Kansas came away from Saturday looking exactly like a team that needed a reset before Big 12 play, and it got one in a big way. The Jayhawks rolled past Middle Tennessee 55-0, the program’s first shutout since 2008, while piling up a school-record 706 total yards. That kind of night obviously came against an overmatched opponent, but Kansas still checked off plenty of boxes it needed to check.
The clearest bright spot was the run game, and it wasn’t built on just one player doing all the damage. KU ripped off 480 rushing yards on 58 carries, an eye-popping 8.3 yards per attempt, and finished with six rushing touchdowns.
Dylan Edwards led the charge with 20 carries for 138 yards and three scores, but the supporting cast kept the pressure on all game long. Jalen Dupree had 12 carries for 68 yards and a touchdown.
Donald Collier ran five times for 50 yards. Khijohnn Cummings-Coleman added four carries for 48 yards and a touchdown.
Isaiah Marshall chipped in 11 carries for 110 yards, and Chase Jenkins added three carries for 53 yards and a touchdown.
That kind of production matters for Kansas because it showed the backfield has more than one useful option. With Yasin Willis appearing to be out for the rest of the year, players like Dupree and Cummings-Coleman need real reps, and they got them. Edwards still has to be the lead back, but the Jayhawks look like they have enough depth to keep the ground game humming when he needs a breather.
None of it happens without the offensive line doing its job first, and Saturday was one of those trench performances KU will feel good about. The line opened lanes all over the field, controlled the action between the tackles, and consistently created space on the edge as well. Middle Tennessee isn’t the same level of test Kansas will face in the Big 12, but the way the front five handled business stood out from start to finish.
There was also real progress at quarterback. Isaiah Marshall finished 13-for-22 for 161 yards and a touchdown without throwing an interception.
He did miss on a couple early throws, but the mistakes weren’t as severe as they had been in earlier games. The bigger takeaway was how effective he was as a runner: 110 yards on 11 carries, with a lot of that coming from smart decisions rather than reckless scrambling.
He looked more composed overall, and that’s the kind of growth Kansas has been waiting to see.
Rice transfer Chase Jenkins also made his Kansas debut and looked comfortable right away. He completed all three of his passes for 65 yards and added three carries for nearly 18 yards per attempt. With Cole Ballard out, Kansas has reason to feel better about its backup situation, because Jenkins looked ready if his number gets called.
There’s no pretending this was a perfect measuring stick, especially with the opponent Kansas faced. But the Jayhawks played well across the board, with kickoff return coverage the lone area left out of the praise. Now the challenge is turning a lopsided win into something more meaningful when KU goes on the road to Utah this Saturday.
In Other News...
Jalon Daniels Showed Kansas Fans Exactly Why His NFL Debut Matters
Jalon Daniels got a chance on Sunday that carried plenty of weight beyond one game, stepping into the Tampa Bay lineup and giving Kansas fans a familiar sight: a quarterback who can create when plays break down. He completed 19 of 27 passes for 148 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, and added 55 rushing yards on eight carries, showing the kind of mobility that made him such a dynamic presence in college.
Even in a 17-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers, Daniels helped push the Buccaneers to a late touchdown drive and gave the coaching staff enough to think about going forward. With Baker Mayfield sidelined by a thumb injury, the door opened for Daniels, and he handled the moment in a way that should keep this storyline alive as Tampa Bay sorts out its quarterback situation. [Read more 🡒]
Darryn Petersons NBA Debut Gave KU Fans Plenty To Parse
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Petersons shooting line was the obvious sore spot, but the reaction around him was more encouraging than the raw numbers suggested. Keyonte George and coach Will Hardy both came away sounding upbeat about how Peterson handled himself, pointing to the kind of decision-making and overall impact that can matter as much as points in a first preseason run. For Jayhawks following along, it was a small sample, but one that gave them plenty to chew on. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Backcourt Suddenly Has One Huge Question To Settle
The Kansas backcourt just got a lot more crowded with Melvin Council Jr. announcing his intention to return to the program after being granted a preliminary injunction. His decision adds another layer to a guard group that already had questions about minutes and roles, and it could tighten the battle for playing time for players such as Leroy Blyden Jr. and Taylen Kinney.
For Kansas, the immediate intrigue is less about where Council fits on paper and more about whether he will actually be available when the season gets going. Legal proceedings are still ongoing, so even with his return to campus on the table, there is no certainty he will suit up this season, leaving the Jayhawks with one more roster twist to monitor as they sort out the backcourt. [Read more 🡒]