Booth Breakdown: A far-out glance at the Missouri State Bears in Week 1

photo by: Chance Parker/Journal-World photo

Kansas defensive backs coach Jordan Peterson, center in black with white hat, yells instructions to the defense during a drill at spring practice on Thursday, March 30, 2023 at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

This preview is the first of a 12-part series breaking down the upcoming KU football schedule.

If you haven’t already been scratching the days off your calendar, Kansas football’s home opener against Missouri State on Aug. 31 sits just 12 weeks away. The Week 1 matchup, slated for a 7 p.m. kickoff, is the start of head coach Lance Leipold’s third year at the helm of the program after leading the Jayhawks to bowl eligibility for the first time since 2008.

Almost anyone in Lawrence will tell you KU’s 6-7 finish with a triple-overtime 55-53 loss to Arkansas in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl was a refreshing change of pace compared to the lowly KU teams of the past decade-plus.

Historically, Kansas and Missouri State have only met twice on the gridiron — 2001 (24-10, KU) and 2002 (44-24) — in Lawrence. They’ll meet for a third time at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium in the Jayhawks’ home opener.

Missouri State is seeking a fresh start after a losing season that was followed by the departure of head coach Bobby Petrino. Petrino moved to Texas A&M to become Jimbo Fisher’s new offensive coordinator, and the Bears promoted Ryan Beard from defensive coordinator to head coach. Beard, 33, is the program’s youngest-ever head coach.

Under Petrino’s leadership in 2021, the Bears won eight games and earned a Football Championship Subdivision playoff berth. They opened last season in high spirits, winning a Week 1 road trip at Central Arkansas and avenging their playoff loss against UT Martin the year before with a 35-30 win against the Skyhawks in Week 2. But then Missouri State lost its next five games. The Bears closed the season winning three of their last four games — a bittersweet sendoff for senior quarterback Jason Shelley, who started all 11 games last season.

In 2023, the QB room returns Jacob Clark and Jordan Pachot, who combined for 72 total yards on 10 pass attempts last year.

The passing picture gets blurrier without leading receiver Ty Scott. Scott completed 48 passes for 674 yards and five touchdowns, starting 11 games during his junior season. After declaring for the 2023 NFL draft, Scott signed as an undrafted free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs last month, but the team waived him shortly thereafter.

Conversely, returning running back Jacardia Wright is a shinier subject for the Bears. Wright’s sophomore campaign was easily the best of anyone in the backfield — he amassed 711 total rushing yards on 156 touches and finished the year averaging just under 4.6 yards per carry with nine total touchdowns.

Defensively, Missouri State returns just one of its top three solo tacklers from last year, junior linebacker Von Young. Young started all 11 games, ranked second in the Bears’ solo tackles column (33) and finished the season with 66 total tackles.

The Jayhawks, meanwhile, will be trying to keep up the momentum they gained last year. KU achieved arguably the highest ceiling fans could ask for in 2022, winning its first five games of the regular season, including two conference wins at West Virginia and home against Iowa State.

KU has won its last three games against FCS opponents. Its most recent loss against an FCS foe was against Nicholls, 26-23, in 2018’s home opener during the last year of the David Beaty era.

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