Kansas Jayhawks 2017 NCAA Football Preview

College Football Predictions – Kansas Jayhawks 2017 NCAA Football Preview

2016 Recap

2016 Record – 2-10

2016 ATS – 6-5-1

The Jayhawks plodded along to a 2-10 record, but to be fair, progress was made on both sides of the ball. The defense allowed over a TD less per game and the offense cracked the 20 point per game barrier for the first time since 2011 (!). And let us not forget the moment that the Jayhawks made WORLDWIDE HEADLINES by beating the Texas Longhorns for the first time since the 1930s. They still have a lot of work to do but it was nice to see them get that win.

2017 MEGALOCKS Opening Power Rating

Big 12 – TBD

OFFENSE

New OC Doug Meacham comes over from TCU with the hope of really getting this AIR RAID offense going. Don’t look now, but the sneaky Jayhawks are starting to stockpile some weapons, including a couple of promising signal callers. MEGALOCKS BIG 12 INSIDERS have told us that the QB battle is still a toss-up between Carter Stanley and newcomer Peyton Bender (Wash St pedigree). Kansas may have the most underrated WR corps in the Big 12 with their top two from 2016 returning along with a promising transfer from Alabama (Daylon Charlot).

They will have to find a new #1 RB this season and the leading candidate is JUCO transfer Octavious Matthews who was a teammate of Peyton Bender. The OL looks decent. They only allowed 27 sacks last season and return 4/5 men to the line in 2017. We find it close to a STEAM LOCK that the Jayhawks find a way to score a TD more per game than they did last season. Just in case, stow that comment away in the “Potential Cold Takes” folder. K ? Thanks.

DEFENSE

In another shocking Big 12 development the Jayhawks have been quietly building a really good defensive line. Long-time MEGALOCKS MAGNUM SUPER ELITE members know that we put a premium on this position. 1st Team Big 12 star DE Dorance Armstrong is an absolute beast and he tallied 10 sacks and 20 (!) TFL last year. The Jayhawks are also strong on the interior, and overall, return 3/4 starters to the unit. Look for Kansas to increase their sack total for the third consecutive season.

The bad news ? Kansas returns only two starters in the back seven. LB Joe Dineen is back after missing most of last season due to injury. They have a budding star in S Mike Lee. Still, there is a lot of inexperience, and this is a team that gave up 37 points per game last year.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Jayhawks break in a new PK this season but have continuity at P. The punt return game was comically disgusting last season (more below) and #106 in the FBS on kick returns. We worry a bit about this unit.

Potential ATS Trouble Spot

October 21 – at TCU. They will be catching a lot of points but they have the big rivalry game with Kansas St on deck. And TCU escaped by the hair on their chinny-chin-chin last season 24-23 and will not be overlooking the Jayhawks this time around.

MEGAmazing Tidbits

This is for real. This is not a test. Kansas had NEGATIVE punt return yardage in 2016. They averaged more than a one yard loss (-1.43 to be exact) returning punts. Wut ?

It gets better. Kansas has lost 41 STRAIGHT ROAD GAMES. Sadly, the 2009 UTEP squad is not on the docket this season.

Dude. Like, there is no actual bird called a Jayhawk. Like………. (attempt at millennial lingo). Like.

MEGALOCKS ATS Value Rating (10) 7.5

MEGALOCKS says:

Overall, we give the JAYHAWKS a 7.5 ATS Value Rating (Very good) this season.

It seems like yesterday that the MEGALOCKS POSSE was at the Orange Bowl cheering on a Kansas Jayhawks victory over Virginia Tech. Yes, that happened. Kansas has not enjoyed a winning season since 2008. We think that things are looking up. It may not be this season but Kansas appears to be gaining quickly on the mid-pack of the Big 12.

How does that translate into ATS success this season ? It might not. But the positives are pretty compelling. 1) Who bets on Kansas ? 2) They will be better on offense 3) The DL is really good 4) They will be yuuuuge underdogs in several games.

Dial it up, Sparky.

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