KANSAS JAYHAWKS NOTES:
KANSAS TAKES ON ARKANSAS IN THE 64TH AUTOZONE LIBERTY
BOWL
For the first time since beating Minnesota 42-21 in the 2008 Insight Bowl in Tempe, Arizona, the Kansas Jayhawks will play postseason football
when they travel to Memphis to take on Arkansas in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Dec. 28. Both teams will be playing for a winning season as The Jayhawks and Razorbacks both enter with a 6-6 mark on the season. The two programs have met twice before, but not since a two-game series in 1905 and 1906 where Kansas won both matchups. Arkansas finished 3-5 in the SEC, dropping its final game of the season at Missouri, 29-27. Coach Sam Pittman’s team is led by quarterback KJ Jefferson, who completed 185 of 271 passes this season for 2,361 yards, 22 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Sophomore running back Raheim Sanders was also a standout on offense, rushing for 1,426 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. He averaged 6.5 yards per carry. Overall, the Arkansas offense is ranked No. 26 in the country in total offense and the defense is ranked No. 123. On the flip side, Kansas enters ranked No. 38 in total offense, No. 28 in scoring offense and No. 122 in total defense. Kickoff for the AutoZone Liberty Bowl is set for 4:30 p.m., on ESPN with Dave O’Brien, Dan Mullen and Taylor McGregor on the call.
JAYHAWK QUICK HITS
• The Jayhawks enter their final regular season game, averaging 7.01 yards per play this season, which ranks tied for fifth nationally. The program record for yards per play in a season is 6.40, set in 1950.
• Kansas boasted one of the most improved offenses in the country during the 2022 season. The Jayhawks averaged 424.9 yards per game this year, after averaging 324.2 last year. The 100.7-yard improvement ranks fourth in the country and third among Power 5 teams. In addition, Andy Kotelnicki’s offense improved its scoring offense by 13.4 points per game, which ranked fifth in the country and fourth among Power 5 teams.
• The Jayhawks also improved their third down conversion percentage by 15 percent, which ranks second in the country behind Florida State.
• Entering the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, Kansas ranks among the Top 30 nationally in several offensive categories. The Jayhawks rank fifth in team passing efficiency and seventh in fewest sacks allowed at 0.75 per game.
• Kansas is also ranked seventh in third down percentage at 50.4 percent and 28th in scoring offense at 34.2 points per game. The team’s rushing offense is just outside the Top 30, sitting 32nd at 194.7 rushing yards per game.
• Running back Devin Neal posted the 17th 1,000-yard rushing season in Kansas history earlier this season when he topped the 1,000-yard mark for the season with a 51-yard performance against Texas in the team’s final home game of the season.
• The Lawrence native then rushed for 59 yards and a pair of touchdowns against Kansas State and enters the bowl game with 1,061 rushing yards on the season. He is tied with Pooka Williams Jr., for 16th all-time in single-season rushing in program history.
• Defensive end Lonnie Phelps enters the postseason with seven sacks, which is the most by a Kansas player since Dorance Armstrong Jr., had 10 in 2016. Now a Dallas Cowboy, Armstrong has eight sacks this year in his fifth season in the NFL.
• First-Team All-Big 12 cornerback Cobee Bryant ranks fifth in the conference in passes defended at 11 and tied for sixth in interceptions with three. Bryant also had an interception return for a touchdown this season and a blocked field goal return for a score.
• Since 2000, only three Kansas teams have posted 2,500+ passing yards and 2,000+ rushing yards in the same season. This year’s team has 2,763 passing yards and 2,336 rushing yards. The only other teams since 2000 to top both marks were the 2003 and 2007 teams.
• Kansas quarterbacks this season are 205-for-315 for 2,763 yards. The completion percentage of 65.1 would be the second-best mark by the program since at least 1950. The only season that ended in a higher completion percentage was 2008 at 66.6.
• Both Jalon Daniels and Jason Bean are completing at least 64 percent of their passes. Since 2000, only Todd Reesing in 2008 had a completion percentage north of 64 with at least 125 attempts. Now, both Daniels and Bean have done it.
BY THE NUMBERS
13 – Kansas’ appearance in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl marks Kansas’ 13th bowl appearance in school history, including its first since the 2008 season. Kansas holds a 6-6 record in Bowl games all-time. This year’s game marks Kansas’ first bowl game against an SEC team since the 1981 Hall of Fame Bowl that Kansas dropped 10-0 to Mississippi State.
7.01 – Kansas enters its final regular season game averaging 7.01 yards per play this season, which ranks tied for fifth nationally and is on pace to break the school’s record for yards per play in a season of 6.40, set in 1950.
56 – The Kansas offense has scored 56 touchdowns this season, which is the most in single season since 2008, while the most over the last 10
seasons by a KU team was 36 (2019).
A KU WIN WOULD …
• Move Kansas to 595-675-58 all-time, including 9-16 under head coach Lance Leipold. Leipold’s career record would improve to 155-55.
• Give Kansas seven wins for the first time since 2008, when the Jayhawks finished 8-5 and won the Insight Bowl.
• Give Kansas its first Bowl victory since Dec. 31, 2008, when the Jayhawks defeated Minnesota in the Insight Bowl, 42-21.
• Make Kansas 7-6 in Bowl games all-time, while it would make Kansas 1-1 in the Liberty Bowl all-time.
• Make head coach Lance Leipold 3-1 in Bowl Games all-time, including his first Bowl victory since 2020 while at Buffalo.
• Make Kansas 3-0 against the Arkansas Razorbacks all-time. In a series that dates back to 1905 (W, 6-0) it would be Kansas’ first win over Arkansas since 1907 (W, 37-5).
• Make Kansas 64-71-10 all-time against the Southeastern Conference.
• Make Kansas 1-0 in games played on December 28 all-time.
BOWL MUST KNOWS
• This year’s appearance in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl marks the 13th all-time bowl game in Kansas history.
• The Jayhawks have picked up wins in:
o 1961 BlueBonnet Bowl (Kansas 33, Rice 7)
o 1992 Aloha Bowl (Kansas 23, BYU 20)
o 1995 Aloha Bowl (Kansas 51, UCLA 30)
o 2005 Fort Worth Bowl (Kansas 42, Houston 13)
o 2008 Orange Bowl (Kansas 24, Virginia Tech 21)
o 2008 Insight Bowl (Kansas 42, Minnesota 21)
• Laverne Smith holds the Kansas bowl game record with 118 rushing yards, which he did on 16 carries in the 1975 Sun Bowl versus Pittsburgh.
• Todd Reesing’s 313 passing yards against Minnesota in the 2008 Insight Bowl mark the Kansas bowl game record for passing yards.
• Of course, 201 of those yards went to Dezmon Briscoe, who holds the Kansas bowl game record with 201 receiving yards.
• This year’s appearance is the second all-time appearance for Kansas in the Liberty Bowl. The Jayhawks fell to NC State 31-18 in the 1973 Liberty Bowl.
• David Jaynes threw for 218 yards and a touchdown for the Jayhawks in his final game at KU. At the time, his 218 yards and 24 completions established a new Liberty Bowl record.
• This year’s game marks Kansas’ first bowl game against an SEC team since the 1981 Hall of Fame Bowl that Kansas dropped 10-0 to Mississippi State.
PLAYING FOR HADL
• On November 30th, Kansas Football lost a legend when College Football Hall of Famer John Hadl passed away at the age of 82.
• Hadl earned first-team AP All-American honors in 1960 and 1961 and is one of two Jayhawks – with Gale Sayers being the other – to be named a two-time first-team AP All-American.
• Hadl then enjoyed a 16-year professional football career, earning six Pro Bowl appearances and being named the 1971 NFL Man of the Year.
• After his playing career, Hadl spent more than 30 years working at Kansas as a coach and then administrator.
• His No. 21 is one of three Kansas football numbers to be retired, along with No. 48 for Gale Sayers and No. 42 for Ray Evans.
• Statement from Head Football Coach Lance Leipold: “Upon my arrival, I heard instantly from people across the state about John’s impact to this department, not just as a studentathlete and coach, but as someone who dedicated nearly 40 years of his life to the University of Kansas. His desire to enhance KU and make it as special as possible truly resonated with me. To be the head coach of this program and see his statue every day outside Anderson Family Football Complex, is a firm reminder of the passion and love that John had for this program. Kelly and I send our condolences to the Hadl family and his loved ones.”
SKY’S THE LIMIT
• Kansas has continued to have a strong season offensively in 2022 under the direction of Offensive Coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, whose offense returned nine starters from a season ago.
• The Jayhawks rank 28th in the country in scoring offense at 34.2 points per game. The Jayhawks averaged 20.8 points per game last season, ranking 111th of 130 teams. The 34.2 points per game are the most by a Kansas team since the 2007 squad averaged 42.7 points per game.
• Over the last 10 seasons, the highest scoring average for the Jayhawks was 23.5 in 2019.
• The Jayhawks are up to 56 touchdowns this season after not having more than 36 in any season over the last 10 years. The balance has been impeccable, with 27 rushing touchdowns and 27 passing touchdowns on the season.
• Kansas has rushed for 2,236 yards in 12 games, an average of 194.7 yards per game. That total ranks fifth in the Big 12 and No. 32 nationally. The Jayhawks are averaging 5.7 yards per carry on 412 attempts. Kansas ranked 58th in rushing offense last season.
• KU has continued to execute at a high-level on third downs this season. The Jayhawks lead the Big 12 in third-down percentage, converting on 71-of-141 (50%) attempts this season. That number also ranks seventh nationally.
• The Kansas offensive line did not allow a sack in the first three games of the season and the Jayhawks enter the bowl game of the season ranked seventh nationally with just nine sacks allowed. KU didn’t allow a sack against Oklahoma State or Texas in its final two home contests
• Kansas has topped the 500-yard mark five times this season and three times in conference play. From 2010 to 2018, Kansas topped the 500-yard mark just once in a conference game when the Jayhawks totaled 514 yards versus Iowa State in 2014.
DAZZLIN’ DANIELS
• Quarterback Jalon Daniels started the final two games of the season, marking his first game action since exiting the TCU game on Oct. 8 right before halftime.
• In his first game back against Texas, Daniels threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns. Against Kansas State in the regular season finale, he threw for 168 yards, while rushing for 51 yards and a touchdown.
• Daniels is completing 65.7 percent of his passes (115-175), and has thrown 13 touchdowns to just two interceptions on the season. He is also averaging 6.4 yards per carry and ranks second on the team with 404 rushing yards. Daniels is also second on the team with six rushing touchdowns. Only Devin Neal (nine) has more rushing scores.
• Against Duke, Daniels threw for a career-high 324 yards, topping the 300-yard mark for the first time in his career.
• Daniels had a streak of eight-straight games with a touchdown pass snapped against Iowa State, but the junior from Lawndale, Calif., did rush for a two-yard touchdown in the second quarter against ISU. Daniels has accounted for 18 total touchdowns this season, which is tied for fifth in the Big 12.
• In back-to-back weeks, Daniels surpassed his career long completion. Against Houston, Daniels hooked up with Torry Locklin for a 60-yard touchdown pass to establish a new long. But against Duke, he eclipsed that with a 73-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Hishaw.
• With 13 touchdown passes on the season, Daniels is just one shy of entering the Top 10 for single-season touchdown passes in school history.
KEEN BEAN
• With Daniels out, Jason Bean stepped into the starting quarterback role in more than an effective way for his four starts.
• Against TCU, Bean threw for 262 yards on 16 of 24 passing and four touchdowns in just one half. The 262 yards marked the second-most Bean has ever thrown for at Kansas. Last year against Duke, Bean threw for 323 yards. The four touchdown passes did establish a new career high for the Texas native.
• Bean then matched that four-touchdown mark again against Oklahoma, throwing for 265 yards and four touchdowns against the Sooners.
• Against Baylor, Bean and the Kansas overcame a slow start to score 20 second-half points against the Bears. Bean finished that game with 232 passing yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. He also rushed for 25 yards and a touchdown.
• The senior then led the Jayhawks to a 37-16 win over Oklahoma State last time out at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Bean threw for 203 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 93 yards and another score.
• In his most recent start, Bean threw for 270 yards and three touchdowns to one interception.
• The Texas native now has 14 touchdown passes this season. He had six all of last season. He’s been intercepted just four times in 135 attempts after throwing six picks last year.
• Last season, in nine games at quarterback, Bean had multiple touchdown passes in a game just twice. He has four such games this season.
• Bean had six pass plays of 20 yards or longer against TCU. His \long pass of the game came on his first attempt when he found Tanaka Scott for a 52-yard gain. He also found Mason Fairchild for 20 yards, Lawrence Arnold for 26, Quentin Skinner for 38 and 29 and Luke Grimm for 31.
• For his Kansas career now, Bean has completed 189 of 316 passes for 2,532 yards, 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
• The North Texas transfer has 3,839 passing yards in his collegiate career with 37 touchdown passes and 19 interceptions.
REAL DEAL DEVIN NEAL
• After a true freshman season that saw Devin Neal rush for 707 yards on 158 carries – an average of 4.5 yards per carry – the Lawrence native is back and having a banner sophomore season.
• In 12 games this season, Neal has rushed for 1,061 yards on 171 carries, averaging 6.2 yards per carry. He ranks third in the Big 12 and 20th in the nation in yards per carry.
• In November, Neal had the best two-game stretch by a Jayhawk in more than 25 years. After rushing for 224 yards on 32 carries (and 110 receiving yards) against Oklahoma State, Neal rushed for 190 yards on 24 carries against Texas Tech.
• Neal is the first Power 5 running back this season to rush for at least 190 yards in back-to-back games. He’s the first Jayhawk to do it since June Henley in 1996.
• Neal is third in the Big 12 this season, averaging 6.2 yards per carry.
• Neal’s 32 carries against Oklahoma State established a new career high.
• Neal posted six games last year where he received 15 or more carries. He posted three 100-yard games and scored the first touchdown of his career in the team’s first road test of the season at Coastal Carolina.
• Neal finished his freshman season with eight rushing touchdowns, marking the most by a Kansas freshman since James Sims in 2010. His career total is up to 10 after the two touchdowns Friday.
• The running back also became the first Kansas player since at least 2000 to have three rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown in a game when he did that at Texas in a November win.
• Perhaps the most impressive and encouraging sign for Neal last year was his success against big-time opponents. The freshman rushed for 143 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries against Texas. Against No. 3 Oklahoma, he went for 100 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. He also rushed for 83 yards on 15 carries at Iowa State.
BIG 12 2022 SEASON NOTABLES
• The Big 12 is sending a nation-high 80 percent of its teams to bowl games, including No. 3 TCU making the Conference’s fifth appearance in the CFP Semifinals. Kansas State, Baylor, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas Tech also advanced to the postseason.
• The Big 12 has eight bowl teams for the first time since 2017 and the 12th season in Conference history. It is the fourth time since the Big 12 has competed as a 10-team league.
• The Big 12 has made 184 previous bowl appearances with a 51.1 (94-90) win percentage.
• The Big 12 has the best bowl win percentage of any conference over the last two seasons (.833).
• The Big 12 is one of just two leagues (SEC) in which every team had at least four wins in 2022.
• The Big 12’s average home attendance this season was 59,134, up over 4,100 from the final 2021 season average of 55,017.
• The Big 12 concluded regular season non-conference games with a .833 (25-5) win percentage, which is second in the FBS. Every Big 12 team finished with a winning record and the win percentage is the highest since going .900 (27-3) in 2011.
BIG BOYS UP FRONT
• The offensive production this season for Kansas has been fueled by its excellent play on the offensive line, under coach Scott Fuchs.
• The Jayhawk started the same five up front in all 12 games, going with left tackle Earl Bostick Jr., left guard Dominick Puni, center Mike Novitsky, right guard Michael Ford Jr., and right tackle Bryce Cabeldue.
• The group has surrendered nine sacks on the season. Kansas didn’t allow a sack over its first three games of the season and then held Oklahoma State without a sack and then again against Texas. The Jayhawks are seventh in the country in fewest sacks allowed, just two years removed from giving up 47 sacks in nine games during the 2020 season.
• Not only has the pass blocking been stellar, the offensive line has also paved the way for 194.7 rushing yards per game through 12 contests this season.
• Puni is a transfer from Central Missouri, who has proven to be a strong addition for the Jayhawks. He has teamed up with Bostick on the left side of the line to protect quarterbacks Jalon Daniels and Jason Bean and pave holes for the running backs.
• Bostick has started 28 straight games and 31 overall for his career. Cabeldue has started 26 straight, while Novitsky is at 24 and Ford is at 23. Puni has started all 12 games of his Jayhawk career. Bostick’s 31 career starts are the most by any Kansas offensive player.
HE’S BAAAAAAAAACK
• Safety Kenny Logan Jr., has settled in for his fourth season with the Jayhawks and brings as accomplished of a resume as any safety in the Big 12 Conference.
• An All-Big 12 Second-Team pick last season, Logan led the conference with 113 tackles, which also led all safeties nationally. The St. Augustine, Florida native had 79 solo stops, which also led the Big 12 and ranked third nationally among all players.
• This season, Logan earned honorable mention honors and ranked sixth in total tackles with 96. He averaged 8.00 tackles per game and his 65 solo tackles were tied for second most in the conference.
• Against Texas in the team’s final home game, Logan had 10 tackles, including nine solo stops. Against Texas Tech, Logan collected 11 tackles. He now has 11 games with 10+ tackles in his career, including five times this year.
• Against Oklahoma State, he led the team with eight tackles. Against Baylor, Logan also had eight tackles and a pass breakup. Logan was one tackle off his career-high at Oklahoma, finishing with 14 stops, seven each of the solo and assist variety.
• Logan recorded his second interception of the season at Oklahoma, returning it 17 yards. He got first interception of the 2022 season at Houston, picking off Cougar QB Clayton Tune and returning it 26 yards to set up the game-tying score late in the first quarter. Against TCU, Logan forced and recovered a fumble early in the second half, his first recording of either stat this season. He is one of four Jayhawks to record an interception this season and his two pass breakups ranks second on the team.
• With his 14-tackle, 1-tackle-for-loss, 1-interception performance, Logan Jr., became the first player nationally this year to register those totals in one game.
• Logan totaled a team-high 12 tackles (8 solo, 4 assist) against TCU for his eighth career game with 10+ tackles. He also reached double figures against West Virginia, finishing with 10 tackles (3 solo, 7 assist) for his fourth 10+ tackle game in five outings, dating back to last season. Against Iowa State, Logan had four solo tackles and one pass breakup against Iowa State, with the PBU coming in the end zone as he erased a potential score for the Cyclones.
• For the year, Logan leads the team with his 96 tackles. Linebacker Rich Miller is second at 83 stops.
• Last year, Logan proved how valuable and diverse he can be. He was the only player in the country to have at least 113 tackles, six pass breakups and multiple forced fumbles on the season.
Q, THAT’S WHO
• A former walk-on, who earned a scholarship in the offseason, wide receiver Quentin Skinner has been one of the biggest factors in the passing game for the Jayhawks this season.
• Skinner caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Jason Bean against Texas Tech. The touchdown was his fifth of the season, which ties him with tight end Mason Fairchild for most on the team.
• Against Texas, Skinner tied his career high with four receptions and 98 yards, including a 55-yard catch from Jalon Daniels.
• The game prior, Skinner finished with three catches for 29 yards against the Red Raiders.
• Skinner had one reception at Oklahoma after establishing new career-highs with four catches for 98 yards and a pair of touchdowns the week prior against TCU. Against Baylor, Skinner had four catches for 66 yards and a touchdown.
• For the season, Skinner has 25 catches for 436 yards and five touchdowns. His 25 catches rank fourth and his 436 yards rank third on the team behind Lawrence Arnold and Luke Grimm.
• Skinner is averaging 17.4 yards per reception, which is the most by anyone who has five or more catches on the season • Skinner, a nominee for the Burlsworth Trophy, given to the best player who began his career as a walk-on, has played in all 11 games for the Jayhawks this season.
CALL HIM DIRK
• Center Mike Novitsky is in his second season with the Kansas, but good luck getting him to respond, if you call him “Mike.” Nicknamed “Dirk” after the former Dallas Mavericks star, Novitsky, who transferred to Kansas from Buffalo following the 2020 season, was named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List for the third straight season this year.
• Novitsky was consistently stellar for Kansas last season. According to PFF, Novitsky played 799 total snaps last year and did not commit a penalty or allow a sack.
• Novitsky earned second-team All-Big 12 honors for his efforts this season.
• Novitsky helped transform the Kansas offensive line into one that drastically improved its pass protection. Kansas allowed 47 sacks in just nine games in 2020, while surrendering just 16 last year in 12 games. Novitsky started all 12 games for the Jayhawks at the center spot.
• Novitsky and Kansas did not allow a sack through the first three games of 2022, making KU one of just four programs in NCAA Division I FBS who made that claim. The Jayhawks still rank seventh nationally in sacks allowed with nine in 12 games. Meanwhile, the Jayhawks are averaging 194.7 rushing yards per game, and KU has scored 27 rushing touchdowns through 12 games.
• A native of Victor, N.Y., Novitsky was a standout lacrosse player at Victor High School and had a scholarship offer from Maryland. He opted instead to commit to Coach Lance Leipold at Buffalo, where he redshirted in 2018 and played for current Kansas Offensive Line Coach Scott Fuchs in 2019 and 2020.
A RICH SITUATION
• One year after ranking second on the team in tackles, senior linebacker Rich Miller has returned to the lineup in 2022 and picked up where he left off. Through 12 games of the 2022 season, Miller is second on the Jayhawks and ranks 10th in the Big 12 with 83 tackles, an average of 6.92 per game. Miller has totaled 53 solo tackles and 30 assists through 12 games this season.
• Against Oklahoma State, Miller had six tackles, one sack and an interception he returned 37 yards. He became the first KU player since 2015 to have a sack and a pick in the same game.
• He followed that up with six tackles out against Texas Tech and four tackles against Texas.
• In the overtime win at West Virginia in September, Miller had 12 tackles (7 solo, 5 assist) to finish two shy of his career-high of 14, set at Duke in 2021. The WVU game was also the second 10+tackle game for Miller as a Jayhawk.
• Following that game, Miller added a team-high nine stops in the Jayhawks win at Houston and, most recently, finished with seven tackles against Iowa State. He has had at least four stops in each game this season and he’s also totaled 3.0 tackles for loss.
• In his first season as a Jayhawk, Miller was second on the team with 79 tackles and five tackles-for-loss, while adding two sacks and two pass breakups.
• A newcomer to the linebacker position, redshirt-junior Craig Young, is third on the team in tackles with 58 stops (42 solo, 16 assists) this season. Young transferred to Kansas from Ohio State and he’s one of several newcomers producing for the Jayhawks at linebacker. Young recorded his third sack as a Jayhawk at Oklahoma and he also has 5.5 tackles for loss, an interception two pass breakups and three quarterback hurries
to his credit in his first season in Lawrence. He had ½ a sack against Oklahoma State.
• Other newcomers contributing at linebacker include Louisiana transfer Lorenzo McCaskill. McCaskill set a new career-high with 11 tackles at Oklahoma, which matched his output from the first six games of the season. He has made 29 solo tackles and 17 assists along with a 0.5 tackle for loss this season. He added a pass breakup, a fumble recovery and a quarterback hurry against Oklahoma State, in addition to five tackles
LOVIN’ LONNIE
• Defensive end Lonnie Phelps transferred to Kansas from Miami (OH) in December and the redshirt-junior from Cincinnati, Ohio has quickly made an impact for the Jayhawks. Following his first game in a KU uniform, Phelps was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week, becoming the first Jayhawk to earn the award since Joe Dineen (Nov. 12, 2018). He was also the first Kansas defensive end to win the award since
Dorance Armstrong, Jr. (Nov. 19, 2016).
• Phelps had three sacks, four tackles-for-loss and a teamleading seven tackles in the Jayhawks’ season opener against Tennessee Tech. He has since followed that performance with two tackles at West Virginia and five (one solo, four assist) at Houston while also recording 1.0 tackle for loss.
• Phelps picked a sack in three-straight games, against Duke, Iowa State and TCU. For the year, Phelps has seven sacks on the season.
• The defensive end picked up another tackle-for-loss against Texas Tech and now leads all Jayhawks with 10.5 tackles-forloss on the season. The next closest is Jereme Robinson at 6.5.
• Phelps came to Kansas after totaling 13.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks for Miami (OH) in 2021. Those numbers netted him a Second Team All-MAC selection.
BETTER THAN FAIR
• Tight end Mason Fairchild has emerged as a serious threat for the Kansas offense this season, especially near the goal line.
• Fairchild has 29 catches for 363 yards and five touchdowns, which is tied for the team lead this season with Lawrence Arnold and Quentin Skinner.
• He had the best game of his college career against Oklahoma in October with six catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns.
• He became the first Kansas tight end since Jimmay Mundine in 2014 to record a 100-yard game.
• Against Texas, Fairchild had five catches for 48 yards. The five catches led the team. He then had four catches for 41 yards against Kansas State.
LAWRENCE THRIVING IN LAWRENCE
• Wide receiver Lawrence Arnold continues to improve as his career at Kansas continues with a pair of 100-yard efforts this season.
• Arnold hauled in five receptions for a career-high 113 yards and two touchdowns against Oklahoma in Norman in October. He averaged 20.6 yards per reception, including a career-long 39 yard catch. Arnold then had three catches for 53 yards against Baylor.
• Against Oklahoma State, Arnold had a pair of highlight reel catches, including an 8-yard touchdown catch from Jason Bean.
• Against Texas Tech, Arnold again topped the 100-yard mark, catching four passes for 110 yards. Against Texas, Arnold had one catch for 42 yards, before posting four catches for 26 yards against K-State.
• Arnold now leads the team with 597 receiving yards on 36 receptions, which is the second-most on the team. He caught his first touchdown of the season against Duke when Jalon Daniels found him for a 36-yard score in the third quarter to make it 28-13 before adding scoring receptions of 39 and 28 yards at Oklahoma.
• Arnold is averaging 16.6 yards per catch.
• Arnold has had at least three receptions in 9-of-12 games this season and his 84 yards on four catches against Duke marked a career-high until the Oklahoma game.
• Last year, as a redshirt freshman, Arnold had 27 catches for 316 yards and three touchdowns.
• For his career, Arnold has 69 catches for 956 yards and seven scores.
A FIRST FOR SAM
• There were very few ‘firsts’ left for super-senior defensive lineman Sam Burt to accomplish with the Abilene, Kansas, native now in his sixth season as a Jayhawk. Burt did just that against Iowa State, however, as he recorded his first career sack. Against ISU, Burt totaled two tackles, one solo and one assist, while finishing with 1.5 sacks that led to 12 yards of lost ground. He also added one quarterback hurry in the win.
• Burt now has 18 tackles on the year and 1.5 tackles for loss, giving him 47 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in his 57-game Kansas career.
• On September 28, Burt was named a semifinalist for the 2022 William V. Campbell Trophy, college football’s premiere scholar-athlete award. Burt is one of 156 semifinalists for the award, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.
• Burt is a three-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team member, Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll and Athletic Director’s Honor Roll. He has also received recognition as a nominee on the AFCA Allstate Good Works Team and for the Wuerffel Trophy.
• He had three tackles against Texas Tech and two against K-State
• The 57 games Burt has played in are the most by any current Kansas player.
ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS NOTES:
THE RUNDOWN
• Arkansas makes its 44th bowl appearance in history when it takes on Kansas in the 2022 Liberty Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tenn. The Hogs and Jayhawks kick off at 4:30 p.m. on ESPN.
• Arkansas is playing in the Liberty Bowl for the sixth time in history, and for the first time since a 45-23 victory over Kansas State on Jan. 2, 2016. The Hogs, who are 16-24-3 all-time in bowl games, are 2-3 all-time in the Liberty Bowl.
• The Razorbacks are making their second straight bowl appearance under head coach Sam Pittman. With Pittman, the Hogs have been invited to a bowl game in three straight seasons. Pittman is one of only four Arkansas coaches in history to start their tenures with three consecutive bowl berths, joining Lou Holt, Ken Hatfield and Houston Nutt.
• Arkansas and Kansas have clashed just twice before, with the most recent meeting between the programs coming 116 years ago. The Jayhawks won, 6-0, in Fayetteville, Ark., in 1905 before snagging a 37-5 win in Lawrence, Kan., in 1906.
• QB KJ Jefferson does his damage through the air and on the ground. Jefferson has completed 185-of-271 passes (68.3%) for 2,361 yards and 22 touchdowns with just four interceptions while rushing for 510 yards and seven scores in 10 games. Despite missing two games, he is one of only
two SEC quarterbacks (Georgia QB Stetson Bennett) with 20 passing touchdowns and seven rushing scores this season.
• RB Raheim ‘Rocket’ Sanders is the Hogs’ leading rusher, totaling 1,426 yards and 10 scores on 219 carries (6.5 avg.) through 12 games. Sanders, who currently ranks second in the SEC in both rushing yards (1,426) and rushing yards per game (118.8), rushed for 100 yards on the ground in six games during the regular season. He also chipped in 28 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns, leading the SEC in total all-purpose yards (1,697) this season.
• WR Matt Landers, a transfer from Toledo, has logged 40 catches for a team-leading 780 yards (17.7 avg.) and a team-high seven touchdowns in 12 games. Landers, one of two Razorback pass catchers to finish the regular season with over 700 receiving yards, has 16 catches of 20 or more yards, tied for third-most among all SEC receivers this year.
• DB Dwight McGlothern, a transfer from LSU, leads the Arkansas defense with his ball-hawking prowess, recording a team-high three interceptions and breaking up nine passes during the regular season. His 12 passes defended lead the Razorbacks and are tied for sixth-most in the SEC.
INSIDE THE SERIES
All-Time Record: Kansas leads, 2-0
In Fayetteville: Kansas leads, 1-0
In Lawrence: Kansas leads, 1-0
Most points scored by Arkansas: 5 (1906)
Most points scored by Kansas: 37 (1906)
Largest margin of victory by Arkansas: N/A
Largest margin of victory by Kansas: 32 (1906)
Longest win streak by Arkansas: N/A
Longest win streak by Kansas: 2 (1905-pres.)
SERIES HISTORY
Date UA/Opp Rank Site Result
Oct. 7, 1905 Fayetteville, Ark. L, 6-0
Oct. 13, 1906 Lawrence, Kan. L, 37-5
RAZORBACK NOTEBOOK
PITTMAN’S PROGRAM
• Third-year head coach Sam Pittman leads Arkansas in 2022 on the heels of the program’s best season in a decade.
• The Hogs went 9-4 and won four trophies for the first time in school history last season, capturing the Southwest Classic (Texas A&M), the Battle of the Golden Boot (LSU), the Battle Line Rivalry (Missouri) and the Outback Bowl (Penn State).
• Arkansas’ win over Penn State in the Outback Bowl was the first for the program since a Liberty Bowl victory in 2016 as well as the program’s first January bowl win since 2012.
• In year three, Pittman has now led the Razorbacks to six wins for the second season in a row and to bowl eligibility for the third consecutive season.
• The Liberty Bowl against Kansas marks his 36th game as the head coach at Arkansas. Of those 36 games, 32 have been against an opponent from the SEC, a Power 5 foe and/or an opponent ranked in the AP Top 25 poll.
• Arkansas has beat five ranked FBS opponents in the Pittman era. Since his first season in 2020, 25 of Arkansas’ 34 FBS foes have been ranked or receiving votes in the national polls.
QB1
• QB KJ Jefferson, the unquestioned leader of Arkansas’ offense, is set to make his 26th career start under center in the Liberty Bowl against Kansas. Of his 25 career starts to date, 11 have come against top-25 teams in the AP Poll.
• The Razorbacks have scored 30 or more points in 15 of Jefferson’s 25 career starts at quarterback.
• In less than two full seasons as the starting quarterback, Jefferson ranks in the program’s top 10 for: completions (417 – No. 7), passing yards (5,529 – No. 7), 300-yard passing games (5 – No. 3), 300-yard passing games against SEC teams (2 – No. 5), touchdown passes (46 – No. 7), total yards of offense (6,828 – No. 6), touchdowns responsible for (63 – No. 4).
• Jefferson has led the Hogs to a bowl game in back-to-back seasons, highlighted by a nine-win season in 2021 – their most wins in a year since 2011. He led the Razorbacks to their first bowl game win since the 2016 Liberty Bowl and their first New Year’s Day bowl game win since the 2000 Cotton Bowl.
• This season, the Sardis, Miss., native has started 10 games at quarterback, missing two games due to injury, and completed 185-of-271 (68.3%) passes for 2,361 yards and 22 touchdowns with just four interceptions on the year. Jefferson’s completion percentage is currently the highest single-season completion percentage in school history with at least 250 pass attempts.
• Jefferson has also run for 510 yards and seven scores on 144 carries. He is the first Arkansas quarterback to rush for 500 yards in back-to-back seasons since QB Matt Jones (2003-04).
• Jefferson has run for a touchdown in six games this season, including a two-touchdown effort at Auburn (Oct. 29).
• He has thrown and rushed for a touchdown in the same game six times in 2022 and nine total times in his career.
• Jefferson threw for a career-high five touchdowns against BYU (Oct. 15), becoming the first Arkansas quarterback with 5+ passing touchdowns in a game since QB Brandon Allen threw for a school-record seven against Mississippi State in 2015.
• Since 2000, Jefferson is one of seven SEC QBs — Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel (2012), Miss. St. QB Dak Prescott (2015), Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly (2015), LSU QB Joe Burrow (2018), Ole Miss QB Matt Corral (2021), LSU QB Jayden Daniels (2022) — to throw for 3+ scores and rush for 3+ scores in the same game.
• In order of rushing yards, Jefferson is one of seven FBS quarterbacks to throw for more than 2,300 yards with at least 20 passing touchdowns while also running for more than 500 yards with at least five rushing scores this season.
RUNNIN’ RAZORBACKS KEEP IT 100
• The Razorback rushing attack remains as explosive as ever. Arkansas enters the Liberty Bowl ranked second in the SEC and ninth nationally in rushing, averaging 223.4 yards per game for a total of 2,681 rushing yards this year.
• Arkansas has totaled 200 rushing yards in eight games this season, led by a 100-yard rusher in nine of 12 games.
• The Hogs’ eight 200-yard rushing games lead the SEC and are tied for third-most nationally.
• Arkansas had a 100-yard rusher in a program-record nine straight games before the streak was snapped vs. Liberty (Nov. 5):
ROCKET MAN
• RB Raheim ‘Rocket’ Sanders is the Hogs’ leading rusher through 12 games, running for 1,426 yards on 219 carries (6.5 avg.) with 10 scores on the ground. His 1,426 rushing yards, which rank second in the SEC, are fourth on Arkansas’ single-season list.
• Sanders is one of only two SEC rushers to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark on the ground and total double-digit rushing touchdowns this season. Ole Miss RB Quinshon Judkins, the SEC’s leading rusher, has also accomplished the feat.
• Sanders has also contributed 28 catches for 271 yards and two touchdowns. He leads the SEC in both total yards from scrimmage (1,697) and total yards from scrimmage per game (141.4). He ranks sixth nationally in total yards from scrimmage.
• He is the only SEC player and one of four FBS players with 1,400 rushing yards and 200 receiving yards this season:
• Sanders has rushed for 100 yards eight times in his career, including in seven of the Hogs’ 12 games this year. He eclipsed the 100-yard mark in each of the first three games of the 2022 campaign, becoming the first Arkansas rusher to run for 100 yards in each of the first three games of a season since 2013.
• Sanders ran wild in the win over Missouri State (Sept. 17), totaling 167 rushing yards and a score on 22 carries (7.6 avg.). He also hauled in two passes for 75 yards and a touchdown, becoming one of only two SEC players (Florida WR Percy Harvin) since 2000 to record 150+ rushing yards with a rushing score and 70+ receiving yards with a receiving score in a game.
• Sanders became the second Arkansas player in the past 25 seasons to have 200 rush yards and three rush touchdowns against a ranked opponent after exploding for 232 yards and three touchdowns against No. 14 Ole Miss (Nov. 19). RB Darren McFadden did so in a 50-48 win over No. 1 LSU in 2007.
• The Rockledge, Fla., native burst onto the scene a year ago, earning SEC All-Freshman honors from the league’s coaches after rushing for 578 yards (5.2 ypc) and five scores in 13 games.
• In 2021, he was one of four Razorbacks rushers to run for 500 yards — a feat that had not happened at Arkansas since 1975.
• For his career, Sanders has totaled 2,004 rushing yards in 25 games. He is one of 19 rushers in program history to eclipse the 2,000-yard mark on the ground for their careers
CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF
• It took RB Raheim Sanders only eight games this season to reach the 1,000-yard mark on the ground, matching RB Madre Hill’s school-record eight games set in 1995 for the quickest to 1,000 rushing yards in a season.
• The table below shows Sanders’ production after eight games compared to all of Arkansas’ 1000-yard rushers since 1995
CATCH THIS
• With the departure of WR Jadon Haselwood, who has declared for the upcoming NFL Draft, Arkansas will enter the Liberty Bowl with only two players on the roster who have caught at least 30 career passes: WR Matt Landers and RB Raheim Sanders.
• Haselwood boasted a team-leading 121 career receptions for 1,438 yards and 10 touchdowns in 40 career games played. He tallied at least one reception in 28 consecutive games played dating back to his 2019 season at Oklahoma.
• Haselwood had a team-best 59 catches for 702 yards and three touchdowns in 12 games this season. He caught at least three receptions in all 12 games he played in during his one and only year as a Razorback.
• Landers spent the first three seasons of his career at Georgia before transferring at Toledo, where he had 20 catches for 514 yards and five touchdowns last year. He has 76 career receptions for 1,426 yards and 13 scores in 49 career games.
• Landers is the Hogs’ top pass-catching with 44 receptions for a team-leading 780 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games.
DREW IT UP
• It took just one season for LB Drew Sanders to leave his mark as one of the top playmakers in Razorback history.
• A consensus All-American, Sanders, who transferred to Arkansas after beginning his career at Alabama, has declared for the upcoming NFL Draft and is projected to be a top pick.
• In 12 games, Sanders led Arkansas in total tackles (103), tackles for loss (13.5), sacks (9.5) and forced fumbles (3).
• With the help of Sanders, who finished the regular season second among all SEC defenders in sacks, Arkansas leads the SEC in total sacks (39), three more than the next closest team (Alabama – 36) and one shy of matching the school record.
• Sanders’ 9.5 sacks are the most by a Razorback defender since DE Chris Smith totaled 9.5 sacks in 2012. Sanders is tied with Smith for seventh-most in a season in school history.
• Sanders is only the second FBS defender since 2000 (Buffalo LB Khalil Mack in 2013) with 100 or more total tackles and at least 13.0 tackles for loss, nine sacks, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and an interception in a season.
• Since 2000, two SEC defenders have recorded double-digit tackles with two sacks, two forced fumbles and at least one pass breakup in a game: Sanders vs. South Carolina in 2022 & Greg Hardy (Ole Miss) vs. Alabama in 2007.
PICK CITY
• Since the start of the 2020 season, the Razorbacks have totaled 33 interceptions in 35 games. Arkansas tallied 13 interceptions in 10 games in 2020, 13 interceptions in 13 games in 2021, and has seven in 12 games in 2022.
• DB Dwight McGlothern, a transfer from LSU, leads the Razorbacks with three interceptions this season.
• The Hogs’ ball-hawking prowess since 2020 has been led by DB Jalen Catalon (5) and DB Hudson Clark (4). DB Latavious Brini (1), DB Malik Chavis (1), DL Eric Gregory (1), DB Quincey McAdoo (1) and LB Drew Sanders (1) have each picked off passes.
CAM KICKS FOR A CAUSE
• For every field goal hit, K Cam Little donates $20 to Down Syndrome Connection of Northwest Arkansas. In 24 games over two seasons, he has raised $400 in made field goals.
• Little donated $10 per made field goal to DSCNWA last season in the midst of turning in one of the best freshman campaigns in program history, earning Freshman All-America praise from the Football Writers Association of America.
• In his first year on campus, Little connected on 20-of-24 (83.3%) field goal attempts, was a perfect 46-for-46 on point after attempts and led the Razorbacks with 106 points — just the sixth 100-point season by an Arkansas kicker in history.
• Little’s stellar freshman campaign etched his name into the Arkansas record books as his 20 made field goals tied K Todd Wright (20 field goals in 1989) for third most in a single season.
• Nationally, Little’s 20 made field goals were second most among all FBS freshman kickers last season, and his field goal percentage (83.3%) was the best among all FBS freshman kickers with a minimum of 20 field goal attempts.
• Little, who has drilled 12-of-15 field goal tries in 2022, is a perfect 9-for-9 on field goals inside 40 yards this season.
• For his career, Little is 32-of-39 on field goal attempts, including a 22-of-23 (95.7%) mark on field goals inside 40 yards, with a pair of career-long makes from 51 yards.
• His career field goal percentage (82.1%) currently ranks first all-time in Arkansas history (minimum 20 made field goals).
