The good news for Kansas on Saturday was the score. The bad news showed up early and lingered after the final whistle.
The Jayhawks opened the season with a 51-6 win over Long Island University, shaking off a sluggish start that had them up just 6-0 before they found their rhythm. But the biggest concern from the afternoon came on LIU’s second offensive series, when linebacker Bam Crouch went down with a shoulder injury on what appeared to be a routine tackle. He was slow to rise, eventually left the field and did not return.
After the game, Lance Leipold gave the first update on Crouch’s status.
“Yeah, I don't know yet exactly. As you can see it was up in the shoulder area right now.
They did some things. They will do further testing tomorrow to see exactly where that's at.
Hopefully, we'll have a little bit more of an idea Monday, but I don't know if it'll be quite that soon. He was in good spirits, second half, and that, you know, obviously disappointed…”
Crouch arrived as one of the key pieces in a Kansas defense that needed help after a season full of breakdowns. Last year, the Jayhawks struggled to keep opponents from hitting big plays, and those issues piled up into rough stretches that included back-to-back 42-17 losses and six games allowing at least 30 points.
That’s why Crouch mattered so much. At Boston College, the former 3-star recruit put together a strong resume with 107 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 interception and six passes defended. He was even nominated as a Boston College captain before his final season in the ACC, though that year was cut short to just four games because of injury.
With Crouch out, New Mexico State transfer Quincy Davis stepped in and led all Kansas players with 5 total tackles.
Kansas handled LIU with ease once it settled in, but the next test is a much bigger one. The Jayhawks face Missouri next Friday, and last season’s meeting was a tight 42-31 battle that wasn’t decided until the Tigers pulled away midway through the fourth quarter.
In Other News...
Lance Leipold Had One Big Issue With Kansas' Blowout Win
Kansas had little trouble putting away Long Island in a 51-6 win, and for most of the afternoon the only real question was how lopsided it would get. The Jayhawks rolled up 613 yards on offense, got strong work from backs Yasin Willis, Micah Johnson and Jalen Dupree, and saw Isaiah Marshall settle in by completing 14 of 19 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns. On the other side, the defense smothered the Sharks, holding them to 146 yards and just 11 first downs in a game that looked over early and only grew more one-sided.
The lone sour note came late in the fourth quarter, when redshirt-sophomore safety Khijohnn Cummings-Coleman was sent off after a targeting ruling on a hit that Lance Leipold clearly believed merited a closer look. For a team that otherwise checked just about every box in a runaway nonconference win, the call stood out enough to leave the Kansas coach frustrated as the Jayhawks turned their attention to the next week. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Looked Ready But One Border War Concern Is Already Brewing
Kansas opened the season exactly the way a veteran team would hope, rolling past Long Island 51-6 and never even needing to punt. Lance Leipold said the Jayhawks had to adjust their pregame routine because of the heat, but once the game started, the operation looked crisp enough to suggest a group that already knows what it wants to be.
Still, the opener was not entirely clean, and the first hint of concern came on defense. A linebacker went down early with a shoulder injury, and the secondary also had to absorb a targeting ejection that could matter more in a much bigger setting to come. For a team that immediately turns its attention to Missouri, the early-season injury and discipline questions are the sort of details that can linger long after a lopsided win. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Offense Just Created A New Question Before Missouri
Kansas handled Long Island University exactly the way a heavily favored team should, rolling to a 51-6 win and getting the kind of low-stress September result that lets a staff sort through depth and rhythm. The bigger offensive note was the return of coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, and Kansas had enough moving parts to leave with a better feel for its backfield rotation, steady production from several running backs and a more complete picture of how the passing game might look as the season moves forward.
Isaiah Marshall also got his first-ever start and immediately gave the offense something to think about heading into Missouri week, including an early connection with Nik McMillan that stood out in a game with plenty of scoring. On the other side of the ball, Leroy Harris III was disruptive throughout the afternoon with multiple tackles for loss, giving Kansas a defensive edge to match the offensive depth it uncovered, even if the bigger questions now are how all of it carries into a far more demanding rivalry test. [Read more 🡒]