The scoop on Kansas football’s Liberty Bowl opponent from an Arkansas beat writer
LAWRENCE — Kansas football’s bowl game against Arkansas is fast approaching, with the Dec. 28 kickoff in Memphis for the Liberty Bowl just about two weeks away.
The Jayhawks (6-6, 3-6 in Big 12 Conference) will enter with a chance for their first winning season since 2008. The Razorbacks (6-6, 3-5 in Southeastern Conference) will enter with a chance at back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2015-16. And if nothing else, a win could do a lot for momentum for either team heading into the offseason.
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Before that all takes place, though, Christina Long, who covers Arkansas, took some time with The Topeka Capital-Journal to analyze some key aspects of the matchup. Long, a reporter writing for the USA Today Network through the Southwest Times Record in Fort Smith, spoke to what the Razorbacks might do to curtail the efforts of Kansas junior quarterback Jalon Daniels and others. Here’s what Long had to say:
Question: Key players like (Arkansas linebacker) Drew Sanders won’t be available. (Defensive coordinator) Barry Odom is no longer on the coaching staff because he’s the new head coach at UNLV. Will departures like these have a significant effect?
Answer: These changes will certainly have an impact on Arkansas’ defense. Sanders and his co-starter, Bumper Pool, will both be gone. Chris Paul Jr. is a talented young linebacker who has gotten a lot of playing time with Pool dealing with injuries this season, but the second linebacker will be someone pretty green. However, the Razorbacks are retaining their second-best pass rusher, DE Jordan Domineck. As for Odom, it’s hard to say. Whoever Arkansas hires to replace him won’t have time to install anything new, so they’ll likely have to keep things pretty basic and/or consistent with what Arkansas did scheme-wise throughout the season.
Q: Kansas’ offense prides itself on being versatile and multifaceted, especially if quarterback Jalon Daniels is as healthy as he’s been in some time come kickoff. Would a unit like that give Arkansas trouble?
A: Arkansas has faced versatile offenses before with mixed results. Arkansas’ defensive front, at least at this point, is set to have most of its usual starters available, so its run defense should be consistent. Arkansas has struggled with tackling at times this season, and if Daniels can get into the open field, it could be trouble for the Razorbacks. Missouri’s Brady Cook, for example, scrambled all over the Razorbacks in the regular season finale. The Razorback secondary has also been a weakness all year, and several defensive backs have hit the portal since the end of the regular season, so Kansas’ passing game could find success.
Q: Kansas has a talented pass rusher at defensive end in Lonnie Phelps Jr. Would you anticipate Arkansas allowing that sort of matchup to be handled one on one, or would the Razorbacks look to double-team him?
A: Arkansas has faced some excellent pass rushers in the SEC, and it hasn’t typically double-teamed them. The Razorback offensive line was full of veterans this season, and it was a strong unit early on. Late in the season, however, blocking suddenly became a problem. Arkansas has since lost center Ricky Stromberg, who declared for the draft. That will mean moving some pieces around, and Phelps and the Kansas defense could take advantage.
Q: What makes KJ Jefferson such a valuable quarterback for Arkansas? What’ll Kansas have to account for?
A: South Carolina coach Shane Beamer said it best earlier this season when he said Jefferson is not just a dual threat, he’s “a dual threat to run you over.” Jefferson was battling bruising and soreness in his throwing shoulder and clavicle, but with plenty of rest before the bowl, he should look more like his old self. Jefferson can turn what looks like a sack into a positive-yardage play with his legs, and he’s been a more than capable passer, too. The passing game will be something to watch given that Arkansas has lost two receivers to the portal and another to the draft.
Q: Arkansas went 9-4 a season ago and finished in the top 25. Now it’s 6-6. Is Kansas going up against a team that regressed, or is it just an example of how tough the Razorbacks’ schedule can be?
A: It depends on who you ask, but I think the answer lies somewhere in the middle. This was a very difficult schedule, especially the non-conference slate: Cincinnati, Missouri State, BYU and Liberty. At the same time, this was a veteran Arkansas team that was in year three with its head coach and both coordinators, and the Razorbacks lost games they shouldn’t have. Last season exceeded expectations, and that set the expectation higher for this season. It’s hard to say there was a regression in terms of talent, but certainly in terms of execution and results.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: The scoop on Kansas football’s bowl opponent from Arkansas beat writer
