Andy Kotelnicki Outlines How He Expects Kansas’ Offense to Bounce Back in UJC

The Kansas football team can't afford to drop to 1-2 this weekend when it plays in the Union Jack Classic. The Jayhawks flew to London on Tuesday to prepare for their first Big 12 matchup of the season against Arizona State, and they'll do so as the first college football game ever played at historic Wembley Stadium.

In last week's 17-point loss to Missouri, the Jayhawks' defense and special teams units were not the problem. Surprisingly, KU's offense was the group that struggled most.

Quarterback Isaiah Marshall was erratic, turning the ball over three times and completing less than 50% of his passes. KU scored just two offensive touchdowns all night and was blanked in the fourth quarter.

Associate head coach Andy Kotelnicki, who has reassumed his play-calling duties after a brief stint at Penn State, knows his players have plenty to clean up this week. On Wednesday, he discussed what he's most excited to see from his offense vs. the Sun Devils.

"Obviously, bad football is always going to get you beat," Kotelnicki said in a press conference. "Turning the ball over, doing those kinds of things, we can't do that. I am very excited to see how we will respond. Because I think we all know it's easy to respond when things are going well, but what will happen when there's some adversity in your life?"

Nov 8, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Lance Leipold against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Marshall's passing struggles weren't particularly unexpected, as it was his first collegiate start against an FBS opponent. However, the lack of production from the ground game was a bigger concern. Yasin Willis and Dylan Edwards combined for just 14 carries, fewer than Marshall had by himself. That isn't enough for an offense expected to rely heavily on its rushing attack.

Kotelnicki emphasized the importance of establishing the run early and getting the ball to his playmakers.

"In terms of running the ball, it's always going to be about making sure we're attacking and taking the air out of the ball and being physical," Kotelnicki stated. "Didn't do a good enough job of that last week, didn't do a good enough job in terms of calling the plays we want. I think our strength with our offensive line up front is the ability to be athletic and be able to create distortion. I got to do a good job getting the ball to Dylan [Edwards] and Yasin [Willis].

Although the offense has to adjust to a new time zone and different environment entering game week, Kotelnicki believes the group has responded well early in practice. He remains optimistic that last week's shortcomings won't become a consistent theme moving forward.

"We got to take care of the football from last game, we got to be explosive, and we can't miss opportunities to be explosive," he concluded. "Got to be running the ball better and be more physical up front, and I think our guys have responded the right way all week."

Jayhawk fans will find out what this team is made of when it takes the field Saturday. Kansas will have an opportunity to put last week's disappointing performance behind it, but another offensive showing like that against ASU will make for a difficult afternoon.

Check out the KCSN official website and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram for the latest KU basketball and football news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google