For a team in a Big Five conference, the only direction Kansas can go is up. The Jayhawks have lost 46 games during the past five seasons, the most of any team in a Big Five conference, and their Big 12 losses a season ago came by an average of 27.6 points per game.
The defense was not to blame for Kansas’ 3-9 record in 2013. Senior linebacker Ben Heeney is the Big 12’s top returning tackler and spearheads a defense that brings back nine starters. In addition to Heeney, head coach Charlie Weis returns top pass-rusher Michael Reynolds, who had 6.5 sacks a year ago, and strong safety Isaiah Johnson, a former wide-out who had 73 tackles and five interceptions in his 2013 campaign.
The offense, on the other hand, averaged just 4.3 yards per play and just 15.3 points per game. This year, however, Weis finally has some new talent and youth to develop.
Dual-threat sophomore Montell Cozart will be under center after struggling in limited action last season and completing just 36.5 percent of his attempts. Cozart’s top offensive weapon will be Miami-Ohio transfer Nick Harwell, who caught 23 touchdowns and amassed 3,166 yards in three seasons with the Redhawks.
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