Kansas got a reminder against TCU that its passing game can survive in more than one way - and that Nik McMillan doesn’t have to be the center of it every week.
McMillan had been the Jayhawks’ most productive receiver entering the matchup, stacking up at least two catches in every game and leading the team with 466 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. He had also been one of KU’s most dangerous vertical threats, pairing strong hands with big-play ability and averaging 18.6 yards per catch.
But against TCU, the ball barely found him. He saw just one pass thrown his way.
That wasn’t really by design so much as the way the game unfolded. Kansas leaned on other targets, and two of them delivered in a big way. Nahzee Cox hauled in five passes for 145 yards, while Cam Pickett finished with 10 catches for 113 yards and a touchdown.
Pickett’s role has grown steadily after injuries and a quiet start to the year kept him out of the mix in the first three games. He has now moved ahead of McMillan for the team lead in receptions with 31.
His game is different from McMillan’s - more of a underneath, possession-style target - and that mattered with quarterback Cole Ballard under pressure for much of the afternoon. Getting the ball out quickly became the priority, and Pickett was the easy answer.
Ballard did connect on a couple of deeper throws to Cox, but he isn’t known for a big downfield arm, and those kinds of routes are where McMillan usually does his best work. McMillan and injured starter Isaiah Marshall have shown strong chemistry, but Ballard and McMillan never really found that same rhythm.
McMillan wasn’t the only pass catcher who was quiet. Tight end Carson Bruhn finished with two catches for nine yards, though he was asked to do more blocking than usual as Kansas tried to slow down the Horned Frogs’ pass rush.
Even so, the game offered KU something useful. The Jayhawks now have three receivers who can put up numbers in different ways. McMillan, Pickett and Cox each bring a different skill set, and that kind of variety can make life harder on defenses.
The bigger issue is getting Marshall back. His status was unclear as of Monday, but Matt Tait reported yesterday that Marshall was practicing and moving well.
Kotelnicki said both Cole Ballard & Isaiah Marshall were out practicing today and moving around well... #KUfball
- Matt Tait (@mctait) November 3, 2026
Kansas is simply a better team with Marshall at quarterback. He opens up the passing game downfield and gives the run game a boost, too.
If Marshall is able to return against UCF, the offense should be in decent shape. KU has three capable receivers, solid depth at the position, a dependable tight end and Dylan Edwards giving the running game a strong push.
As for McMillan, the TCU game looks more like an outlier than a trend. He should have a chance to get back into the spotlight Saturday against the Knights, especially if Marshall is back under center.
In Other News...
Kansas Lands In A November Showcase That Just Got More Intense
Kansas is set to have another major November stage in 2026, and the broader event landscape around it is changing in a way that should matter to the Jayhawks. The mens college basketball multi-team event schedule is getting a significant overhaul, with the Players Era moving to a simplified setup that splits into separate 16-team and 8-team bracket-style tournaments, giving that event a cleaner and more competitive feel than before.
The rest of the calendar is shifting too, including the Battle 4 Atlantis, which is dropping the traditional bracket format in favor of two separate four-team pools. Against that backdrop, the top bracket-style events stand out even more, with the Players Era 16 and 8 and the Maui Invitational among the headliners. For Kansas, it means a November slate that should be loaded with high-level games and a little more clarity about where the best early-season proving grounds now sit. [Read more 🡒]
Bill Self Just Put Kansas Fans On Notice About Trey Kaufman-Renn
Bill Selfs roster reshuffle has already started to take shape, with Kansas welcoming back veteran pieces Melvin Council Jr. and Tre White while also adding Trey Kaufman-Renn through the transfer portal under the five-for-five rule and a temporary injunction. The move gives the Jayhawks another experienced frontcourt option, and Kaufman-Renn arrives with a long rsum from four seasons at Purdue, which makes him one of the more intriguing additions in the mix.
He has already flashed what he can bring, logging 23 minutes in a recent game and finishing with nine points and five rebounds. Self said Kaufman-Renn is expected to be a starter once he is healthy and fully comfortable in Kansas system, which puts the focus on how quickly he can settle in and what kind of role he ultimately carves out as the Jayhawks keep sorting through their new-look rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Just Got A Rivalry Reminder Jayhawks Fans Will Love
Kansas opened the season with a comfortable win over Fordham, and the early mood around the program got a little brighter when Kansas State stumbled at home against South Dakota State. It is only one game apiece, but in a state where the basketball conversation never stays quiet for long, that kind of contrast is the sort of thing Jayhawks fans notice right away.
The bigger picture is still ahead, of course, with the Sunflower Showdown set to be played twice this season. The first meeting comes in Manhattan on Jan. 23, and the return trip to Lawrence follows on Feb. 27, giving both sides plenty of time to sort out their early-season form before the rivalry starts to matter in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]