Kansas tight end Tim Biere admits that the statistic doesn’t make much sense.

In four Big 12 games, the Jayhawks have been outscored 70-0 in the third quarter.

“You still have a lot of energy and you just got rested. You think you should be able to go in the third quarter,” Biere said. “We just haven’t been getting it done lately.”

When broken down, KU’s third-quarter numbers actually look worse.

A Jordan Webb interception against Baylor was returned for a touchdown, while a James Sims fumble against Kansas State also was returned for a score, meaning KU’s offense actually is netting negative points.

In 13 possessions that have started in the third quarter, KU has five turnovers, four three-and-outs and a combined 222 yards (17.1 yards per possession). In three of the games, KU’s offense posted 50 yards or less in the third quarter; in two of the games, the Jayhawks’ offense mustered less than 20 yards of offense.

“I think our offense hasn’t done well coming out in the second half. That’s probably the major factor,” KU coach Turner Gill said of his team’s third-quarter struggles. “Then all of a sudden, our defense is on the field quite a bit. So the offense has to be able to help our defense.”

KU’s defensive numbers in the third quarter haven’t been much better.

In 14 defensive possessions, the Jayhawks have allowed nine touchdowns (64 percent).

Against Iowa State and Kansas State, KU allowed a touchdown in every third-quarter drive. The Jayhawks also have allowed 742 combined yards on drives starting in the third quarter (185.5 yards per game).

“Whenever we talk about coming out in the second half, most cases, I think our defense has been on the field first,” Gill said. “We haven’t been able to stop them from scoring on their first drive, which is huge when you come out in the second half.”

An outside observer might wonder if the Jayhawks’ third-quarter struggles could be linked to the Jayhawks not making effective halftime adjustments.

Last week, Iowa State’s halftime changes included going to a hurry-up offensive set to wear out a thin KU defense, while also bringing another defender closer to the line of scrimmage to stop a successful KU run play.

The result? ISU went 74, 89 and 45 yards on three touchdown drives offensively, while KU rushed just seven times for eight yards in the third quarter.

So how does KU go about giving out its halftime adjustments?

KU senior running back Angus Quigley said after entering the locker room, KU’s players separate into two groups. The offensive players gather around Long, while the defensive players circle around defensive coordinator Carl Torbush. The coordinators give their adjustments for a couple minutes before the players split up into their position groups.

Each individual position coach talks for 2-3 minutes with his players. In both meetings, dry-erase boards are available in case a play needs to be explained better.

After that, Gill talks to the whole team for a few minutes before the players return to the field.

Quigley said the halftime procedure was nearly identical to the one that former KU coach Mark Mangino used in previous seasons.

For whatever reason, the Jayhawks — even after discussing the first half with coaches — aren’t playing their best after the break.

“It seems like we go into half, and coaches make adjustments and they give them to us. I guess we’re just not producing there,” Biere said. “We’ve got to find something we can get going in there in the second half right away.”