Kansas football: 3 causes for concern 3 reasons for optimism for Jayhawks

Kansas football: 3 causes for concern, 3 reasons for optimism moving forward for Jayhawks

AUSTIN, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 30: Head coach Steve Sarkisian of the Texas Longhorns talks with head coach Lance Leipold of the Kansas Jayhawks before the game at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 30, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

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Sep 1, 2023; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks running back Devin Neal (4) runs for touchdown during the second half against the Missouri State Bears at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 2 Reason for Optimism: Run game was respectable against a top five D-line in CFB

I know I mentioned that the offensive line performed poorly in an earlier slide, but the running back tandem of Devin Neal and Daniel Hishaw Jr. did pretty well considering the circumstances. There was virtually no threat in the passing game, so Texas kept stacking the box, yet they were able to break off a couple of nice runs.

Neal carried eight times for 45 yards, including a 26-yard rush. He didn’t play most of the second half because Hishaw was a much better fit against a strong Texas defensive front. Hishaw carried the ball eight times for 44 yards and even picked up Jason Bean’s fumble for a touchdown.

Ultimately, the run game will always be the strength of this team. The question is whether the offense can get it going through the air, and without Jalon Daniels, there is no definitive answer.

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