Kansas quarterback Isaiah Marshall gets bitter taste of reality vs. Missouri

Quarterback Isaiah Marshall will be a good quarterback for the Kansas football team at some point. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case Friday against the Missouri Tigers.

Marshall had a tough night against the Tigers, but fans still saw glimpses of what Marshall can be. One play stands out as Marshall was being chased toward the sideline. Right before he went out of bounds, he leaped, pirouetted in midair, and flung the ball downfield for an amazing completion. While the decision to throw that ball maybe wasn't the best choice because of the incredible unlikelihood of success, the mere fact he did complete the pass was astonishing.

The play looks so unbelievable that the officials initially ruled he was out of bounds, but upon further review, that call was overturned, and Marshall was awarded the completion.

Despite his struggles throughout the game, this throw by Marshall shows just how strong his arm is and what an exciting quarterback he is. Once he grows into the role, he will be terrific for the Jayhawks.

Breaking down the rough game for Kansas quarterback Isaiah Marshall

Marshall's stats from Friday paint a picture of inefficiency. He completed just 13 of his 30 pass attempts (43.3 percent) with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also ran the ball 20 times for 23 yards. This last number is a bit misleading because for whatever reason, in college, sack yards are counted as yards lost rushing. Marshall was sacked four times.

KU's issues running the ball are another conversation, but the Jayhawks must figure out how to be more effective on the ground if they want to be successful in the Big 12.

“Inconsistent” was the word head coach Lance Leipold used to describe Marshall's performance on Friday, and that is being generous. Marshall was inaccurate off and on throughout the game, especially early. He overthrew receivers by several feet in the first half. It is almost certain that some of his accuracy issues could have been due to nerves and the crazy amount of hype surrounding the game against Missouri there was locally.

Still, he also missed other open receivers badly throughout the game, and not just high. He didn't seem to be getting his feet set and launched several balls while off balance. His offensive line was having its own problems, failing to contain the Tigers' pass rush, especially on the edge. Marshall often lacked time to get his feet under him and properly step into throws.

Marshall does usually throw a pretty ball with plenty of arm strength. There is no doubt he can sling the ball. He just needs to do a better job controlling his throws. With experience, he should learn how to apply some touch on certain passes that will make him more effective.

Then there were turnovers. One of his two interceptions was all on him. His receiver went up and caught the ball off the defender's helmet, then allowed the Tiger defensive player to wrench the ball away from him as they were coming down. This play could just as well have been a terriifc catch by the Jayhawks and put them inside the 10-yard line.

Just after the half, on back-to-back offensive plays, Marshall didn't see a linebacker dropping back into coverage and didn't get the pass over him. This set up a quick Missouri score. On the next Kansas play, Marshall fumbled the ball on a run. The (late) call on the field was a fumble, and there was no clear video to overturn the call. If he had been ruled down before the fumble, that couldn't have been turned over either. That turnover quickly turned into seven more points for Missouri.

Two of the three turnovers very well could have gone the other way, but still, Marshall needs to be more careful with the ball. When things aren't going well, those turnovers can bury a team, and that is what happened Friday.

Marshall is going to improve. There isn't much doubt. You can see the talent; he just needs the experience to learn how best to use it. Friday's game was a harsh reality but he if he learns from it, maybe he can move forward in his development.

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