Kansas topped by Oklahoma State, 48-28
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas was unable to solve a potent Oklahoma State offense, powered by a passing attack that tossed 312-of-568 total yards, as the Jayhawks fell on Homecoming to the Cowboys, 48-28, Saturday afternoon inside David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.
KU junior quarterback Carter Stanley made his first start of the 2018 season, throwing a 20-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Kwamie Lassiter II in the second quarter. With the touchdown pass, Stanley became the third KU quarterback to throw a touchdown this season.
The Jayhawks struggled to force punts in the first half as Oklahoma State scored on its first four possessions of the game, leading to a 24-7 advantage at halftime.
Kansas running back Pooka Williams Jr. added to his impressive freshman season as he opened the second half with a 60-yard touchdown run. Williams Jr.’s rush marked the eighth 20-yard or more rush by the rookie on the season, as KU trimmed the Oklahoma State lead to 24-14. Williams Jr. has now had a 40-yard or more rush in each game he has played as a Jayhawk.
Stanley added to his impressive outing as he tossed two touchdowns in the second half, the first to senior Steven Sims Jr. and the second to senior Jeremiah Booker as KU trimmed its deficit to 41-28 with 3:29 remaining in the game. Stanley finished the day with 247 yards passing and three touchdowns.
Senior linebacker Joe Dineen Jr. recorded a double-digit tackle performance for the sixth game in a row, after tallying eight solo tackles and two assisted tackles.
QUOTES
HEAD COACH DAVID BEATY // Complete David Beaty Quotes
Q. Coach, the big plays today and the chunk plays that Oklahoma State was able to get turned out to be pretty costly.
DAVID BEATY: The way the game was going, big plays really was the tale of the tape at the end of the day. We’re clawing back in the game offensively a little bit here and there. And then, you know, we’d give up a big play that we just simply haven’t seen that by our defense. That’s something we’re going to have to go back and really take a good look at and make sure that we’ve got our guys prepared for.
Q. A couple plays over the top. Was there anything you were seeing they were trying to take advantage of, especially early in the first half?
DAVID BEATY: I mean, I think that we gave up a couple of big plays last week against Baylor deep. I think maybe they saw that on tape, and we obviously didn’t do a good enough job adjusting to that. We did pick one of them off, which was good.
We have a couple young guys back there that I think are learning and growing a little bit. If there’s one positive thing, I’m watching Corione grow up right before our eyes and watching Clint coach the dog out of him and him really never really flinching. He’s back in there, he doesn’t look unconfident. So that was a positive.
We gave up — there was 15 passes that they threw today, and they had 312 yards. So it’s 20.2, I believe, per pass completion. Man, that number cannot happen. We have to be better than that. And they were pretty good. They connected on them today.
Q. On the flip side, Carter Stanley, what did you see in practice this week that allowed you to give him the nod and, obviously, go the distance today?
DAVID BEATY: We just felt like he was going to give us the best chance going into the game. I think his skill set fit us a little bit better with a very active defensive line and a blitz package that possessed some speed and allowed us to escape more than maybe we could have with Peyton.
We had a plan to put Peyton in the game, but the game just never really went in that direction.
KANSAS PLAYER QUOTES // Complete KU Player Quotes
ELMORE HEMPSTEAD JR. // JUNIOR CORNERBACK
On OSU throwing the ball deep and being able to adjust:
“Every day throughout practice this week, Coach has been telling us to play the top of the ball, play high to low.”
On getting more playing time and how he keeps himself ready for when he’s called into action:
“I stay ready. I practice like I’m a starter all the time so when my number’s called, I’m always ready to go.”
On what happens in the defensive backs’ room, as the group has lots of guys contributing, forcing turnovers. On if it’s become a competition and describing the bond of the group:
“We (have) got a lot of bonding going on. Everybody in that room is a brother. Everybody teaches everybody (else) how to play the position. Everybody is family and everybody wants to get playing time. Everybody likes getting to the ball and getting picks. We’re always watching videos and all the other college players. The DB (defensive back) room is one big family.”
CARTER STANLEY // JUNIOR QUARTERBACK
On staying ready for his first start of the season:
“I think for me, personally, it kind of dates back to high school. I didn’t start until my senior year, but my head coach did a good job of telling me to stay ready. Every single play of practice you have to be going through the reads, going through the operation. It has continued here at Kansas with Coach (David) Beaty and his staff. I try to follow every aspect of practice as if I am a starter. I just know you have to be ready.”
On him being the better QB matchup for today’s game:
“The coaches liked some stuff that they saw from Oklahoma State in previous weeks. They said that my game applies more to the specific game plan. It was a good week of preparation. I feel like it went by kind of fast for me, going from taking back-up reps to immediately to (taking) starting reps, but I’m proud of the way our guys prepared and I’m proud of the way we fought today.”
On the Jayhawks’ offense improving:
“We certainly did some things (well) out there. Personally, I know I can be a lot better. Especially in that first half, I feel like I left some plays out there. Everyone was locked in the whole time.”
COMPLETE OKLAHOMA STATE COACH AND PLAYER QUOTES
NOTABLES // Complete KU Postgame Notes
- Senior linebacker Joe Dineen Jr. finished with one TFL, which gives him three in the last two games and 38.0 in his career, two away from moving into a tie for second place all-time at Kansas.
- Junior safety Bryce Torneden broke his career-high in tackles, finishing with 11 on the afternoon. This comes one week after he tied his career-high against Baylor. He also broke his career-high in TFLs with two.
- Senior Steven Sims Jr. increased his career touchdown total to 17, which moves him into a tie for third place all-time at KU with Willie Vaughn and Bruce Adams.
- On the first drive of the third quarter, Williams Jr. broke free for a 60-yard touchdown run. His 60-yard touchdown run is the longest of his career
- Williams Jr.’s touchdown is the longest scoring run for the Jayhawks since Khalil Herbert broke a 67-yard rush against West Virginia in 2017 (Sept. 23).
- For the first time since 2015, the Jayhawks have three quarterbacks with a touchdown pass on the season with Peyton Bender, Miles Kendrick and Carter Stanley each recording one. Ryan Willis, Montell Cozart and Keaton Perry each threw touchdowns in 2015.
KEY PLAYS
- Junior quarterback Carter Stanley completed a pass for 20 yards to sophomore wide receiver Kwamie Lassiter II on second-and-8, putting KU on the board in the second quarter.
- Freshman running back Pooka Wiliams Jr. broke free for a 60-yard touchdown run as Kansas struck first in the second half.
- Junior cornerback Elmore Hempstead Jr. recorded his first-career interception and the eighth for the Jayhawk defense this season.
- On third-and-24, Stanley hit Williams Jr. on a screen pass, picking up 17 yards and setting up a 31-yard touchdown pass to Steven Sims Jr. on the following play.
UP NEXT
Kansas will travel to Morgantown, West Virginia to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers on Saturday, Oct. 6. KU-WVU will kick off at 11 a.m. (CT) at Milan Puskar Stadium, with a live broadcast on either ESPN2 or ESPNU.
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