Oklahoma Schedule Preview: Meet the Kansas Jayhawks
As September creeps closer, AllSooners previews every game on the 2022 schedule.
Oklahoma’s 12-game regular season schedule features six home games, five away games and the annual neutral-site Red River Showdown.
After traveling to Dallas for the Red River Showdown, the Sooners will return to Norman to face the Kansas Jayhawks in week seven before the bye.
Kansas Jayhawks
- Oct. 7, Norman
- Head Coach: Lance Leipold
- 2021 record: 2-10, 1-8 Big 12
Key players
QB Jalon Daniels
Could Daniels be the guy to turn things around for the Jayhawks? He sure was an exciting player at times last season, and led Kansas to one of the program’s biggest wins. Against Texas, Daniels threw for 202 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. It was a performance that will go down among the Jayhawk greats.
In his third year, Daniels could have even more success. Kansas has finally committed to him as the unquestioned starter, as coach Lance Leipold reaffirmed last week the Jason Bean would be the backup. Bean supposedly had a productive summer and made the quarterback competition competitive, which should be a relief for Kansas fans.
Daniels can hurt defenses through the air and on the ground. In total, he threw for 860 yards and seven touchdowns, while rushing for three more scores as well. With experienced running backs and a boost a confidence, expect Daniels to take control of the Kansas offense and really add his own twist this fall. The athletic playmaker should be one of the more exciting quarterbacks to watch in the Big 12, regardless of Kansas’ record.
RB Devin Neal
Neal was a productive force on the ground last season for the Jayhawks. With Daniels locked in at quarterback, and Kansas focused on a balanced offensive attack, Neal’s role could increase even more.
The talented rising sophomore rushed for 707 yards and eight touchdowns on 158 carries last season. He’s a speedy and powerful back that averaged 4.5 yards per run and is looking for more in year two.
RB Sevion Morrison
Morrison is part of a Kansas running back room that is one of the best in the Big 12. He and Neal should spearhead a group that includes another talented runner in Ky Thomas.
Morrison, a former 4-star recruit, transfers in from Nebraska after two seasons in Lincoln. He was a local recruit in Oklahoma and could make an immediate impact in the Kansas backfield.
S Kenny Logan
Logan is a veteran in Lawrence and has been through it all. He has stuck it out with the Jayhawks and is now a senior leader on this defense.
He has totaled 182 tackles, nine tackles for loss and three interceptions in his Kansas career. Last season, Logan led the Big 12 in tackles at 113, which also happened to be the most tackles by a safety in the NCAA.
He’s also a weapon in the return game, where he’s averaged 24.7 yards per return over three seasons. His greatest special teams highlight was a 100-yard touchdown return against Iowa State.
LB Rich Miller
Miller transferred over from Buffalo, where Leipold previously coached, and will be a massive piece to the puzzle for the Kansas defense.
Last season, Miller made nine starts and had a huge impact, totaling 79 tackles and five tackles for loss. Now that he’s had a full offseason to get acclimated to Lawrence and his new team, Miller will be a key player in the Kansas defense.
2022 Oklahoma Schedule
- Sept. 3 vs. UTEP
- Sept. 10 vs. Kent State
- Sept. 17 at Nebraska
- Sept. 24 vs. Kansas State
- Oct. 1 at TCU
- Oct. 8 vs. Texas
- Oct. 15 vs. Kansas
- Oct. 22 Idle
- Oct. 29 at Iowa State
- Nov. 5 vs. Baylor
- Nov. 12 at West Virginia
- Nov. 19 vs. Oklahoma State
- Nov. 26 at Texas Tech
The Rundown
The progress may not show on the record books, but Kansas is improving under Leipold. The Jayhawks are enduring a slow rebuild that showed signs of excitement last season.
With skill position players like Daniels and Neal, the football team has seemed to garner excitement in Lawrence. Fans aren’t expecting lots of wins, or even a bowl game, but a fun, exciting team could be in store this fall.
In past years, the Jayhawks didn’t have much depth and the roster was very top-heavy. Now, in year two under Leipold, the Jayhawks have developed and brought in help through the transfer portal to make life a little easier. Kansas seems to be on the right track, even though it may take a few years to lay the groundwork.
“It, especially where we are in camp, forces you to be locked in,” Leipold said at Kansas media day regarding the camp competition.
"You better be paying attention when you show up for meetings. You better be paying attention when we do walk-throughs in the evening. You better make sure you know your assignments that carry over into the installation of the next thing because if not, somebody else that’s close in talent level is going to be there to take some of those reps and opportunities away. That’s how you’ve got to build a program in my estimation.”
Kansas has gashed the Sooners on the ground in previous years, and has the rushing attack to do so once again. Even if the Jayhawks don’t win a lot of games this season, there will be production and progression on the field. Kansas will be able to give plenty of teams a scare, and maybe even give the fans in Lawrence a few upsets.
