September 21, 2016

RCW: Inside Football 3.5

Get a quick look inside your favorite Kansas Jayhawk programs each week with Rock Chalk Weekly’s Inside Sports pages. Notable statistics, quick hits and the top social media posts get every Jayhawk fan up-to-speed and ready for another week of thrilling competition.
Football By the Numbers - 12 Number BY THE NUMBERS
Kansas has played a total of 12 true freshmen through the first three games of the 2016 season. Led by running back Khalil Herbert (one start) and offensive lineman Hakeem Adeniji (three starts), the young Jayhawks are making their presence felt on the field. Herbert led Kansas in all-purpose yards against Memphis with 109 (74 rushing, 35 receiving), while safety Mike Lee was one of KU’s top defenders versus the Tigers with four solo stops.

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Notes QUICK HITS

Freshman running back Khalil Herbert had an impressive performance at Memphis as he opened the Jayhawks’ third series with a career-long 35-yard reception from sophomore quarterback Ryan Willis. Herbert followed that up with a career-long 66-yard touchdown run on the Jayhawks’ third play of the second quarter to put KU on the board with 12:28 remaining in the first half. That rushing touchdown by Herbert was the longest rush by a Kansas freshman in the last 10 years with Todd Reesing setting the mark to beat at 63 in 2006 against Colorado (Oct. 28). The 66-yard rush was also the longest rush for the Jayhawks since Tony Pierson sprung loose for a 74-yard touchdown against Central Michigan in 2014 (Sept. 20).
The Kansas defense recorded 10.0 tackles-for-loss against Memphis, pushing its season total to 29, tying for the most in a three-game span since 2007 when the Jayhawks posted 38 tackles behind the line of scrimmage against Southeastern Louisiana (Sept. 8), Toledo (Sept. 15) and Florida International (Sept. 22). Kansas is currently averaging 9.2 TFLs per game, which ranks second in the Big 12 Conference and ninth in the NCAA.
As a compliment to the KU pass rush, the secondary has held its own as it is holding its opponents to a pass efficiency rating of just 99.07. The KU pass efficiency defense ranks second in the Big 12 and 18th in the NCAA. The Jayhawks are only giving up 135.0 yards per game through the air and are holding their foes to completing just 47.6 percent of their passes).