Kansas Jayhawks football is clearly in a better spot than they were prior to Lance Leipold taking over as head coach in 2021. KU has gone to two bowl games (winning one) and has been ranked as high as 19th in the AP Poll, but Leipold’s questionable decision-making at the end of games continues to be an issue. This was showcased on national television against Missouri.
Kansas got off to a hot start in the game, pummeling Mizzou in the first quarter, going up 21-6 and delivering two offensive TDs, as well as a defensive TD. Unfortunately, the Tigers stormed back and recorded their biggest comeback victory since 2016, winning the Border Showdown 42-31. It was how the Jayhawks let the game slip away that was most frustrating however.
As many predicted earlier this week, this game was a back-and-forth contest and a close game until the final minutes, but the key play came with 2:54 left in the 4th quarter, when QB Jalon Daniels had a great pass to Emmanuel Henderson Jr., but the WR dropped it. Many KU fans screamed for Leipold to go for it on 4th down, but the Jayhawks’ coach did not oblige.
Instead, Kansas punted. The issue is that KU’s defense looked squishy and shaky, unable to get off the field, for much of the game. Missouri ended the game with an impressive 588 yards (compared to KU’s 226 yards). Unsurprisingly, this passive playcalling backfired, and the Tigers not only converted multiple first downs but even broke off a long run for a TD, effectively ending the game.
Is Leipold’s time in Lawrence with the Jayhawks beginning to sour?
It is hard to be overly critical of Leipold after turning this program around, but it certainly does feel like he has hit a bit of a wall with Kansas last season and this season. The passive playcalling and poor game-clock management at the end of games continue to burden the team, and history shows that these decisions are becoming more and more of a trend.
Is the coach the one to blame solely? Of course not, but Kansas’ defense continues to look unprepared and soft against good teams, allowing 42 points against Missouri in this case. Additionally, Jalon Daniels still has 1-2 boneheaded plays each game that an experienced coach and 6th-year senior QB should have eliminated by now.
It will be interesting to see how Leipold changes his strategy and aggressiveness/passiveness moving forward, but it’s hard to be optimistic entering the bye week before Big 12 play. The running game looked non-existent for most of the game, the defense was on the field for nearly 40 minutes today for a variety of reasons, and Leipold and KU have some soul-searching to do.
The Jayhawks face off with West Virginia on September 20th, following their bye week. WVU is another team that had a disappointing loss this week, losing to Ohio 17-10, so it may be a great opportunity for the Crimson and Blue to bounce back in a big way.