Boden Groen sets school record against Texas Tech
Kansas tight end Boden Groen arrived in Lawrence just a few months ago, but he’s already put his name in the record books. In the Jayhawks’ 42-17 loss to Texas Tech, Groen set a school record by a tight end with 13 receptions in a game.
It’s been a fast transition for Groen, who transferred from Rice during the summer. In 2023, he finished second in the American Athletic Conference in receptions among tight ends, and that ability has carried over to the Big 12.
Even after setting a school record Groen said there are things he can improve.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s a good day on the stat sheet, but I didn’t do everything great,” Groen said. “I missed on some blocks. I gave up a pressure. So those things are the things you’ve got to clean up. I’m sure it’s very cliché, but I’d rather have no catches in a win.”
After a slow start, the Kansas offense began to find a rhythm in the second quarter. Groen was a key part of that shift, settling into open zones and working as a reliable outlet for quarterback Jalon Daniels.
“I think really just settling into the game and getting a feel for how the defense was,” Groen said. “Because, you know, it’s a really good defense, and you watch film, but you never really know exactly how hard they’re going to hit or how fast they’re going to play. So, I think after those first two or so drives, we really settled down and were able to get things working.”
Daniels targeted Groen 14 times and only missed once throwing his way. He said they were taking the open spots the defense from Texas Tech gave them.
“I think that Texas Tech ran a lot of zone coverage today,” Daniels said. “On film they showed a lot of man coverage, especially on third-down situations. But they zoned off a lot today, and it allowed for Boden to get into a lot of different crevices in the defense, sit down, and get the ball and get his yards.”
That ability to find soft spots in coverage was something Daniels relied on throughout the game. Groen’s 13 catches totaled 76 yards and a touchdown, and while most came on short or intermediate routes, they helped sustain drives.
In the end the offense was only able to score in one of the three quarters. They scored 17 points in the second quarter cutting the Red Raiders halftime lead to 21-17. But they did not score in the second half.
“It was inconsistent,” he said. “When we were doing everything right and hitting, it was looking really good, but we weren’t able to maintain that for all four quarters.”
Groen’s performance was one of the bright spots for Kansas heading into the bye week. The Jayhawks will have a week off to regroup and prepare for their rivalry matchup with Kansas State. Groen said the open week will be valuable to study film and learn about the Wildcats.
“It’s another week of prep, and especially coming in against a rivalry opponent, you get seven extra days to watch film and game plan on those guys,” he said. “It gives you a chance to get your body back under you, but it also means we’re going to know K-State that much more than we do on a weekly basis.”
