A new era of Kansas football has arrived. New head coach David Beaty hopes to bring an explosive offense and aggressive defense to Lawrence, Kansas, but will need to replace several playmakers on a team that finished 3-9 in 2014. Pretty much every position on the roster needs upgrading, but KU hasn’t gotten good quarterback play since Todd Reesing in 2009.
Position to improve: Quarterback
Why it was a problem: Nobody was scared of KU’s passing game last season as Montell Cozart and Michael Cummings took turns taking snaps. Cummings completed just 56.1 percent of his passes and Cozart was even worse, completing just 50 percent of his throws. The duo combined to throw 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions as KU’s 42.1 adjusted QBR was the worst in the Big 12 and No. 96 among FBS teams.
How it can be fixed: Beaty’s arrival and the installment of new offensive coordinator Rob Likens’ version of the Air Raid offense should help. The entire Big 12 saw how a coaching change completely changed the destiny of TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin, so there’s no telling what kind of impact Likens and Beaty could have on Cozart and Cummings. And if that duo continues to falter, KU has a pair of quarterback commitments in Ryan Willis and Carter Stanley which will increase the competition at the position. The combination of a new offense and additional options at the position could do wonders for KU's quarterback play.
Early 2015 outlook: Even though Cozart and Cummings have the edge in experience, KU’s incoming freshman quarterbacks could have the edge in terms of how they fit the Jayhawks' new offense. Stanley, in particular, has been a priority recruit for KU’s new coaching staff and has experience in a similar offense during his high school career. It’s asking a lot to expect All-Big 12-level quarterbacking to become a part of the Jayhawks' offense anytime soon, but it shouldn’t be too hard for KU’s passing offense to surpass its 2014 numbers (2,435 passing yards, 6.5 yards per attempt), no matter who eventually wins the starting job.