Before the season started many were circling the Kansas-West Virginia game as one of the early matchups to watch in the Big 12.
The Jayhawks were picked near the top of the Big 12 and West Virginia was coming off a nine win season with several starters returning. It comes as a surprise both teams enter the game 1-2 and coming off losses in games they felt they should have won.
West Virginia head coach Neal Brown believes the Jayhawks have a good team despite the slow start.
“We’ve got identical records and a lot of respect for Lance and his staff,” Brown said. “They've got a really good team, and they were picked pretty high in the preseason. They were top 25 team to start off and they've got a good football team.”
Although the offense is not putting up points at the rate expected, Brown knows the talent is there for Kansas.
“Offensively, without a doubt it starts with Jalon Daniels and a ton of respect for him,” Brown said. “I know he's thrown some interceptions but he’s electric with the ball in his hands. And then Devin Neal, the running back, an All-Big 12 performer a year ago and they've got depth of receiver. Coach Grimes, their offense coordinator shifts and so we've got to be ready for that.”
Last week West Virginia struggled to contain Pitt quarterback Eli Holstein, who turned in some big runs late in the game. Brown knows Daniels is capable of doing the same thing.
“He's a really good player and I hate that he's missed all that time because I think was it last year he was preseason All-Big 12 player of the year candidate and he was electric,” Brown said. “He was electric when I think we played him in maybe a second game that he started the last time we’re out there after they beat Texas, and he put on a show the last time he was here.”
The Jayhawks defense currently ranks fourth in the Big 12 in total defense and Brown called out some of the players who caught his attention on game film.
“Defensively they're in the top 20 in the country in a lot of statistics,” he said. “It starts with their d-line. They're really physical and they play super hard. They roll some guys in there, but they play really hard.
“I think Tommy Dunn, their d-tackle is playing at an All-Big 12 level and they're long at corner. Cobee Bryant's been there for a really long time, but I remember him in high school in Alabama. He's a really good player and the other kids got length too.”
West Virginia defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley has faced Daniels twice. The most recent was the game in Morgantown, where the Jayhawks beat West Virginia in 2022.
Last week against Pitt, the defense gave up some quarterback runs, and they know this week the challenge could be there with Daniels posing the same threat.
“I thought we did a pretty decent job of, with exception of a couple where we just missed him,” Lesley said about the Pitt game. “And then this kid's (Daniels) coming in, is going to be a better athlete. So, we're just going to have to get better.”
Daniels has gotten off to a slow start and missed some throws the last two weeks. He has thrown three interceptions and Lesley thinks part of the reason is coming back after missing most of last year.
“I think it's very simply to me, just looks like a little bit of rust,” he said. “And I know firsthand how good of a player he is. I don't put a whole lot of stock into that (slow start). He is dynamic. He's a game changer with his legs and his arm.”
He was asked about containing Daniels and Devin Neal.
“They're not good players, they're great players and I expect to get their best,” he said.
Lesley said the Jayhawks are running the same offense and called is “very, very similar” to the past scheme.
