Kansas Football: Jayhawks to endure another tough season in 2020
Jayhawks have potential on the offensive side of the ball
The Jayhawks experienced an up-and-down season in terms of offensive efficiency last season.
The Jayhawks would score seven points in the embarrassing loss to Coastal Carolina, 14 points at TCU, 10 against Kansas State, 13 at Oklahoma and six against Baylor. Then there would be games where the Jayhawks would score 48 in the win over Boston College, 48 points in the close loss at Texas and 37 in the win over Texas Tech.
The Jayhawks enter into 2020 with Brent Dearmon as the full-time offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach after spending half of the season as the senior offensive analyst. A full offseason with Dearmon preparing and training the Jayhawks will help them become more efficient. The Jayhawks return six offensive starters on an offense that was ranked 100th in the nation (ninth in the Big 12) in points per game (23.5).
On the positive side for the Jayhawks’ offense, they return one of their more productive players last season in junior running back Pooka Williams Jr. Last season, Williams was named to the All-Big 12 first-team as he rushed for 1,061 yards and three touchdowns on 203 carries as well as catching 27 receptions for 214 yards and two touchdowns. He is the only Jayhawk that was named apart of the first-team or second-team All-Big 12 on the offensive or defensive side of the ball by Athlon Sports.
The Jayhawks will find a new starting quarterback who will be a leader as well as be as efficient as Carter Stanley this past season. The Jayhawks do not have much experienced quarterbacks to choose from. There is senior Thomas MacVittie, a former JUCO transfer, who only saw action in two games last year. Miles Kendrick is projected to be the starting quarterback for the Jayhawks in the fall. The last time that Kendrick played on the field was four games in 2018 before redshirting.
They can also rely on a three-star freshman dual-threat quarterback in Jalon Daniels as a wild-card.
There is some good news for the Jayhawks’ passing offense as they return four of their five receiving playmakers. The entire starting wide receiver corps will be composed of seniors.
Andrew Parchment is a dynamic playmaker in the short-to-medium range passing game as he caught 65 receptions for 831 yards and seven touchdowns. Stephan Robinson Jr. is their explosive long-range target as he caught 45 receptions for 727 yards and eight touchdowns. Kwamie Lassiter II will step in as the final starting wide receiver for the Jayhawks in 2020 after starting three games last season.
The Jayhawks return two of their starting offensive linemen from last season. This is an offensive line that is ranked last in the Big 12 by Athlon Sports.
Senior left guard Malik Clark will be entering into his third season as a starter for the Jayhawks. He will be looked upon as the leader of a Jayhawks’ offensive line that looks to establish the run early and often in 2020. The big man in senior Chris Hughes will have to earn his spot as the starting guard after starting in eight games this past season. Junior Earl Bostick Jr. is projected to start at left tackle after a four-year starter in Hakeem Adeniji left for the NFL.