Stanley solid at QB as Jayhawks still stumbling
While improvement is possible to spot for Kansas, including a fine performance by junior Carter Stanley in his first start of the season at quarterback, the Jayhawks continue to watch their Big 12 losing streak grow.
They suffered a 12th consecutive conference defeat in a 48-28 home setback against Oklahoma State on Sept. 29. Kansas (2-3, 0-2 Big 12) will not return to their own stadium, where only 18,364 showed up for homecoming against the Cowboys, until the end of the month. A trip awaits on Saturday to No. 9 West Virginia (4-0, 2-0).
“We’ve just got to score,” wide receiver Steven Sims said of a slow start by the Jayhawks against Oklahoma State. “First drive of the game, we have to put up points. We’ve got to go answer just to keep the momentum balanced, so we don’t put ourselves in a hole or deflate our defense, keep them on the field tired early.”
Maybe, though the Kansas defense was just as culpable in the Oklahoma State loss, allowing scores on each of the Cowboys’ first four possessions and allowing their primary running back, Justice Hill, to hammer for 189 yards on a season-high 31 carries.
Obviously, the Oklahoma State staff noticed deficiencies in Kansas’ run-stopping capabilities, despite the presence of the nation’s leading tackler, linebacker Joe Dineen, and one of the Big 12’s top interior linemen, tackle Daniel Wise.
The brute strength Oklahoma State used to gain command will be a blueprint for other Big 12 quarterbacks and makes any potentially promising change at quarterback a mere formality.
Stanley seemed like a logical choice in fall camp, simply because he is much more mobile than Peyton Bender, a Washington State transfer the Kansas staff believes in strongly. Stanley completed 24 of 32 passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions. Included were 10 strikes to Sims, a career-best for the Jayhawks’ most versatile receiver.
Leading up to the Oklahoma State matchup, Stanley had played sparingly as the Jayhawks stuck with Bender as their starter while using backup Miles Kendrick in situational roles. Kendrick, however, is bothered by an injury, presumably leading to reps for Stanley.
Unless you ask Beaty.
“I don’t look at it like you do,” said the fourth-year coach, whose record now stands at 5-36. “No disrespect, but I don’t look at it as one, two and three. I know maybe that’s semantics, but Carter’s skill set fit what we needed and we trusted him because he’s prepared well. And it wasn’t anything against Peyton. He’s prepared well too.”
Sounds like a week-by-week decision then, based on the opposition Kansas faces.
“You’re not going to bait me into that right now, brother,” Beaty said, bristling. “Listen, I have to look at the tape. I mean, we’re not talking about the quarterback, so no more questions about that. Let’s go to something else.”
Move elsewhere and there’s a strong likelihood that, again, dialogue will center on yet another mismatch the Jayhawks must solve. Particularly with West Virginia up next and the Mountaineers rolling behind quarterback Will Grier, a Heisman Trophy hopeful.
If there was a positive to the Oklahoma State loss, it was that the Jayhawks did not cave and Stanley capably led the team for four quarters without making any glaring issues.
Yet that wasn’t something Beaty wanted to discuss. Instead, he was looking forward to Kendrick’s return.
“Hopefully, we’ll get Miles and we’ll have a full room of competition,” he said.
