Grades from KU Jayhawks’ victory over Tennessee Tech and looking ahead to West Virginia

Here are our letter-grades for all three Kansas units, plus our play of the game, from Friday night’s season-opening 56-10 win over Tennessee Tech — and a look ahead to next weekend’s game against West Virginia.

Play of the game

Junior quarterback Jalon Daniels dropped back and saw the flat was covered. Then, with plenty of time to throw thanks to protection from the KU O-line, he hit wide receiver Quentin Skinner on a 56-yard pass play that set up KU’s second touchdown. It marked the first catch of Skinner’s career. He is a 6-foot-5, 190-pound redshirt sophomore from Claremore, Oklahoma.

“It actually wasn’t a perfect pass. He had to come back for it,” Daniels said modestly after the game.

The next snap resulted in a Daniel Hishaw touchdown. His 9-yard TD run following Skinner’s grab gave KU a 14-0 lead with 9:06 left in the first quarter.

Some might argue that sophomore running back Devin Neal’s 80-yard touchdown run in the third quarter was even more impressive than Skinner’s catch. Or, for that matter, Neal’s 19-yard TD burst to open the scoring.

Grades

Offense: A

Kansas’ 56 points were the most scored by the Jayhawks in a season opener since 1912, when KU rolled over St. Mary’s 62-0.

The 56 points were the most scored by KU at home since the Jayhawks defeated Nebraska, 76-39, on Nov. 3, 2007. And KU’s 46-point margin of victory was the Jayhawks’ largest since a 49-point win over Rhode Island on Sept. 3, 2016.

The Jayhawks gained 502 yards, most by KU in a game since totaling 530 against Duke on Sept. 25, 2021 in Durham, North Carolina. It was most yards gained by the Jayhawks in a season opener since Sept. 3, 2016 vs. Rhode Island (570 yards).

The 502 yards were also the most in a home game since Oct. 26, 2019 vs. Texas Tech (527 yards).

The Jayhawks scored six rushing touchdowns — most in a game since Nov. 1, 2008 vs. Kansas State (six touchdowns). Kansas had five ballcarriers score a touchdown vs. the Golden Eagles (Neal, Hishaw, Daniels, Sevion Morrison, Jason Bean). It’s the first game KU had five or more rushers score a TD since at least 1996.

The Jayhawks had a 75.0% (6-for-8) conversion rate on third down, its highest third-down conversion percentage since an 80% (12-for-15) mark vs. Nebraska on Nov. 3, 2007.

Defense: A.

Tennessee Tech of the Ohio Valley Conference managed just 190 yards. Junior transfer Lonnie Phelps, a 6-3, 245-pound defensive end who played at Miami (Ohio) last season, had three sacks, most in in a game by a Jayhawk since Cameron Rosser had three sacks against TCU in 2016. Phelps, a native of Cincinnati, totaled seven tackles, four for loss. KU finished the game with five sacks — most by KU in a season opener since Sept. 4, 2004 vs. Tulsa (six) and most in a home game since Oct. 22, 2016 vs. Oklahoma State (five).

Linebackers Rich Miller and Eriq Gilyard had six and five tackles respectively. Gilyard, a transfer from UCF, plucked an interception. Safety Kenny Logan had four tackles. Kansas’ 12 tackles-for-loss were the most by the Jayhawks in a game since 2017 (12 against Kansas State).

Special teams: B.

Kansas did not punt Friday night. Last time KU had no punts in a contest was against UNLV on Sept. 6, 2003.

Defensive end Jereme Robinson blocked a 50-yard Tennessee Tech field-goal attempt. The deflection was gathered by KU’s Cobee Bryant, who returned it 61 yards for a TD.

The blocked field-goal return was the first for a TD by a Jayhawk since 1996, when Patrick Brown returned a blocked field goal 56 yards against Oklahoma.

On the negative side, Luke Grimm fumbled a punt that led to a Tech field goal. Also Jacob. Borcila missed a 40-yard field-goal try. He was 8-for-8 on extra-point conversions. Kenny Logan had one kick return for 38 yards.

Next up

KU will play a road game against conference foe West Virginia at 5 p.m. Central next Saturday at Mountaineer Field in Morgantown, West Virginia. The game will be streamed on ESPN+. West Virginia lost to Pitt, 38-31, on Thursday night at Pitt in the season opener for both teams.