photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas quarterback Ryan Willis (13) is sacked by several Oklahoma State defenders including Oklahoma State linebacker Jordan Burton (20) and defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah (38) during the first quarter on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015 at T. Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla.

The conversation so often goes something like this:

Kansas football fan: “So do you think the team will be better than last year?”

Me: “Yes. Nine starters are back on defense. The conditioning season went great. The players are bigger and faster. But people are going to have to be patient. It’s going to be a long climb back.”

Kansas football fan: “Oh, I think people understand that and will be patient. I think most fans would be happy with four wins this year.”

So much for patience. Kansas is coming off an 0-12 season and still isn’t up to full strength in terms of scholarships because schools are limited to 25 in any one class. Expecting a team to go from not winning a game to winning a third of its games vs. one of the nation’s toughest schedules is not a patient, realistic read of current circumstances.

Las Vegas oddsmakers have a strong record for setting realistic expectations for football fans of a particular team and they placed the over/under for Kansas football victories at 1.5. So a patient fan will be happy with a 2-10 record, disappointed at 1-11, incensed at a second consecutive winless season.

To appreciate the difficulty of Kansas winning a Big 12 game, consider that the Jayhawks could double their average point total from 2015 in the nine-game conference schedule and still score fewer points than any other Big 12 school, based on last year’s statistics.

Kansas averaged a mere 12 points per Big 12 game in 2015. Texas placed ninth in scoring in conference games with an average of 25.3 points.

Another way of looking at it, twice as good amounts to 10th best in a 10-team league. Patience is in order.

Kansas ranked last in four other significant statistical categories that don’t involve touchdowns or field goals.

The Jayhawks rushed for 812 yards in nine Big 12 contests. Oklahoma State placed ninth with 1,047 yards.

KU managed just 2.6 yards per rush, more than a half-yard worse than OSU’s 3.3 yards.

KU’s 300.1 yards in total offense per Big 12 game were 295.8 yards fewer than conference leader Texas Tech and 31.2 yards fewer than Kansas State, ninth in total offense.

Burdened by an inexperienced offensive line, inconsistent quarterback play and a speed shortage at wide receiver, Kansas averaged 4.1 yards per play from scrimmage in conference play and ninth-place Kansas State averaged 4.7 yards. Conference leader Oklahoma averaged seven yards a snap.

Will KU perform better offensively? Yes. Better than worst? Probably not.