photo by: Mike Yoder

Kanas running back Tony Pierson (3) avoids a tackle by West Virginia defender Shaq Rowell in KU's 59-10 loss Saturday against West Virginia University in Morgantown, W.Va.

If it were a case of the Kansas University football team’s sluggish offense lacking speed and playmakers, scoring a combined three points against Duke and Texas would be easier to understand.

But that’s not the case. Running backs De’Andre Mann and Corey Avery hit holes quickly and make sharp cuts. Receivers Nick Harwell, Nigel King, Justin McCay and tight end Jimmay Mundine know how to get open.

And of course, the team’s fastest and most dynamic player is a human TNT stick. The problem is Tony Pierson has had the ball in his hands just 19 times in four games.

So many seniors envisioned bigger roles on a better team than how it has played out for the first third of the schedule. Pierson said he expected about “700 receiving yards and 500 rushing,” for the year.

“It’s not looking good so far,” he said. “I’m going to keep working hard every week to reach that goal.”

The problem is he’s not the reason he has fallen far off the goal pace. He gets open, but either quarterback Montell Cozart’s protection breaks down or the QB doesn’t see Pierson. He has caught 12 passes and rushed the ball seven times.

Getting the ball to Pierson more often ranks high on offensive coordinator John Reagan’s list of priorities. Pierson’s concussion history prohibits him from playing running back on a full-time basis, but he’s so good at it that he needs to average more than 1.75 rushing attempts per game. It’s the best way to ensure the ball ends up in Pierson’s hands far more often than the current rate of 6.33 percent of the plays.

KU’s offense has had 300 snaps. Pierson’s 19 plays (seven runs, 12 catches) have gone for an average of 14.7 yards. The other 281 plays have averaged 4.1 yards.

“Me, Harwell, both of the running backs, Justin and Nigel, there are a lot of playmakers on the field,” Pierson said. “We just need the ball in our hands. At running back, it’s nothing to get a hand-off. But at receiver, that’s based on the line and the quarterback trying to get you the ball.”

He sounded like a guy who missed his original position.

“If I’m not getting the ball a lot, sometimes I want to go back and get a hand-off,” Pierson said. “Miss all the hitting? Not at all. The contact I don’t miss. I don’t miss it.”

Pierson described the first week of practices under Clint Bowen as “more energized and laid-back.” In order for that to translate to an energized offense, the laid-back burner from East St. Louis needs the ball.