Kansas football ready for tough Redhawks linebackers

LAWRENCE, KS - SEPTEMBER 12: Head coach David Beaty of the Kansas Jayhawks watches from the sidelines during the game against the Memphis Tigers at Memorial Stadium on September 12, 2015 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
LAWRENCE, KS - SEPTEMBER 12: Head coach David Beaty of the Kansas Jayhawks watches from the sidelines during the game against the Memphis Tigers at Memorial Stadium on September 12, 2015 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Kansas football team opens the season Saturday night against Southeast Missouri State. The Jayhawks offense will face a stingy group of Redhawk linebackers.

David Beaty’s Kansas Jayhawks are set to open the football season with a new offensive coordinator on Saturday night at Memorial Stadium. Fans can’t wait to see what Doug Meacham’s Air-Raid offense can do and who will get the start at Quarterback. The Jayhawks face a tough group of Redhawk linebackers.

According to the Southeast Missouri State Athletic Department, the Redhawk linebackers include two with NFL talent. Chad Meredith and Kendall Donnerson headline a group of 16 at the position in their 3-4 defense.  They may need 16 to keep up with the speed of play expected from the Kansas football offense.

“Man, were gonna move fast,” Beaty said during a media briefing Tuesday. “Meacham doesn’t have some magic potion” But the Jayhawk offensive line is expected in top condition to run the Air-Raid offense. Beaty has a lot of praise for the 2017 Jayhawk offensive line.

The whole offensive line, they’re just better, look more mature, they move better. and are bigger. That’s great news because in 2015, The Redhawks sacked the quarterback 31 times- second in the Ohio Valley Conference. They had only 17 sacks last season with Meredith and Donnerson accounting for eight.

More from Through the Phog

As a matter of fact, in their only other meeting, the Jayhawks beat the Redhawks 34-28 in September 2014. On the other hand, the final score says little about what really happened.  Kansas led 34-7 and gave up 21 fourth quarter points. It was the next to last win for then head coach Charlie Weis.