Kansas’ passing game hasn’t been clean, but the wide receiver room has still given this offense something to work with.
That was supposed to be one of the big strengths of the season for the Jayhawks, and the roster backs that up. Kansas leaned on the transfer portal again, bringing in names like Cam Pickett, Emmanuel Henderson Jr.
Bryson Canty and Levi Wentz, then adding Nik McMillan and Nahzae Cox this year. McMillan and Cox wasted no time becoming the primary targets, especially with Pickett dealing with an injury-filled start.
The numbers through three games tell the story of an offense still trying to find its rhythm. Kansas is 81st in passing yards per game at 204.5, but that doesn’t land entirely on the receivers. Redshirt sophomore Isaiah Marshall has not always put the ball where it needed to be.
Even so, the ball has been spread around. Kansas has 49 receptions on the season, with McMillan leading the way at 12. Dylan Edwards has 9, Tate Nagy has 6, Keaton Kubecka has 5, Cox has 4, Yasin Willis has 3, Carson Brun has 3, Jalien Butler has 2, Cam Pickett has 2, Bryson Hayes has 2 and Marshall has 1.
In yardage, the top three are McMillan with 226, Cox with 125 and Nagy with 101.
The tape suggests this group is getting open. Kansas has done a good job scheming receivers into space at all three levels, with the mid-range game over the middle doing a lot of the heavy lifting. The issue has been less about separation and more about delivery.
Andy Kotelnicki’s return was another major offseason move for Kansas. The former associate head coach and offensive coordinator came back after two seasons at Penn State, and his track record in Lawrence offers some context. In his last two years with the program, Kansas ranked 55th in passing in 2023 at 237.1 yards per game and 40th in 2022 at 258.5.
This season, the volume has already ticked up. Marshall has thrown 82 passes and completed 44, and the Jayhawks have also spent long stretches chasing the scoreboard. They were down by at least two scores for most of the second half in both losses to Missouri and Arizona State, which naturally pushed the offense toward urgency and quicker points.
As for who has stood out most, Cox has been the home-run threat. He’s turned his catches into huge chunks, averaging 31.3 yards per reception. McMillan, though, has probably been the steadier presence, moving around the formation and giving Marshall a reliable target in different areas of the field.
Overall grade: B+
In Other News...
Kansas Defensive Front Has Become An Early Surprise For One Reason
Kansas went into the season bracing for a dent on its defensive front when Tulane transfer TreVon McAlpine was ruled out, but the early returns have been encouraging anyway. Through the first three games, the Jayhawks have gotten noticeably better play up front, with the defense looking more disruptive and more steady than it did a year ago.
A big part of that change has come from the staff additions of Joe Dineen and Jim Panagos, whose impact is already showing in the way Kansas is attacking the line of scrimmage. The front has produced meaningful pressure and created more problems for opposing offenses, and even with McAlpine sidelined, the group has found enough answers to turn a preseason concern into one of the teams early bright spots. [Read more 🡒]
Jalon Daniels Suddenly Has A Huge NFL Chance With The Bucs
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The opportunity comes with real stakes, because the job is open at a time when the margin for error is thin and the spotlight will be bright. Tampa Bay will be watching Daniels closely when the game kicks off Oct. 4 on FOX, and what happens next could say plenty about whether his strong summer can carry over into a much bigger stage. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Suddenly Has A Backfield Problem It Can't Ignore
Kansas backfield depth has taken another hit at the worst possible time. Yasin Willis underwent surgery and is out indefinitely, leaving the Jayhawks to navigate a running back room that has been thinned by other injuries and suddenly looks far less settled than it did a week ago.
For now, Kansas is leaning on transfer Dylan Edwards and expecting Jalen Dupree back at some point, while also trying to patch together enough help behind them. The staff has already added transfer Chase Belcher and moved safety Khijohnn Cummings-Coleman to running back, the sort of emergency shuffle that says the Jayhawks are still searching for the right combination and, more importantly, enough bodies. [Read more 🡒]