A productive edge has another boundary
Leroy Harris III recorded two sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss and a blocked kick at Utah. David Santiago added two tackles for loss, a sack, and a forced fumble that he recovered. Kansas has disruptive players on the edge. Saturday asks them to make sure the disruption does not create Avery Johnson’s preferred escape.
The Jayhawks’ October 12 preview credits the pair with sixteen combined tackles for loss, the most for a duo nationally. Harris has 9.5 for the season. Those numbers establish a real strength inside a 2–3 start, but the next quarterback makes the shape of the rush as important as its speed.
Past the tackle is not always past the problem
Johnson leads Kansas State with 330 rushing yards while also passing for 1,092 yards and nine touchdowns. A defender reaching the backfield can still lose the useful part of the play if his path leaves a clear lane for the quarterback to move through.
Kansas does not need its ends to become passive. It needs their aggression connected to the rest of the front. One player collapsing the pocket while another protects the escape can force a more difficult decision than two defenders racing toward the same landmark. The linebackers and secondary also need a clear understanding of when the quarterback has become a runner. A near-sack that turns into a first down has not delivered the benefit the pressure was intended to create.
Make the next choice harder
Kansas visits Kansas State on October 17 at 11 a.m. Central on FS1. Both teams are 0–2 in the Big 12; the Wildcats are 3–2 overall. The rivalry arrives with each side needing a more complete performance rather than another isolated positive statistic.
For the Jayhawks, watch where Johnson goes after the initial passing picture closes. If the edge remains secure, Kansas can make him solve a second problem while the coverage continues its work. If the rush overruns him, the defense may erase its own advantage. Harris and Santiago have shown they can reach an offense’s backfield. The next step is making that space a trap rather than a doorway.
Sources & reporting
- Kansas Athletics: Sunflower Showdown preview, October 12 ↗
- Kansas State Athletics: Kansas matchup preview, October 12 ↗
This article adds independent analysis to publicly available reporting. We did not conduct the interviews or report the game firsthand. Report a factual error.