Turner Gill, Kansas Jayhawks Need Aggressive Play To Rejuvenate

Cornerbacks were giving yards upon yards of cushion.  Screen passes were twice as common as throws beyond the first down markers.  Blitzes were few and far between until the point of desperation.  The running game was semi-effective, but also simple and predictable.

Carl Torbush, Chuck Long, and Turner Gill have a lot of transitioning to do.  Giving them at least two seasons to really install their mentality upon this football program is a bare minimum.

One look at the recruiting class for 2011 at this point in the season tells me that there's all sorts of hope for the not-too-distant future (provided Gill can convince said recruits that they are part of his turnaround plan).

Still, I do wonder: What more will be done now?  What will Turner Gill change between Weeks 3 and 4 to try and right the ship like he did between the first two?

Georgia Tech, quite frankly, did not play good football two Saturdays ago in Lawrence.  Kansas, however, gave off the impression that they more than deserved the victory.

The athletes and the coordinators were playing and play-calling like they had nothing to lose.

The Hawks have tried playing simple football and have tried playing safe football.  Kansas has tried playing fundamental football, and the fact of the matter is that such a game plan has gotten them beat twice in relatively disappointing fashions.

If Gill wants any excitement or emotion to run through this program, he'll pull out all the stops this week against New Mexico State.  If he wants his current players to maintain any heart in this program, Gill will open the floodgates against the Aggies.

It seems ridiculous that the likes of Kansas would have to take such drastic actions to beat the lowly Aggies, doesn't it?  Against a physically inferior opponent, good fundamental football should win every time out (as opposed to the sporadic nature of aggressive football).

But that's the exact trap Kansas fell into against North Dakota State and Southern Miss.  Perhaps the Hawks physically stand toe-to-toe with the Golden Eagles, and certainly could against the Bison, but they didn't.

Honestly, Kansas probably can't stand up to most teams right now.  A long list of current injuries includes Rell Lewis, Angus Quigley, Tertavian Ingram, Jeff Spikes, Jeremiah Hatch, Brad Thorson, Ed Fink, Huldon Tharp, Toben Opurum, Keeston Terry, and several other bumps and bruises.

Kansas also lost several scholarship players before the season began, including would-be big contributors like Vernon Brooks, Travis Stephens, and Jamaal Greene and potential role players like Ian Wolfe, Jeremiah Edwards, and Jacoby Thomas.

The point is that the Jayhawks don't have a lot of resources in their corner right now.  Gill, Long, and Torbush need to use the resources they do have.

Run wideouts ragged, and if they're not getting open, insert new ones.  There are plenty to choose from.

Make Isaiah Barfield and Chris Harris go stride for stride with every receiver on every down.  They may get burnt, but Aggie quarterback Matt Christian still has to get them the ball.  When they get tired, give the super-fast Calvin Rubles and Greg Brown a go.

Give energetic safeties a chance to make plays in one-on-one coverage.  There are plenty of backups to choose from here as well.

If Brad Thorson is injured, rotate until you find an athlete with the in-game gumption to replace him.  If the other linemen are giving up ground, there's no reason their positions shouldn't be threatened as well.

Utilize Kale Pick in a versatile role or in gadget plays, and allow his athleticism and throwing capabilities to add a spark to this offense.  If Jordan Webb is going to specialize in screen passes, there's no reason not to give Pick another shot.

All I'm saying is it's time to find out who your players are.

Things could get pretty bleak if some changes aren't made by conference-play time. 

Let's see which guys are most capable and ready of producing not just this year, but next as well.  Turn them all loose and see which athletes come up with the big plays.