How Kansas Can Use Its Bye Week to Bounce Back From Disheartening Loss

All the good vibes in Lawrence disappeared this weekend after Kansas lost a heartbreaker to Missouri in the renewed Border Showdown.

The Jayhawks fought for 60 minutes and even led by as many as 15 points in the first half, but the Tigers were ultimately too much for Lance Leipold and his squad.

With a bye week looming, the team and fans will have plenty of time to reflect on Saturday’s performance.

And as KU prepares to open Big 12 play, these next two weeks may feel especially long for fans. Still, the downtime could be valuable.

The Kansas Football Defense Needs To Heal Up Quickly

The extra rest will particularly benefit a banged-up Jayhawk defense. Linebacker Joseph Sipp Jr. remains sidelined, and while Bangally Kamara made a surprise return against Missouri, he’s still recovering from the non-contact knee injury he suffered in practice last week.

Defensive linemen Gage Keys and Dylan Brooks are also out, and the break should give them more time to recover.

Beyond the defense, the entire team could use a reset after Missouri dominated the time of possession for more than two-thirds of the game.

During this stretch, KU players and coaches can study film and identify what worked and what didn’t.

The Jayhawks are back to reality in the Big 12 and no longer facing a formidable SEC opponent. They open conference play against a struggling West Virginia team that just lost on the road to Ohio (no, not Ohio State).

Rich Rodriguez’s squad remains a work in progress in his second stint at Morgantown. On paper, that matchup could be KU’s easiest in league play.

It will look to use the WVU contest as a chance to get the run game going again. Daniel Hishaw Jr. and Leshon Williams were completely ineffective against Missouri, as the Jayhawks managed just three yards on 19 carries.

The coaching staff will need to use the bye to implement new run concepts after offensive coordinator Jim Zebrowski’s game plan fell flat against the Tigers’ front four. Many of the run plays were directly up the middle and didn't catch the defense off guard.

The college football season goes by quickly, so Leipold and Co. cannot afford to let one loss change the outlook of the rest of the year.

Depending on where you land in the “rest vs. rust” debate, KU may start slow on Sept. 20. But the Jayhawks should beat West Virginia handily and regain their confidence in the process.