Kansas and Kansas State will square off this weekend in the Sunflower Showdown, one of the most heated rivalries in the Big 12.
However, Kansas coach Lance Leipold is tempering the hype surrounding this matchup. While he recognizes the significance of the K-State rivalry, Leipold says the goal should remain the same across the board.
"Guys know it's a rival game and why," Leipold said in his Kansas State pregame interview. "Whether a guy just got here six months ago, four months ago, or six years ago. But does that mean they’re not fired up for other games or prepared for other games? If I was a baseball player, do I try to hit the ball harder than [usual]? You have a routine of trying to do your job, and you should be at your fullest each and every snap, no matter who you're playing against."
Leipold does, however, recognize the significance of this matchup in relation to its position on the schedule. The Jayhawks need to bounce back after dropping to Texas Tech in significant fashion.
"I do hope that there’s an extra sense of urgency and attention to detail and some things that hopefully are more purposeful and intentional as we go through the game like this," Leipold said. "We've gotta be able to play and play well for 60 minutes."
KANSAS'S LANCE LEIPOLD RECOGNIZES THREAT KANSAS STATE POSES
Kansas coach Lance Leipold knows the importance of this next matchup.
The Kansas-Kansas State rivalry is among the fiercest in the conference, and Leipold is aware of the threat that the Wildcats pose despite their weak record.
"What I see is a team that's kinda been snakebitten in some of this thing of how they've gone about a lot of close games," Leipold said in his Kansas State pregame interview. "They lose probably their most dynamic player on the first punt of the year, and Dylan's been in and out of games. He's so dynamic, and you can see it when he's healthy."
Leipold highlighted Kansas State's Big Three of wide receiver Jayce Brown, quarterback Avery Johnson, and running back Dylan Edwards. Edwards has been out most of the season with injury, but is a weapon when healthy. He rushed 20 times for 166 yards and a touchdown against UCF, a near-career performance that illustrated his speed and illusiveness as the primary rusher.
Johnson is having a slightly underwhelming start, but he is still a signal-caller who can get active if he unleashes his dual-threat rushing ability. Meanwhile, Brown is the Wildcats' home-run hitter, even with the newer weapons getting involved in the receiving game.