Kansas Heads Back to Texas for Conference Road Test at Baylor

Bowen Quotes (.pdf) | Notes

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas travels back to Texas Saturday, Nov. 1, for a conference road test against No. 12/12 Baylor at the brand new McLaned Stadium in Waco. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m., with a live broadcast on FOX Sports 1.
 
QUICK HITS

  • Kansas owns a 578-594-58 all-time record entering Saturday’s game versus Baylor.
  • Kansas is playing its seventh-straight mid-afternoon game. The Jayhawks kicked off at Duke and Texas Tech and at home against Central Michigan at 2:30 p.m. (CT) and faced Texas, West Virginia and Oklahoma State at 3 p.m.
  • Kansas is looking to snap several long streaks when it travels to Baylor. KU has lost 27-consecutive true road games and 30 games away from Lawrence overall. Kansas’ last road win came at UTEP on Sept. 12, 2009. The Jayhawks have not won a Big 12 Conference road game since defeating Iowa State, 35-33, on Oct. 4, 2008, a span of 23 true road games and 26 overall Big 12 games outside of Memorial Stadium.

 
THIS DAY IN KANSAS FOOTBALL HISTORY
Kansas is 10-8 all-time in games played on Nov. 1. The Jayhawks played their first-ever game on Nov. 1 in 1892 when they defeated Illinois in the program’s first game played at McCook Field. Kansas defeated the Illini, 26-4, in the 1892 game. KU is 7-0 on Nov. 1 when taking on in-state rival Kansas State, including a 51-21 win over the Wildcats on Nov. 1, 2008–its most recent game played on the first day of November.
 
KANSAS-BAYLOR CONNECTIONS
Kansas and Baylor both heavily recruit the state of Texas with a combined 120 players (KU 24) (BU 96) coming from the Lone Star state. Baylor linebackers coach Jim Gush is very familiar with the state of Kansas after supervising the linebackers at Kansas State from 1999-2001. Prior to that Gush spent 12 seasons, three as a head coach and nine as the defensive coordinator, leading the Garden City Community College Bronco Busters to national recognition after a 29-7 record as the Busters’ head coach. Gush also spent six seasons at Southern Methodist University as its defensive coordinator from 2002-07. Along with Gush, Baylor’s defensive coordinator Phil Bennett was the head coach at SMU from 2002-07 and mentored current Kansas safeties coach Scott Vestal. Vestal was at SMU from 2003-06, serving as a graduate assistant for the defense from 2005-06. Bennett commanded the Kansas State defense from 1999-2001. The Jayhawks got the best of Bennett while he was the defensive coordinator at TCU in 1997, KU claimed a 17-10 victory in Lawrence on Sept. 6, 1997. Out of all of the players on the KU and BU rosters who are from the state of Texas, only two attended the same high school. Baylor’s quarterback Seth Russell and KU’s defensive lineman Lay’Trion Jones both attended Garland High School and BU’s offensive lineman Desmine Hilliard and KU cornerback Derrick Neal went to Lincoln High School in Dallas. 
 
SCOUTING THE BAYLOR OFFENSE
Baylor bolsters a potent offensive system that is averaging 6.5 yards per play and in total has racked up 4,053 yards on 620 plays scoring 60 or more points in 3-of-7 games including one 70-point performance. The Bears are averaging 49.0 points per outing and have moved the chains a total of 205 times. Baylor uses a balanced philosophy to move the ball down the field evidenced by rushing for 96 first downs and throwing for 93 first downs. BU is averaging 229.1 yards on the ground and in total has rushed for 21 touchdowns and 1,604 yards on 344 attempts, breaking down to a 4.7 yards per rush average. The aerial assault has amassed 2,249 yards – 349.9 per game – completing 154 passes on 276 tries with only four interceptions compared to 24 touchdowns. Opponents have a tough time getting the offense off of the field on third-down as BU converts 42 percent of the time on third-down. The offensive prowess has scored 45 touchdowns on the year, while in comparison, the Bears have scored more offensive touchdowns than they have attempted punts and field goals combined. The Bears jump out on opponents early, scoring 117 points in the first quarter of games this season. BU’s leading rusher is Shock Linwood, who has ran 140 times for 696 yards and nine touchdowns. Quarterback Bryce Petty has completed 117-of-214 passes with only three interceptions for 1,757 yards and 17 touchdowns. Baylor’s leading receiver is KD Cannon who has caught 31 passes for 661 yards and six touchdowns.       
 
SCOUTING THE BAYLOR DEFENSE
The Baylor defense is giving up 23 points per game and has given up 127 first downs on the season. Opponents have moved the sticks 43 times by rush and 58 times through the air. BU’s defense has only given up 10 rushing touchdowns on 270 attempts that have gone for 783 yards, a 2.9 yard-per-carry average. Through the air, BU has given up 1,494 yards after opponents have averaged 213.4 yards passing and completed 125 passes on 248 attempts for eight touchdowns while the Bears have picked off six passes. Baylor is surrendering 4.4 yards per play and 325.3 yards per game on 516 opponent offensive plays this season.  Baylor’s defense gets off of the field 68 percent of the time after forcing a fourth down 81 out of 120 times this year. In all, opponents have only scored 20 total touchdowns on the Bears this year. In the red zone, teams have put points on the board 16 out of 17 times while teams’ highest scoring quarter has been the fourth and final period where they have scored 49 points. Individually, linebacker Bryce Hager has totaled a team-high 55 tackles. Six of his tackles have been behind the line of scrimmage and has forced two fumbles. Safety Orion Stewart has tied the team-lead with three interceptions, while cornerback Xavien Howard has also intercepted three passes, he leads the team with 11 pass breakups. Defensive end Shawn Oakman has totaled 28 tackles, but 10.5 of those total tackles have been behind the line of scrimmage with five of them being sacks.   
 
BAYLOR HEAD COACH ART BRILES
Baylor Head Coach Art Briles became the 25th head football coach at Baylor University on Nov. 28, 2007 and has been the headliner of a new era of fast-paced offenses in the Big 12 Conference. Briles led the Bears to a conference title in 2013 and in doing so was a finalist for five national coach of the year awards. During his time at BU, Briles has won two bowl games and was the 2013 consensus Big 12 Coach of the Year. In 2013, Briles engineered a record-breaking offense that set or tied 106 school records and led the Bears to a school-record fourth-consecutive bowl berth. The 2013 offense shattered the NCAA record for points scored (681, 52.4/game) and led the nation in total offense at 618.8 yards-per-game. Last season Briles led a team that garnered five All-Americans (offensive lineman Cyril Richardson, safety Ahmad Dixon, receiver Antwan Goodley, quarterback Bryce Petty and punter Spencer Roth) and an additional 14 players that earned All-Big 12 honors, including Maxwell and Doak Walker Award semifinalist Lache Seastrunk. Briles’ unique coaching skill set falls into the category of elite quarterbacks evidenced by the highly successful collegiate passers he has mentored, including Robert Griffin III (Heisman Trophy winner Baylor/Redskins), Case Keenum (Houston/Texans), Kevin Kolb (Houston/Eagles) and Kliff Kingsbury?(Texas Tech/Jets). As the head man at Houston from 2003-07, Briles posted a 34-28 record with the Cougars and guided them to four bowl games. He ranks as the program’s third-winningest head coach. Briles was a former Texas High School Coaches Association president and has spent his entire coaching career in the state of Texas.
 
KANSAS-TEXAS TECH LEFTOVERS
TEAM NOTES

  • With 31 seconds left in the first half, junior quarterback Michael Cummings found senior wide receiver Justin McCay for a 16-yard touchdown reception to make the score 17-7, marking the first time KU has scored in the second quarter of a game this season.
  • When senior BUCK Michael Reynolds forced a Texas Tech fumble midway through the third quarter resulting in a touchdown pass from Cummings, that marked the most points KU has scored off of turnovers this season with 14 points on two touchdowns. KU had previously scored two touchdowns and two field goals, each happening in a separate game, in six games off of opponent
  • turnovers in 2014.
  • After a pass completion in the fourth quarter giving Kansas 204 pass yards against Texas Tech, KU had surpassed 200 yards through the air for the second-consecutive game, a feat which was last accomplished in back-to-back games against Louisiana Tech and Texas Tech on Sept. 21 and Oct. 5, 2013.
  • With 9:53 to play in the game Texas Tech forced and recovered a fumble on a KU run play, the first time Kansas has lost a fumble this season. The lost fumble was the first of 11 fumbles on 639 combined touches on offense and special teams in 2014.

 
OFFENSIVE NOTES

  • Cummings’ two touchdown tosses gave him the first multi-passing touchdown performance of his career.
  • Cummings’ touchdown pass to McCay with 31 seconds left in the second quarter gave Cummings his fifth-career touchdown toss and McCay his third-career scoring reception.
  • After a fumble recovery, KU took two plays to go the distance of 27 yards after Cummings threw his second touchdown of the day to senior tight end Jimmay Mundine with 8:34 to go in the third quarter. Mundine’s 21-yard catch trimmed Texas Tech’s lead 20-14.
  • Cummings also ran for a touchdown with three seconds to play in the third quarter making the score 27-21 in favor of TTU. The run gave Cummings a rushing touchdown in two-straight games and was his second of the season.
  • Mundine finished the game with a career-best seven receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown. The seven receptions, marks the third time in seven games he has caught five or more passes.
  • Freshman tight end Ben Johnson tied his career-high with two receptions and set a new career mark with 25 receiving yards.

 
DEFENSIVE NOTES

  • With 14:17 left to play in the first half senior linebacker Ben Heeney had already totaled 10 tackles, marking the second-consecutive week Heeney had recorded 10 or more stops in the first half alone. Heeney completed the first half one tackle short of his career-high, logging 14 total stops in the first half of action. The mid-season All-American reached the 16th double-digit tackling performance of his career against Texas Tech finishing the game with a career-high 21 tackles.
  • Heeney’s 21 stops are the most by a Jayhawk since LeRoy Irvin, Sr., tallied 21 against Missouri Nov. 22, 1979.
  • Heeney’s 21 tackles was also the most by an individual in a game this season in the Big 12 Conference.
  • Heeney also intercepted his first pass of the year with 2:52 to play in the first half and returned it 37 yards to the Texas Tech 39-yard line.
  • Reynolds registered a sack and simultaneously forced a fumble for the second-consecutive week with 9:17 remaining in the third quarter. The fumble was the fifth forced by Reynolds in his career and his third of the season. The ball was recovered by senior BUCK Victor Simmons at the Texas Tech 27-yard line

 
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES

  • Senior punter Trevor Pardula averaged 45.0 yards on six punts giving him 45 career punts of 50-yards or more in just his second season as a Jayhawk.
  • With 9:57 to play in the second quarter, senior wide receiver Justin McCay forced the first fumble of his career on a punt which was recovered by the Red Raiders at their own 10-yard line for a loss of 10 yards. 

 
CAPTAIN HEENEY DOES IT AGAIN…AND AGAIN…AND AGAIN…
Ben Heeney led all FBS players on Saturday, Oct. 18 with a career-best 21 tackles in KU’s game at Texas Tech. Heeney’s 21 tackles are the most by any player in the Big 12 in 2014 and are the second most by any player in the NCAA this season. Heeney’s 21 total tackles are the most by a Big 12 player since Baylor’s Sam Holl posted 21 tackles against Kansas on Nov. 12, 2011. His 21 tackles are the most for a Kansas player since LeRoy Irvin, Sr., posted 21 stops against Missouri on Nov. 22, 1979. Among Heeney’s 21 stops, were 17 solo tackles—just three short of the FBS record of 20 in a game. His 17 solo stops are the second most in Big 12 history and are the most in the NCAA in a single game since Tyler Matakevich of Temple recorded 19 solos against Idaho on Sept. 28, 2013. Heeney was so dominant on defense against Texas Tech, at one point in the first quarter, he made tackles on 7-of-9 plays, spanning two defensive series. The other two plays resulted in incomplete passes for the Red Raiders. In addition to his 21 tackles, Heeney also snagged his first interception of the season, returning it 37 yards to set up Kansas’ first touchdown of the game. Heeney now has four career interceptions. As of Saturday, Oct. 25, Heeney ranks first in the NCAA and Big 12 in solo tackles (8.3 per game). He ranks first in the Big 12 and fourth in the NCAA in tackles per game (12.0 per game).
 
MUNDINE MOVES THE CHAINS
Kansas tight end Jimmay Mundine is having a strong senior season as he is tops among KU pass catchers and ranks first in the Big 12 among tight ends in receiving yards with 294 on 23 receptions. Mundine has made the most of his opportunities as a receiver as he has consistently moved the chains for the Jayhawk offense. Of his 23 catches, 16 have resulted in first downs for Kansas. For his efforts, Mundine was recently named to Phil Steele Magazine’s Midseason First Team All-Big 12 and was also listed on the John Mackey Award Midseason Watch List.
 
HARWELL MAKES IT COUNT
Senior wide receiver Nick Harwell has been a model of consistency throughout his career. Harwell, who spent his first three collegiate campaigns at Miami (Ohio), has caught a pass in 38 of the 40 games he has suited up in from 2010-2014. Even more impressive is that the Missouri City, Texas native has caught a pass in 37-consecutive games, a streak that ranks fourth among active players in the NCAA. The following is the list of top 10 players with receptions in 30 or more-straight games:
 

Player School Games
1. Dominic Rufran Wyoming 45
2. Matt Miller Boise State 44
3. Justin Hardy East Carolina 43
4. Nick Harwell Kansas 37
5. Rashad Greene Florida State 36
Jordan Leslie BYU 36
Tyler Lockett Kansas State 36
8. Jamison Crowder Duke 35
Josh Harper Freshno State 35
Tommy Shuler Marshall 35

REYNOLDS WRAP
KU senior BUCK Michael Reynolds has been on a tear lately, disrupting opposing offenses with his pass rushing ability. Reynolds, who has a team-leading 10.5 tackles-for-loss, has recorded 5.0 of those TFLs during the past two outings. The Wichita, Kansas native has recorded a sack-caused-fumble in each of the last two contests and tallied 9.0 of his 10.5 TFLs in Big 12 play. Reynolds has collected all of his team-leading 5.0 sacks in the last five games, including 2.0 sacks against Oklahoma State (Oct. 11). He ranks third in the Big 12 and 11th in the NCAA in TFLs (1.5 per game) and fourth in the conference and 32nd nationally in sacks (0.71 per game). Additionally, Reynolds leads the Big 12 and ranks seventh in the NCAA with his 0.43 forced fumbles per game.  
 
UP NEXT
Kansas football will host Iowa State for a 2:30 p.m., game on Saturday, Nov. 8. The game will be televised on FOX Sports Net (FSN), the Jayhawks’ fourth appearance on FSN in 2014. Kansas leads the all-time series with Iowa State, 49-38-6, including a 27-16-3 mark in games played in Lawrence. The Cyclones have won four-straight games in the series, with KU’s last win by way of a 41-36 victory in Lawrence on Oct. 10, 2009.
 
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