GAMEDAY BREAKDOWN: A look at Saturday’s Kansas-Texas Tech football game

Kansas linebacker Schyler Miles (32) puts a hit on Rutgers running back Robert Martin (7) during the third quarter on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015 at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey.

Kansas Jayhawks (0-5 overall, 0-2 Big 12) vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders (4-2 overall, 1-2 Big 12)

11 a.m. Memorial Stadium, Lawrence, Kansas — Game-time forecast: 52 degrees, partly cloudy, 0 percent chance for rain, SE winds 9 mph — TV: FOX Sports 1

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Keys for Kansas

1 . Linebackers have to show up

With the loss of defensive tackle Jacky Dezir to injury, the Jayhawks are down to three interior defensive linemen who have played significant snaps. That’s tough against any opponent but particularly difficult against one of the nation’s fastest-moving, most high-powered offenses. The Red Raiders average 80 plays per game and will snap the ball quickly. That gives KU very little time to rest, which will make life difficult for Corey King, Daniel Wise and Kapil Fletcher inside. Because of that, linebackers Schyler Miles, Joe Dineen, Marcquis Roberts, Courtney Arnick and Osaze Ogbebor, along with KU’s cornerbacks and safeties, are going to have to be ready to support the run and get to the quarterback. Because, without a deep rotation, those D-tackles are bound to get worn down quickly. What’s more, if the guys in the middle of the KU defense aren’t sound against the scrambling ability of TTU QB Patrick Mahomes, he could make a run at some yardage records.

2 . Trust their reads

Kansas offensive coordinator Rob Likens said the Texas Tech defense likes to move around to disguise coverages and blitzes and confuse offenses. Unlike a week ago against Baylor, which pretty much lined up in the same defense and basically said, ‘Here we are, come and get us,’ the Red Raiders’ look will be more complicated, which could be especially difficult for freshman quarterback Ryan Willis and his young offense to recognize and adjust to. Because of that, the coaching staff will have to simplify as much as possible, giving the KU offense one or two keys to focus on and then asking them to trust what they’re seeing and execute to the best of their ability. Likens said he wished the NCAA would adopt a rule that says defenses cannot move around after a certain point in the play clock, but since that’s not happening anytime soon, it’ll be up to KU’s youngsters to play the most mature football of their careers today.

3 . Be better on first downs

The Jayhawks are averaging just over 3 yards per play on first down, and Likens believes that number has to improve drastically in order to help KU finish more drives. In addition to its troubles on first down, Kansas has struggled on third-and-short as well, another area that makes finishing drives difficult. Likens said he was generally pleased with his team’s play on third-and-long and on second down. But the Jayhawks have not scored more than 14 points in the past three weeks. If they hope to climb above that number today, against a Texas Tech defense that surrenders 40 points per game to opponents, they’re going to have to find ways to jumpstart drives and convert short third and fourth downs.

Mega Matchup

Texas Tech WR Jakeem Grant vs. The World

In this Sept. 26, 2015, file photo, Texas Tech wide receiver Jakeem Grant (11) runs in for a touchdown after a reception in the first half of an NCAA college football game against TCU in Lubbock, Texas. Baylor, West Virginia, Texas Tech and TCU all have a 100-yard rusher and a 100-yard receiver. The rest of the power-five conferences have only one such team, plus Notre Dame.(AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

Earth

Grant, a 5-foot-7, 168-pound senior from Mesquite, Texas, is the definition of a multi-use weapon. Through six games this season, the Red Raiders wideout has scored a touchdown in four ways. He enters today’s game with 648 receiving yards and four touchdown grabs on 44 receptions and 1,049 all-purpose yards, which ranks sixth in the country. In addition to his four TDs through the air, Grant also has thrown for a touchdown, run for a touchdown and scored a TD on a kickoff return, where he averages 26.3 yards per return and ranks fifth in the nation. No matter where he is on the field, when Grant touches the ball, the Red Raiders average 16.9 yards per play, so it’ll be up to the Kansas defense and special teams, at all levels, to use a gang mentality to try to bottle up Tech’s dynamic play-maker.

5 Questions with junior offensive lineman Jordan Shelley-Smith

1 . Coach Beaty had no problem saying that Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury is a “good-looking dude.” What do you think of Kingsbury’s Hollywood image?

I’ve got no say on it. I met him at Big 12 media days. He’s a great guy and a great coach, and I’ve heard a lot of good things about him in the world of football, and I’ve got the utmost respect for him.

Kansas offensive lineman Jordan Shelley-Smith stretches out with his teammates during practice on Monday, April 7, 2015. Shelley-Smith is making the transition from tight end to offensive line.

2 . Speaking of Hollywood, what’s the best football movie of all-time?

Oh, “Friday Night Lights,” no question about it. No question. It’s Texas high school football, baby! You can’t beat it.

3 . What does the KU offense need to do to start finishing more drives and scoring more points?

Establish the run game. You know, the run game sets up everything. We’ve taken it upon ourselves as an offensive line that we need to do better in that regard, and we’ve really challenged each other to get back to doing what we do best. We want nothing more than our running backs to have 100-yard games.

4 . With true freshman Ryan Willis starting the first game of his career last week — and making start No. 2 today — did the O-line put more of an emphasis on protecting him?

All of the time as an offensive line, you want the guy behind you to be safe. For me, as well as a bunch of other linemen on this team, every time that guy gets hit, it hits you hard, and you think, “That’s my dude. I can’t let that happen. That’s on me.” You immediately re-evaluate what you did. No matter what age or who it is back there, you want to protect him and make sure he doesn’t take any unnecessary hits.

5 . As an offensive lineman, what’s the worst thing that can happen out there? A hold, a false start, giving up a sack, something along those lines?

For me, personally, as the left tackle, it’s your quarterback getting hurt. That’s by far the worst. You have nightmares about it, and you don’t ever want that to happen no matter what level you’re talking about.

Jayhawk Pulse

Another week brings another high-powered Big 12 offense to face the winless Jayhawks, but you would never know that these guys are struggling this season from watching them at practice. Credit KU coach David Beaty and his staff for keeping their spirits up and emphasizing that it’s not about the result on the scoreboard this season, rather the improvement they make from rep to rep, day to day and week to week. Finding an argument for a KU victory the rest of the way is tough to do, but it becomes even tougher when considering the number of significant injuries that have plagued this team already. Some of the injured players have returned, but are playing at far less than 100 percent. Such a reality only makes life tougher for Beaty and company, which enters today as a 30-plus-point underdog for the second week in a row.