KU’s Kiesau says offense now about progress not complete overhaul

Kansas assistant coach Eric Kiesau huddles the offense during the second quarter at McLane Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014 in Waco, Texas.

Energized by the chance to call plays again, Kansas University’s co-offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau said this week that one of the most important aspects of the transition was not to throw too much at the Jayhawks too quickly.

“I told (interim head coach) Clint (Bowen), it’s gonna be a gradual progression,” Kiesau said. “Last week there was a few things, then we’ll take those things and we’ll add a few this week and add a few next week. Really, what we’re trying to do is just build and get stronger as the season ends, in fairness to the kids. Sure, I’d love to flip the script and say, ‘Hey, guys, here’s what we’re doing,’ and have these 15 or 20 new ideas. But if they don’t execute ’em then it doesn’t look good and it’s all for nothing.”

Kiesau, who called plays both at Colorado and Washington, said the mental impact of such a transition was important to monitor, particularly for a team that just changed head coaches and quarterbacks.

“You really have to monitor your team and see where your players are at, not just football-wise but in the whole big picture.”

Just because there’s a new play-caller on the field on Saturdays does not mean things have changed completely. Sure, the feel and philosophies might be a little different, but several other elements remained in place.

“The hardest thing is, because of where we are in the season, you can’t wholesale change everything,” Kiesau said. “So the core of what we’re doing is still our system. What I’m trying to do is put some of the wrinkles in that we can implement that won’t rock the boat completely.”

Kiesau compared the opposite approach to switching from speaking Chinese to English and emphasized that putting such strain on a struggling team would be too taxing.

“The transition was smooth,” he said. “I think we all handled it like professionals and then the kids transitioned really well.”