Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz is not underestimating what Kansas is bringing back in Andy Kotelnicki.
With the Border Showdown on deck, Drinkwitz pointed to Kotelnicki as one of the most difficult offensive minds to prepare for, especially because of the way he builds an offense around his quarterback’s comfort level. Kansas rehired Kotelnicki this offseason, bringing him back as associate head coach and offensive play caller after his two-year run at Penn State.
Kotelnicki’s return to Lawrence reconnects him with Lance Leipold, a partnership that goes back to their time together at Wisconsin-Whitewater and Buffalo before both coaches landed at Kansas. In his first stint with the Jayhawks, Kotelnicki earned a reputation as one of the most creative offensive coordinators in the country, a profile that helped him get the Penn State job in the first place. Even though things did not go as planned with the Nittany Lions, he still carries plenty of respect around the sport.
Drinkwitz made that clear this week when he broke down what makes Kotelnicki so dangerous.
"I think their offensive coordinator does a tremendous job getting his quarterbacks comfortable and utilizing their strengths," Drinkwitz said. "I've always had a lot of respect for his offensive prowess... I think he's got really complex-looking schematics that is very difficult on defenses, but it's pretty easy for his quarterback and for his offensive players, which I think is the hallmark of a really good coordinator."
Missouri had already studied Kotelnicki’s system closely last offseason when it recruited quarterback Beau Pribula to Columbia. Pribula had been operating in Kotelnicki’s offense at Penn State, and the Tigers spent time digging into the deception and motion packages that have become such a big part of Kotelnicki’s reputation.
Kansas got a strong first answer from him in the season opener, too. In Kotelnicki’s first game back as play caller, the Jayhawks rolled Long Island University 52-0, piling up more than 600 total yards and 31 first downs.
That kind of output will be tougher to duplicate against Missouri. Drinkwitz knows it, and Kansas will need to be sharp if it wants Kotelnicki’s offense to work at the same level against a defense that presents a much stiffer challenge tomorrow night.
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The concern does not stop there. Wide receiver Cam Pickett is also a game-time decision because of a leg injury, putting his availability in limbo for a second straight game and leaving Kansas to sort through two important spots before it ever takes the field in Columbia. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Still Doesn't Know If Melvin Council Will Suit Up
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Kansas Is Tied To A Big Man Decision Still Waiting On NCAA
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Ogbole has drawn interest from several programs, including Georgia, Oklahoma, Tennessee and UNLV, if he becomes available. For now, though, nobody is making a hard commitment on a roster spot or scholarship while the NCAA sits on the matter, leaving the Jayhawks and everyone else waiting for a ruling that still has not come. [Read more 🡒]