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2013 Kansas Jayhawks Gambling Odds | Predictions

2013 Football Previews – Big 12 – Jayhawks

Lawrence, Kansas is the home to the University of Kansas, whose reputation is unquestionably as a basketball powerhouse. Year in and year out, it tends to stay that way.

Big 12 Conference 2013 College Football Previews: Kansas Jayhawks
Head Coach: Charlie Weis
2012 Record: 1-11
Kansas Gambling Odds to win BCS Championship: 1000-1
Kansas Gambling Odds to win Big 12: 100-1

When one of the best alumni from Kansas football is RB Jon Cornish, who now makes a decent living in the Canadian Football League, it speaks volumes.

There is some kernel of hope this season with the addition of transfer QB Jake Heaps, who transferred from Brigham Young with much fanfare. Head coach Charlie Weis – once a perceived genius at Notre Dame – brought former Irish recruit Dayne Crist with him to Lawrence last year, and that experiment failed rather miserably.

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Weis sincerely hopes that Heaps is a little more successful. Heaps sat on the bench last season for his burned season of eligibility, but in that time he developed good timing with the scout team; KU fans hope that results in a more prolific passing attack.

For their part, WR Troy Pierson and TE Jimmay Mundine should snag plenty of balls. The engine of the offense should remain RB James Sims. As a junior last season, Sims cracked the 1,000-yard barrier (1,013) and nearly reached the double-digit TD plateau (nine).

He should get the rock often, and should also finish out his collegiate career with a strong campaign.

One thing that could derail Heaps and Sims would be the inexperience (and possible incompetence) of the offensive line. The O-line must replace three veteran starters in 2013; only OT Aslam Sterling returns. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

The Jayhawks are desperately wishing that some recruits and some JUCO transfers can step in and get the job done (note: Weis is nearly the size of an “hog maulie”, maybe they can use him on the O-line in a pinch?

Cruel joke?

Yes, probably.

Sorry about that, let’s move on).

Junior college transfers on the defensive line (Kansas likes its JUCOs) give the coaching staff hope of a much more explosive unit. Defensive end Chris Martin, DT Marquel Combs and fellow tackle Keon Stowers should give Kansas its most effective D-lineman in years.

Like Crist before him, Martin was also originally a Weis recruit, and was also enrolled briefly as a Florida Gator before going the junior college route. Obviously, this kid has some ability. Elsewhere on the defense, LB Ben Heeney and safety Isaiah Johnson pull their weight as the leaders of their respective units.

Heeney and fellow LB Jake Love are the only returning starters from last year’s defense, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing when the Jayhawks finished 1-11 last season.

The Jayhawks have a staggering 19 junior college recruits, and though they are more equipped for the college game than a true frosh, they still must adapt to the Big 12. Still, Kansas has more talent on the roster than it has had in years, and that should result in some positive progress.

It is still pretty safe to bet that this football team will be bad. It’s very safe to bet that the best ticket in town is still watching the boys on the hardwood at Allen Fieldhouse.

Jayhawks 2013 Schedule

9/7/13 7:00 PM ET SDAK
9/14/13 7:30 PM ET @RICE
9/21/13 TBD LT
10/5/13 TBD TTU
10/12/13 TBD @TCU
10/19/13 TBD OKLA
10/26/13 TBD BAY
11/2/13 TBD @TEX
11/9/13 TBD @OKST
11/16/13 TBD WVU
11/23/13 TBD @ISU
11/30/13 TBD KSU

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By James Hayes

James has been naming every player on the EA Sports video game rosters for half a decade now, he’s finally putting his knowledge to better use writing for us here at CappersPicks.com. Your comments are welcome below…Give Us Your Take!