Missouriâs Austin Simmons threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns in Kansasâs 38-21 loss, and the Jayhawks recorded neither a sack nor an official quarterback hurry. Defensive coordinator D.K. McDonald said loose coverage undermined the rush. His correction for Arizona State is specific. Cover tightly enough to make the quarterback move beyond his first read.
Kansas faces ASU at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, September 19, at 11 a.m. Central on FS1. It is a neutral-site game that counts in the Big 12 standings. Fan Watch gives Kansas a 44% chance to win, a competitive opportunity to respond to the Missouri loss. No outside result carries enough weight to recommend this week; the interactive guide and methodology have the numbers behind that quiet slate.
ASU receiver Reed Harris gives McDonaldâs correction an immediate challenge. At Texas A&M, Harris caught nine passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns; Omarion Miller also caught nine, but gained only 29 yards. Kansas fans can live with some short completions if the defense keeps Harris from doing damage downfield. Tighter coverage has to deny the dangerous throw while buying the rush time to arrive.
Kansas did produce individual disruption against Missouri. Leroy Harris III broke up two passes, forced a fumble and blocked a kick. Those plays did not become sustained pressure on Simmons. This week, watch whether the secondary and rush help each other on ordinary passing downs, rather than needing an exceptional individual play to end a possession.
That would give Isaiah Marshall some breathing room. Against Missouri, he completed 13 of 30 passes for 168 yards, threw two interceptions and lost a fumble; Lance Leipold called his accuracy uncharacteristically poor and said Kansas did not consider a quarterback change. Marshall also reported hurting his throwing arm on the opening drive, with pain worsening during the game and soreness afterward. He declined to use it as an excuse. Marshallâs postgame comments did not establish how his arm would affect him against ASU. Kansas needs more accurate throws and fewer giveaways.
Andy Kotelnicki supplied some help through design against Missouri, using Cole Ballard in the slot and Dylan Edwards and Yasin Willis in wildcat looks. Several wrinkles produced positive plays, but Edwards and Willis combined for only 57 rushing yards on 14 carries. Kansas needs those designs to lead into dependable rushing possessions. Transfer receiver Nik McMillan caught two passes for 52 yards and a touchdown, giving Marshall a scoring option while the backfield struggled.
The late possessions explain why defensive improvement alone will not finish the repair. Kansas entered the fourth quarter against Missouri within one possession, then punted and turned the ball over on downs twice. Staying close left the Jayhawks a chance; their offense could not cash it in. If Saturday is close again, watch for Kansas to sustain a drive when it still has a chance to change the result.
For the defense, the clearest encouraging sight would be ASUâs quarterback looking away from his first receiver and finding a Kansas rusher arriving. That is the connection McDonald wants tighter coverage to create, and the one worth watching at Wembley.