The Mountaineers open conference play in the Big 12 with a road game against Kansas. WVU is 2-1 to start the season in non-conference and begin a tough stretch of conference games in Lawrence, Kansas. They are riding high after a comeback victory over Pittsburgh in the Backyard Brawl in Morgantown and look to carry that momentum into conference play this week. The game starts at 6 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, airing on FS1. Read more: WVU at Kansas Preview: Mountaineers Face First Big 12 Road Test.
WVU at Kansas Preview: Mountaineers Face First Big 12 Road Test
WVU faces a tough test this week on the road against Kansas. It becomes even tougher since Kansas has had an extra week to prepare for the game, having taken a week off following its loss to Missouri. Head coach Rich Rodriguez recognizes that and expects them to have a lot more stuff on both sides of the ball that they have not put on film. He also knows his players must execute, especially tackling Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels.
Related: Player Spotlight – Tye Edwards
“I mean, you could have the perfect defense called and you got a guy right on him and he shakes somebody or makes somebody miss and runs for first down, or extends a play, makes a big play,” Rodriguez said of Daniels in his press conference this week. “And so that’s the biggest concern you have when you play an athletic guy like that: You might have everything lined up right, but he makes a play and makes you look silly. So we got to be ready.”
Matchups To Watch
It is no surprise that the biggest matchup to watch this week is redshirt senior quarterback Jalon Daniels against the WVU defense. He is a dynamic, dual-threat quarterback with extensive experience at Kansas. It is his sixth season at Kansas, following multiple seasons granted due to COVID-19 and injuries. He has thrown for 679 yards, nine touchdowns, and two interceptions with a 72% completion percentage this season.
He showed some flaws in his last game against Kansas, only completing 18 of 30 passes for 223 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. His leading receiver this season is Emmanuel Henderson Jr., who has 12 receptions for 183 yards and two touchdowns. He is an Alabama transfer and has big-play ability. Redshirt junior Cam Pickett, a Ball State transfer, is the second-leading receiver with 10 catches for 124 yards and three touchdowns.
The backfield is led by redshirt senior Daniel Hishaw Jr. He has run for 169 yards and one touchdown this season, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Daniels also contributes to the ground attack for Kansas as their second-leading rusher. He has 90 yards on 21 attempts this season for an average of 4.3 yards per attempt.
WVU must limit Daniels from extending plays and force him to the ground by gang tackling. Daniels has a strong arm and is accurate even when running. He can find receivers downfield and turn nothing into something with his legs and big arm.
Lean on the Ground Attack
The key for WVU on offense is to play physically and run the football. Kansas can score points in a hurry, which they showed against Missouri in their last game. They scored 31 points (24 offensive points) with under 20 minutes of possession. Their downfall was their rushing defense.
Missouri racked up 261 rushing yards on the ground against them, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. They wore down the Kansas defense and forced them to stay on the field for long possessions. The Mountaineers must do much of the same, which they can behind Tye Edwards.
Edwards ran for 141 on 25 attempts against Pitt and scored three touchdowns. He is 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, and is a physical, punishing runner. Quarterback Nicco Marchiol showed his poise by leading his team from down 10 points in the fourth quarter last week, but he must play soundly this week. WVU should lean on its ground attack and limit turnovers, while racking up possession time against Kansas’ dynamic offense.
Final Analysis
Kansas is at home and has the play-makers on offense to make this game ugly, but WVU can give them some trouble if they play smart. The Mountaineers must control the line of scrimmage on both sides, but especially on offense. They can run the football against this defense and wear them down over the course of four quarters. They must limit big plays on defense, but the offense can help them by sustaining long drives. The best way to keep Kansas from scoring is by keeping its offense on the sidelines.
