Kansas’ Offensive Line Faces Questions After Arizona State Loss
Kansas entered its matchup with Arizona State looking to establish consistency on offense, but the Jayhawks left London with more questions than answers after a 24-17 loss to the Sun Devils.
While Kansas finished the game with 414 total yards, the offense struggled to consistently stay on schedule. The Jayhawks produced 235 passing yards and 179 rushing yards, but several stalled drives kept Kansas from taking advantage of opportunities against Arizona State.
The offensive line will be one area Kansas needs to evaluate during its bye week.
Quarterback Isaiah Marshall completed 17 of 33 passes for 235 yards and a touchdown, but he also faced pressure throughout the game. Arizona State was able to make Marshall uncomfortable at important moments, including a third-quarter sequence when he was hurried on consecutive plays.
That pressure became particularly important as Kansas attempted to overcome a 24-7 deficit in the second half.
Marshall has shown that he can make plays outside of structure, but asking the quarterback to consistently create under pressure can make things more difficult for an offense. The offensive line will need to find ways to give him more time as the season continues.
Kansas also had difficulty creating consistent running lanes, although Dylan Edwards still finished with 89 rushing yards. The Jayhawks averaged roughly 4.8 yards per rushing attempt, showing that the running game was capable of producing positive plays but struggled to consistently become a major factor.
The offensive line's performance becomes even more important because Kansas has a quarterback capable of making explosive plays and skill-position players who can turn short opportunities into big gains.
Tate Nagy provided another example of that against Arizona State. After returning a punt 72 yards for a touchdown, Nagy later caught a 38-yard touchdown pass from Marshall. Those explosive plays helped keep Kansas within striking distance despite the offensive struggles.
However, Kansas cannot depend on special teams and explosive plays every week.
The Jayhawks also went just 6-for-16 on third down and 0-for-3 on fourth down. Those numbers reflect problems throughout the offense, but improving protection and creating more manageable situations could help Kansas become more efficient on those downs.
Kansas now has an opportunity to use the bye week to address those issues before returning to action against Middle Tennessee on Oct. 3.
The offensive line does not need to completely reinvent itself. Instead, Kansas needs to become more consistent in protection, establish the running game and give Marshall enough time to make plays.
With the season still in its early stages, how the offensive line responds during the bye week could play a major role in determining how Kansas’ offense develops moving forward.
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Jimmy Adeniran is a contributor to JayhawksROUNDTABLE. He can be reached at [email protected]
