2021 Week 1: Kansas Kan Not, Houston 24, Kansas 20

[Bundy]

One and Maeda-ne?

Junior Quarterback Jeff Maeda was given the nod for the starting role following a summer camp battle in which he narrowly beat out redshirting freshman Tyler Summers, but shaky performance throughout camp, coupled with an atrocious debut, have the coaches in Lawrence reconsidering the position. Maeda wasn't specifically mentioned by name in the post game presser as an issue, but anyone with a pulse could tell the kid from Ripon, California just wasn't quite comfortable under center in the big time of college football.

 

ESPN's Houston affiliate pointed out that Maeda found a rythem early, including a stretch on the second KU drive of the game in which he went 5/5 for 41 yards, keeping the Cougar defense honest which resulted in the first ever Kansas touchdown, an 8 yard carry by Bene' Humber. The following Houston drive was short but featured an electrifying 61 yard pass play, and when the Cougars missed a field goal, it gave Kansas the ball at their own 9 yard line. Despite a relatively quiet crowd, with his back against the wall, Maeda seemed to be shaking in his boots, throwing two passes into the dirt and dumping a third off well short of the first down, setting up a KU Randy Bates punt.

 

A first down sack in the second quarter had Maeda rattled. He threw the first of 3 interceptions on the following play, giving Houston much needed momentum. If Houston kicker Donte Link decided to bring any amount of kicking talent at all, the Cougars could have been sitting with 9 points on the board.

 

Maeda's next string of passes, across two drives, tallied 1/4 for 6 yards, with the 3rd incompletion resulting in his second INT of the day, a huge pick 6 by FS Dieugot Walker that put Houston on the board for the first time ever.

 

Finishing out the first half, Maeda went 1/5 for 16 yards, scrambled about and dove "forward" for a loss of 2 yards, and a culminating 3rd interception. His final 10 pass attempts of the first half yielded just two completions to the home team, three to the away team, five into the dirt, and 22 yards of positivity. When KU headed into the locker room at the half, a chorus of boos rung out as Maeda scampered past, and with good reason: he'd managed to have a negative 21.52 passer rating over that stretch.

 

During halftime, legend has it that Maeda wasn't consoled by anybody, but tight end Alex Atkins did tell him he needed to "quit hanging his head and instead hang some tuddies on these Cougar bastards." Inspired by the fire in the KU tight end group, Maeda came out for the second half's opening drive a new man, striking quickly with three consecutive passes to TE T.J. Burnett that moved the sticks a combined 55 yards, putting Kansas in scoring territory. The Jayhawks unfortunately didn't put up 6 on the drive, but kicker George Jones drilled a 32 yard field goal that may have started a KU tradition, with the cheeky sound engineer blasting out a bit over the speakers from Jones' country singing namesake's hit "They ought to have a celebration//And pay their respects to me//Put my name up in neon lights//And then give me the key." Cougars 14, KU 10, early 3rd quarter.

 

Maeda struggled the next few series, but put things together to wrap up the third quarter and start the 4th, completing consecutive strikes to Bene' and Adam Williams of 42 and 20 respective yards. Unfortunately, the offense couldn't capitalize from the 11 yard line, and George Jones had to boot another short field goal to make it 14-13, Cougars up.

 

Donte Link finally connected on a field goal, going just 1/6 on the day, to put Houston up 17-13 with 11:03 to go. Maeda remembered Alex Atkins' halftime words, and again went to fellow TE T.J. Burnett, finding him on a 44 yard pass before missing on two follow ups. Fortunately for KU, Maeda was roughed on the second, setting up first and goal from the 6. With just 9:07 left, Kansas regained the lead on a 6 yard chuck to receiver Nate Lucas. KU 20, Cougs 17.

 

After trading punts, Houston put together a 51 yard drive that consumed 3 and a half minutes and resulted in the go-ahead touchdown and XP, making it 24-20. Kansas got the ball with around a minute left, but couldn't put together a drive before the final whistle.

 

Kansas head coach @Bundy formally announced that the team would field open competition in the coming weeks for the role of QB1. "With Jeff, we're not saying its over for him, he could very well be the guy going forward. But we need to step back and evaluate the way a few things went. He's got that second quarter meltdown under his belt, he came out in the second half and recovered well, but as a team we didn't overcome the obstacles we set for ourself - some drive extending penalties on defense after third down stops, fumbling the ball away - we're going to have to play better as a team to chalk up a W in the win column instead of a L. Houston deserved to win, but we let opportunities slip way. Not every team is going to miss 5 field goals, but we also might not have to start every drive deep in our own territory with those misses. We need to come out stronger. Whether that's with Maeda under center, or (senior) Ian Morgan, or (sophomore dual threat) Aaron Diaz - we've got a lot of talent in this QB room, we just have to put the right guy on the field for each situation, and until someone steps up and claims it - 'I'm the guy' - then we're going to play it week-to-week."

 

The Chirp

Social media was abuzz, with plenty of those in attendance and at home voicing their opinions.

 

Watch Me Whip, Watch Me Bene' ? @BeneIsBae

Petition to refer to our stud RB Bene' by simply his first name? Lots of soccer players seem to do it, and Bene' scored our first points ?

 

KUntry Boy Dean @TimMcGrawIndeanOutlaw

George Jones hits for George Jones kicks ?? and we get four more years of songs about beers ?

 

Jayhawk Coed in ur Area @IPhogOnTheFirstDate

The backup QB is a starting KUtie @IanMorg9n ? hit my DMs