Kansas Jayhawks 2015 College Football Preview
Written by Charlie Beuttel
Head Coach: David Beaty, 1st season
Conference: Big 12
2014: 3-9 (1-8 in Big 12)
Location: Lawrence, Kansas
Overview
David Beaty was hired on December 5, 2014 to rebuild the Kansas Jayhawks program. Coach Beaty was previously working at Texas A&M as their wide receiver coach and recruiting coordinator and had two previous stints as assistant coach at Kansas in 2008-2009 and 2011. Rebuilding the Jayhawks football program is a monumental task as there are only 65 scholarship players on the roster but Coach Beaty is the man for the job.
Coach Beaty and new offensive coordinator Rob Likens will implement a new air-raid offense at Kansas this season so the offense will definitely be more exciting. Junior Montell Cozart has won the starting quarterback job and should have a decent year in this new offense.
Another weapon in Coach Beaty’s arsenal is his recruiting ability especially in Texas. Four out of the nine class of 2016 recruits verbally committed to Kansas call Texas home so the future is bright in Lawrence but Jayhawk fans should be patient in the process.
Some key games for the Jayhawks in 2015 include their opener against South Dakota State as they will look to start the season on a high note and an Oct. 3 road game at Iowa State. This is really the only conference game where Kansas has a chance of winning. If Beaty can pull off the road win it will be the Jayhawks first road game win since 2009.
Offense
The Jayhawks averaged 17.8 points per game in 2014 but should score a lot more points in 2015. Junior Montell Cozart (6’2”, 193) will be the field general of this new offense and has his eyes set on having a monster junior season. Cozart has started eight games in his first two seasons in Lawrence and threw for 701 yards and five touchdowns in 2014.
Seniors De’Andre Mann (5’9”, 200) and Taylor Cox (5’11”, 206) will be two reliable running backs that the Jayhawks can lean on to produce in 2015. Mann finished 2014 with 399 rushing yards.
Senior Tre’ Parmalee is the most experienced returning wide receiver despite being limited to six games in 2014 due to an injury. Senior offensive tackle Jordan Shelley-Smith (6’5”, 296) will be the leader of the offensive line. Junior college transfer Ke’aun Kinner (5’9”, 186) will be another offensive weapon the Jayhawks will utilize in their new offense.
Defense
Kansas’ defense gave up a whopping 33.3 points per game a year ago. Unfortunately, the Jayhawks will once again struggle to contain opposing offenses in 2015. The leader of the defensive line will senior defensive end Ben Goodman, Jr. (6’3”, 253). Goodman started all 12 games in 2014 and had one sack and one fumble recovery.
The linebackers lack depth but will be led by junior Courtney Arnick (6’2”, 210) and his 45 tackles from a year ago. The Jayhawks will have a brand new secondary in 2015 including two junior college newcomers, Brandon Stewart and Bazie Bates, who will play quality minutes. Stewart (6’0”, 171) recorded 52 tackles and had three interceptions while Bates (6’1”, 189) had 26 tackles last season at Trinity Valley Community College. The Jayhawks will need to rely on the production from these players to improve from their horrific 2014 defensive performance.
Schedule
9/5 South Dakota State @ Kansas
9/12 Memphis @ Kansas
9/19 Open Date
9/26 Kansas @ Rutgers
10/3 Kansas @ Iowa State
10/10 Baylor @ Kansas
10/17 Texas Tech @ Kansas
10/24 Kansas @ Oklahoma State
11/7 Kansas @ Texas
11/14 Kansas @ TCU
11/21 West Virginia @ Kansas
11/28 Kansas State @ Kansas
Photo credit: cjonline.com; Kansas quarterback Montell Cozart