photo by: Nick Krug

South Dakota State wide receiver Jake Wieneke (19) turns back to see Kansas cornerback Tyrone Miller Jr. (19) trailing as he runs into the end zone for a touchdown during the first quarter on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015 at Memorial Stadium.

In less than two weeks, the Kansas football team will have a winning record for the first time since before the Jayhawks took a 41-3 beating at the hands of fellow basketball powerhouse Duke in Durham, N.C., on Sept. 13, 2014.

Rhode Island, which plays out of the Football Championship Subdivision formerly known as Div. I-AA, went 1-10 last season, its 10 losses coming by an average margin of 20.4 points. The Albany Great Danes (but not quite as great as football players) blasted the Rams by four touchdowns, so the Jayhawks shouldn’t have any trouble doing the same.

After that sparring session is out of the way, finding another victory on the schedule presents a challenge.

Seven concerns linger about this team’s ability to win another game this season:

1 – The schedule: URI, Iowa State and Texas are the only schools on the 12-game schedule that didn’t participate in a bowl game last season. KU lost to the Cyclones and Longhorns by a combined score of 97-33 in 2015. Ohio at home and Memphis on the road could play out as close games, but Kansas will enter both as the underdog. The Iowa State game is in Lawrence, another possibility.

2 – The offensive line: The most encouraging news would have been that the same O-line line that formed the first-string unit in the spring exhibition would remain at the top of the depth chart. That would have signified that a handful of blockers had developed to the point they had established themselves as first-stringers and remained healthy throughout camp. It also would have given them more time to develop chemistry playing next to one another.

Instead, the depth chart at O-line appears to spin like a revolving door, which leaves the impression that nobody has blown away the competition.

3 – Quarterback: Second-year head coach David Beaty still hasn’t named a starter and I seriously doubt that it’s because he wants to keep Rhode Island guessing.

My guess is Beaty wants Willis to show leadership in practice before announcing he has won the job. That can become a little tricky because the best way for a quarterback to gain followers is to remain poised under game-day pressure and keep the chains moving. It’s tough to show that during practice.

Whichever quarterback, Willis or Montell Cozart, projects as better able to put points on the board ought to start the season at QB. If he performs, they’ll follow him.

4 – Beaty taking on OC duties: Calling the plays, coaching the quarterbacks and coordinating the offense is a lot to put on the plate of a second-year head coach. Give Beaty credit for putting his neck on the line by doing it, but was it wise? Only the scoreboard will have the answer to that one. It won’t take much to improve upon last season’s production. KU averaged 13.2 points in its 11 games vs. FBS competition.

5 – Speed at wide receiver: Texas A & M transfer LaQuvionte Gonzalez has the jets to consistently get behind the defense, but overall speed of this sure-handed unit with skilled route-runners is not exceptional.

6 – Cornerback: Unlike last season, when true freshman Tyrone Miller made seven starts despite a lack of experience and speed better suited for his current position, safety, KU has enough natural cornerbacks, but none of them have yet proven themselves to be Big 12-caliber starters. True freshmen Kyle Mayberry and Michael Lee bring exciting potential, but are they the answer yet?

7 – Experience winning a close game: Just five of the Jayhawks’ past 33 games have been decided by seven points or fewer and they have gone 1-4 in them, the lone victory by a 34-28 margin vs. Southeast Missouri State in the 2014 season opener. KU also lost to TCU, 34-30, and Oklahoma State, 27-20, that year. Last season, the only close calls came in losses to South Dakota State, 41-38, and TCU, 23-17.

Before I take a stab at guessing KU’s record, keep in mind that I have been incredibly consistent in recent seasons, always too optimistic by one victory: 2-10. The second triumph? Tough to say.