Isaiah Marshall has been the starting quarterback for the Kansas football team for three games, and it has been quite a roller coaster for the young man. He looked good against Long Island but struggled mightily against Missouri the following week, despite a couple of spectacular plays.
The Arizona State game was a microcosm of the first two games. Marshall struggled in the first half, overthrowing receivers and failing to push the Jayhawks into the end zone. The second half, however, he displayed the talents that earned him the starting gig.
Kansas plays Middle Tennessee next weekend, on October 3. It is a game the Jayhawks must win, and Marshall needs to play well. He needs a good game, from start to finish, to give him and the team the confidence they will need going forward.
Isaiah Marshall and Kansas should have beaten Arizona State in the Union Jack Classic
If you just look at the surface stats for the Kansas game against the Sun Devils, you would think KU dominated that game. Statistically, they did. They won most of the statistical categories.
- First downs: Kansas, 22; Arizona State, 13
- Rushing yards: Kansas, 179; Arizona State, 133
- Passing yards: Kansas, 235; Arizona State, 95
- Total yards: Kansas, 414; Arizona State, 228
- Average per play: Kansas, 5.6; Arizona State, 3.5
Of course, the difference in the game was Kansas miscues. Two fumbles, an interception, a shanked punt deep in their own territory toward the end of the first half, and allowing the second-half opening kickoff to be returned.
KU lost the turnover battle 3-0, and that is not a recipe for success. Only one of those turnovers led to points for the Sun Devils. A second-half fumble by Dylan Edwards popped into the air right into the arms of a defensive lineman who rumbled 77 yards to the two-yard line. Three fluke plays led to all three of Arizona State's touchdowns. And none of them can be blamed on Isaiah Marshall.
In the first half, the KU offense sputtered. Three plays, four yards, punt. Eight plays, 43 yards, turnover on downs. Seven plays, 49 yards, lost fumble. Punt return for a touchdown. Three plays, six yards, punt. Three plays, two yards, punt. Three plays, six yards, shanked punt. That's the whole of the Kansas offense in the first half.
Despite giving up 14 points during a 34-second stretch at the end of the first half and the start of the second half, the Jayhawks moved the ball much better after the intermission. They started to move the ball downfield with more consistency. A fumble and an interception stopped two drives, but the offense looked better.
After three games, it is starting to become clear what Marshall does well. He shows much better accuracy when throwing to the mid- and deep-level routes when he's given time for those routes to develop. He has the arm strength to take some chances firing into tight windows.
Marshall is also a good runner when the play breaks down. He doesn't usually scramble too early, but he can pick up big yards when he is flushed from the pocket.
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He still struggles on short passes, and he has yet to develop much touch on any of his throws. Hopefully, those things will get better as he gains experience. Look for improvements in those areas against Middle Tennessee.
He also tends to be impatient on called runs and RPO calls when he carries the ball. He needs to let his blocking get out in front of him on those plays. Furthermore, he kept the ball on an option play when he should have pitched it out to the running back. Watching film and working with his coaches should help him develop more patience and make better decisions.
The second half of the game in London gave fans hope that Marshall will develop into a star quarterback for the Jayhawks. He's getting a lot of on-the-job training. The talent is there; it just needs polish and experience.
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