preview, the big guys up front. That's always a fun one. So we'll do that on tomorrow's show and plenty more to come at you. Make sure you're finding all our shows, and we'll see you next time on Locked on Jayhawks.