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What we learned from KU Jayhawks’ 34-28 football loss to West Virginia Mountaineers

The Kansas Jayhawks played catch-up most of the football game but couldn’t come up with enough big plays in a 34-28 loss to West Virginia on Saturday night in Lawrence. As has been the case for most of the season’s second half, the Jayhawks were entertaining but they couldn’t come up with a second Big 12 victory.

Here are some takeaways from the game as KU finished the season 2-10 and 1-8 in Big 12 games.

Someone should cover Jared Casey

Nobody seems to want to cover Jared Casey, The folk hero of the game-winning two-point conversation at Texas, Casey broke open for his first touchdown in last week’s loss at TCU.

Saturday, Casey broke free in the middle of the end zone for a second-quarter touchdown to slice the deficit to 14-13. A shoutout on the series to wide receiver Luke Grimm. He recovered a fumble, the second time in the first half that happened.

The well, though, ran dry in the fourth quarter. Casey was attempting to create space but slipped and Jalon Daniels threw his first interception of the game. Daniels later threw his second. Still, Kansas made the Mountaineers recover an onside kick to win the game.

No Devin Neal was noticed

Devin Neal was missed. Status for the freshman running back from Lawrence, who led the Jayhawks with 708 rushing yards, was uncertain at game time. Amauri Pesek-Hickson got the nod for the game in Neal’s absence, and although the KU offense had its moments, the Jayhawks had 28 rushing yards at halftime and 87 for the game.

Good Doege, bad Doege

West Virginia was getting all of the good Jarret Doege in the first half, and little of the bad. But then the second half started. He never saw linebacker Gavin Potter, who picked off the Doege pass and returned the gift for a touchdown and a tie game at 21-21.

Doege entered the game leading the Big 12 in interceptions, but his first half included three touchdown passes and no picks. The interception was the biggest play of the night for Potter, but he also had a fumble recovery and 10 tackles.

West Virginia played its smart after that, mostly keeping the ball on the ground and finished with a pair of 100-yard rushers.

This 2-10 feels different

Lance Leipold’s first season as KU’s coach is in the books, and although the 2-10 record was in line with Kansas seasons since 2010, this season felt different. The victory over Texas, fourth-quarter losses to Oklahoma, TCU and West Virginia, made it feel like progress was made.

“Some of the gaps are starting to close,” Leipold said.