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3 lingering questions as Kansas football moves on from Illinois win, looks to Nevada

jordan guskey, topeka capital-journal
·2 min read

LAWRENCE — Kansas football kept its momentum moving forward Friday with a 34-23 win at home against Illinois.

The victory pushes the Jayhawks to 2-0, making it the second-straight year the program has hit that mark. It sets the stage for the team’s first road game of the season, Sept. 16 at Nevada. Should Kansas handle its business away from home, it could very well be ranked Sept. 23 when it plays its Big 12 Conference opener in Lawrence against BYU.

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While junior quarterback Jalon Daniels made his first start this year, that doesn’t mean all the questions are answered offensively. Defensively, Kansas will have to play the first half of the Nevada game — its first on the road — without junior cornerback Cobee Bryant and redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Austin Booker because of targeting penalties.

Here are three lingering questions for Kansas football heading into Week 3:

Is ball security going to be an issue?

Kansas is plus-one in turnover differential through two weeks of the season. The Jayhawks have turned an opponent over four times, and turned the ball over themselves three times. But just as there is the potential Kansas could have forced more turnovers, it’s also clear the danger has been out there it could commit more as well — especially when it comes to fumbles.

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Through two weeks, the Jayhawks are close to averaging two turnovers per game. That might not be an issue against Nevada. But it very well could be against BYU and the rest.

What will it mean to be without Austin Booker and Cobee Bryant for a half against Nevada?

Booker is a player with a lot of potential on Kansas’ defensive line. Bryant is an All-Big 12 caliber talent. But unless something changes on the rulings for each of their targeting calls, neither will play in the first half against Nevada.

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The efforts to build depth defensively should help ensure that being without them won’t sink the Jayhawks’ chances of beating Nevada. That, and the reality that Nevada doesn't figure to be the same kind of test Illinois was. But that doesn’t make their potential absences ideal by any means.

How will Kansas handle playing on the road for the first time?

Last season Kansas was 2-4 on the road. Back in 2021, the Jayhawks’ first with Lance Leipold as head coach, they were 1-5 away from David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

Kansas football wide receiver Lawrence Arnold (2) gets ready during a timeout during the first half of a Sept. 8 game against the Illinois Fighting Illini in Lawrence.
Kansas football wide receiver Lawrence Arnold (2) gets ready during a timeout during the first half of a Sept. 8 game against the Illinois Fighting Illini in Lawrence.

Nevada, though, is in line to be the least challenging opponent Kansas has gone up against away from home during Leipold’s tenure. Nevada certainly isn’t expected to be in contention for the Mountain West Conference title. So, if all goes well for the Jayhawks this should be a quality stepping stone ahead of more high-profile matchups later on this fall.

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: 3 lingering questions as Kansas football moves on from Illinois win