The Thing You Never Knew You Needed But Now Can't Live Without - Week 5

The Cats are off this week, but the three Big 12 match-ups should teach us quite a bit about the true strengths and weaknesses of our conference foes.  GameDay is in Lansing this week, which should tell you quite a bit about the quality of the games in the rest of the country.  Welcome to sad week.

Big 12 Schedule

All right, Mountaineers.  TCU underwhelmed in their Big 12 opener.  Let's see what you can do.

11:00 a.m. FX: Baylor at West Virginia
West Virginia and Baylor kick off their Big 12 seasons with a points-a-palooza!  Neither team has shown any consistency on defense, but they both love the deep ball.  And scoring points.  And turning the ball over.  And then scoring more points off those turnovers.  It's like the 2011 Alamo bowl, only with stakes.  Prediction: 52-49, West Virginia.

6:00 p.m. FCS: Texas Tech at Iowa State
This is probably the best Big 12 match-up this week, and therefore the one that requires the most extensive cable package to watch.  Texas Tech has one of the highest ranked defenses in the country... and the lowest ranked strength of schedule.  Iowa State seems to be a little bit afraid of the end zone, but there's no denying the Paul Rhoads magic in Ames.  Texas Tech should win by 20.  I'm guessing they won't.  Prediction: 21-17, Iowa State. 

6:00 p.m. FSN: TCU at SMU
When Baylor played SMU, I thought that Baylor's defense had improved.  Then Baylor played Sam Houston State and I realized that SMU is just sad.  The army of TCU freshmen have also looked sad, making this year's Iron Skillet game an all-out sadfest.  Prediction: 28-3, TCU.

6:30 p.m. FOX: Texas at Oklahoma State
Much to ESPN's frustration, Fox has had the game of the week for the last two weeks.  Will the streak continue?  Texas' offense looked great against Ole Miss but consistently gave up the big play on defense.  Oklahoma State has plenty of offense with or without Wes Lunt, but imploded against the only real team they played.  This game is in Stillwater, which is probably an advantage to both teams.  The difference will be discipline.  Prediction: 35-21, Texas.  

Best of the Rest

Remember last year, when Michigan State won on that crazy hail mary pass and Bret Bielema looked like he just lost all love for the sport of football?  Seems like that look is here to stay. 

11:00 a.m. ESPNU: NC State at Miami
The best thing about beating a BCS non-conference foe is having a new team to cheer for.  The more games Miami wins, the better K-State looks.  But the best thing about that foe being Miami is that they refuse to win a game until the final minutes.  Non-stop slop with zero stakes is my favorite kind of morning game.  Prediction: 41-40, Miami.

11:21 a.m. SEC Network: Arkansas at Texas A&M
Arkansas is so sad.  Texas A&M is always ready to implode.  Arkansas only really has to show up for the second half to win this game and start turning their season around.  At the crossroads of misfortune and embarrassment, I'm rooting for the Razorbacks.  Prediction:  24-21, Arkansas.

2:30 p.m. ESPNU: Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati
Cincinnati beat Pittsburgh by 24 points in their season opener.  Pittsburgh beat Virginia Tech by 18 points a week later. Therefore, Cincinnati should beat Virginia Tech by 42.  However, this is the Big East and the ACC, so all we really know for sure is that mistakes will be made and Frank Beamer will look sad.  Can we get a joint conference wheel of destiny?  I think it's time.  Prediction: 30-21, Cincinnati.

2:30 p.m. ABC: Ohio State at Michigan State
This is ESPN's game of the week, which means they'll have to take a week off from Big 10 bashing.  Expect plenty of crankiness and looking ahead to next week, when they'll most certainly end up back in the friendly confines of the SEC.  This game means absolutely nothing because Ohio State can't compete in the postseason and Michigan State has decided to take a break from offense for the year.  It's weird to me that the Big 10 automatically fell apart when Urban Meyer arrived.  Do you suppose it was part of the contract he signed with his daughters?  It's spooky and sad and I hate that all the ESECPN guys keep saying that everyone in the Midwest is too slow to play BCS football.  Show some fight, guys.  Knock off that SEC sheep in Jim Tressel's clothing.  Prediction: 20-17, Michigan State.

7:00 p.m. ABC: Wisconsin at Nebraska
Something is seriously off in Madison and it makes me sad.   After putting up 60 points on everyone last year, they've joined Michigan State in the Big 10 touchdown boycott of 2012.  Poor Montee Ball got beat up in the offseason, changed his name, and forgot how to run like a Heisman candidate.  Bielema lost 6 coaches in the off-season, then fired his offensive line coach after the first game. They need a big win, and Nebraska always deserves to lose.  Prediction: 31-17, Wisconsin.  Please.

9:00 pm. Pac-12 Network: Oregon State at Arizona
In Oregon State's first two games they've taken down two hot teams in Wisconsin and UCLA.  Now they roll into Arizona who got destroyed last week by Oregon in a game where they refused to capitalize on their good fortune.  I'm guessing that Oregon State will win again, but still not be a very good football team.  The Pac-12 is just straight up wacky right now.  Prediction: 24-10, Oregon State. 

 

Catlock and I will be back next week with your regular Friday/Saturday/Sunday happiness.  Until then, broaden your horizons with a little Alphbetical and Grantland reading.  See you next week. 

OU recap - You just got Snydered

  

It feels so good to leave Norman happy.

We're only 4 games in, but this is the most fun I've had in years.  The boys played a near perfect game on Saturday night, and executed in that tough, slow, suffocating way that always ends in victory for K-State and bewildering frustration for the opponent.  I knew when we were able to run on our first possession of the game that it was going to be a good one.  I knew more when we were able to hold OU to a field goal on the second.  These little victories add up to huge points at the end and for the fourth week in a row, K-State scored more points in the 4th quarter than any other.  It may have looked lucky to the casual observer, but K-State fans know that this was Snyder Ball at its finest.

Good

 

It took Harper awhile, but he came through with a huge big-boy catch to keep things going tonight.  Welcome back, Chris.

Special Teams.  The MVP of special teams this week was Ryan Doerr.  All 5 of Ryan's punts pinned OU inside their own 20 yard line.  Given how easily OU was able to move the ball at times, that field position was key to slowing down the game and creating added tension for Landry and his offensive line.  The return unit and kick-off coverage teams took a step back for the first time this season.  The coverage unit allowed a couple of 20+ yard returns and Cantele wasn't consistent with his kick-off placement.  In the return game, Tramaine bobbled a low kick-off and Tyler had a near fatal flaw on a punt return in the 4th quarter.  They'll need to be better moving forward, but today, I'm sure thankful for Doerr.

Better

 

A sign our luck is changing?  A gesture like this would've been instantly flagged for excessive celebration in 2011.

On Friday I said that the offense would need to be better on first down in order to eat up clock and keep OU anxiously thumb-twiddling on the sidelines.  They executed that to perfection.  It wasn't always pretty, and we seemed to live by the 3rd and 6 more than the 3rd and 3, but they found a way to get it done.  No three and outs in the first quarter, solid yardage on run plays, excellent blocking by the offensive line all game long and wonderful patience and decision making by Klein.  The offense struggled at times, but they made huge plays when they needed to, all game long.  In the end, the game came down to the offense, and they did everything they were supposed to.  Bonus?  No turnovers.

Quarterback battle: I said it Friday and it was clear during the game, Klein is better than Jones.  I read a lot of chatter on twitter about running secret trick plays with Sams and needing to get him involved to win.  In the end, we didn't need any trick plays or extra signal callers.  Klein did what he always does, good and bad, and won us the close game by keeping everyone focused, tough and together.  He didn't have a career day passing the football, but he made the throws when he needed to, and you know what?  I think that might have been even more frustrating for OU.  

Tight End play: We bust out the tight-end plays in the 4th quarter and they worked perfectly, because they always work perfectly.  In the first two games, Snyder called a tight-end play exactly once a game.  In the last two games he's bumped it up to twice a game. Slow and steady?  Still no McDonald sighting in the offensive line-up in this game.

Receivers: Harper looked a little out of step early, but had a BIG-TIME catch in the third quarter that pretty much erased every mistake he's made so far this season.  It was a huge, momentum-turning catch that no one else on the team could have made.  You're forgiven, Chris. 

MVP: John Hubert was the MVP of the offense earning 135 yards on the day and a huge touchdown in the 4th quarter.  Hubert personified Goal #10 better than anyone in this game.  In addition to his running, Hubert had an excellent day blocking, including a huge block on Klein's TD run also in the 4th quarter.  Hubert, Lockett, Wilson and Harper all had great individual moments, but their blocking was consistent and effective all game long. 

Best

 Our defensive crew of transfers, Kansas kids and former QBs played together and came up with big plays all day long.  I love this group and they are so exciting to watch. 

It was up to the offense to finish strong, but the defense won this game.  The zone pass coverage is still chock full of holes, but the third down coverage is getting tighter and the pass rush improves every week.  What I like most about this defense is the variety of playmakers and the effort by everyone involved.

Pass rush: Justin Tuggle had the sack in the second quarter that led to the fumble and the touchdown by Jarell Childs.  Jarell - my apologies for the harsh words last week.  You are also forgiven.  Then, during the 2 point conversion play, Tuggle got his big mitt in the way and knocked down the pass, effectively crushing OU's offensive momentum.  I called out Bubba Chapman last week for his strip-happy tackling, but he was back in fine form tonight with some excellent ankle tackles in the open field that prevented huge gains.  He flew around the field this game and refused to be out-muscled by OU's bigger and stronger receivers.  

Improving: My guy Ryan Mueller is starting to see more playing time too, graduating from the 3rd down pass rush package to 2nd down pass coverage and gave amazing effort on each and every down.  He's never the one that gets the solo tackle or the fumble or the sack or the interception, but when those big plays happen, it's usually because Mueller has created some sort of disruption.  On Ty's interception, Landry was backing away from Mueller who had gotten knocked down but was still struggling to get back up and pursue him.  On Tuggle's sack, Landry was initially running away from pressure from Mueller, which led him right back into Tuggle's waiting arms.  He simply creates chaos whenever he's involved.

Run defense: The run defense looked much better than last week and Arthur Brown delivered a monster of a hit to OU freshman receiver Trey Metoyer who looked skittish the rest of the night.  Go back and watch that again.  It's like all the bones in Metoyer's body have turned to dust as he goes straight rag doll in the air.  You do not want to be hit by Arthur Brown.

MVP: The defensive MVP goes to Ty Zimmerman who had the biggest game of his career.  He had a huge tackle for loss in the first quarter that forced OU to kick a field goal, recovered the Blake Bell fumble, broke up a pass in the second quarter, intercepted Landry in the 3rd quarter and provided great pressure and coverage on 3rd down to give the defensive ends plenty of time to rattle Landry. 

Final thoughts

Belldozer - Last year in the OU game, Stoops introduced the Belldozer for the very first time.  And on the first play, Blake Bell dropped the snap.  This year, Stoops ran the Belldozer for the first time this season and Blake Bell dropped the snap.  You wonder why Snyder called a time-out before the Belldozer play?  You think he didn't remember that happening last year?  All I know is, Zimmerman and company seemed to get back there pretty quick, and their sightlines couldn't have been that good...

Third down package - Last year it was the third down pass rush package that was so effective on defense.  This year it appears to be the 5 wide out third down package on offense that is creating so many problems for defenses.  OU called 3 defensive time-outs on this formation and Mike Stoops almost exploded with rage on the third one.  It's a great tool for us, because it forces defenses to spread out and cover the receivers, leaving wide open lanes for Klein to run.  However, it also requires that you have 5 receivers capable of making the big catch, which we saw when back-up back-up Torrell Miller let one bounce off his helmet during a crucial drive in the 3rd quarter.  He'll get the next one, and overall, I'd say it was very effective.

  

Bounce pass of shame.  We'd never get away with something like that.

Controversial calls - We had more penalties this game than our home games, which is expected.  The main thing that we need to improve on is breaking focus when a call doesn't go our way.  On Landry's wacky awful crazy bounce "pass" that resulted in OU keeping the ball, it took our defense more than a couple of plays to get their head back in the game and it cost us the lead.  That takes leadership from the defense, which starts on the line, and needs to feed back to the secondary.  It will continue to happen, especially on the road, and we've got to snap back faster.

This was a great win and makes the bye week that much sweeter.  Enjoy the new lucky #7 ranking, Wildcat fans.  I'll see you October 5th for the KU preview.  Go Cats!

The Thing You Never Knew You Needed But Now Can't Live Without - Week 4

The first weekend of real implications is finally here.  Florida State gets an early chance to defend their preseason hype.  K-State heads to Norman for a big-time respect check.  Notre Dame hosts Michigan for the defensive game of the week while Oregon and Arizona look to score all the points in late night.  And despite all the conference realignment for the good of the TV networks, three of the top four games are still scheduled at the same time.  Got your three TVs ready yet, America?  Saturday has come to play.

Big 12 Schedule

 

Texas is taking a week off to recover.  Marqise Goodwin can still hear the screaming...

Last week: 7-1, Season 24-3


11:00 a.m. ESPN: Virginia at TCU 
Here's what I learned about TCU last week: Casey Pachall pronounces his name wrong, Gary Patterson needs a new tailor, and they look more like the Boise State of 2012 than the TCU of the Rose Bowl.  Here's what I know about Virginia: Ron Prince used to coach there.  Prediction: 42-28, TCU.

11:00 a.m. FX: Maryland at West Virginia
Maryland is like the KU of the ACC.  This may be marketed like a marquee match-up, but it's just another cupcake.  Of course, people will say that Geno Smith has now proven himself because of this game, but you'll know better, because you read this blog.  Prediction: 49-17, West Virginia.

2:30 p.m. ESPN3: KU at Northern Illinois
I was more impressed with KU last week than TCU.  Their ability to create turnovers keeps them in games against overly confident competition.  Unfortunately, they also have all the flaws of a group cobbled together by a coach who doesn't understand the concept of teamwork.  They can't finish, they make terrible decisions under pressure and they call plays based on star quality instead of strategy.  They should win this one, but I don't think they will.  Prediction: 31-30, Northern Illinois. 

6:50 p.m. FOX: K-State at OU (extended preview available here)
It will take more defense than offense, opportunistic plays, no mistakes and special teams production, but I think K-State gets the victory in a hard fought, panic inducing, Gus Johnson narrated classic.  Prediction: 31-21, K-State.  

Best of the Rest

 

Your move, Venables.  Would you rather be stopping Florida State or Kansas State this weekend?  

 

Last week: 1-5, Season: 6-9

2:30 p.m. CBS: Missouri at South Carolina
South Carolina hasn't been impressive this season, and can't seem to keep their QB1 healthy.  So naturally, they're ranked seventh.  It's interesting to see our old Big 12 buddies facing off against these storied institutions and in this case, the teams are actually very evenly matched.  It'll be a sleepy game, because these are sleepy teams, but tune in to the 4th quarter to see if things get interesting.  Prediction: 21-18, Missouri.

2:30 p.m. ESPN or ABC: Oregon State at UCLA
Blink and you'll miss it, but UCLA is actually fun to watch again.  Now that the Rick Neuheisel experiment is over, UCLA has made the most of the USC sanctions and recruited an exciting bunch of players including Heisman hopeful Johnathan Franklin at running back.  In their first and only game this season, Oregon State managed to knock off Wisconsin and brings their own buzz into this surprisingly important game in the Pac-12.  Prediction: 21-13, UCLA.

3:00 p.m. FX: Colorado at Washington State
Colorado continues their run as the saddest team in college football as they face the early stages of Leach 2.0.  Connor Halliday hasn't mastered the air raid offense yet, and Leach seems stubbornly opposed to running the ball, regardless of what logic would dictate.  Basically this game will be all slop and big plays and head scratchers.  You'll be sad if you watch it and sad if you miss it, so be sure to flip over during commercial breaks.  Prediction: 17-2, Washington State.

6:30 p.m. NBC: Michigan at Notre Dame
Last year, Michigan scored 28 points in the 4th quarter to come back and steal the victory with 2 seconds left in the game.  Repeat thriller this year?  Not so fast.  Notre Dame learned how to finish games and play defense in the off-season and Michigan forgot to develop any other offensive weapons beyond Denard Robinson.  Sorry Big 10.  There's no hope in sight for you this year.  Prediction: 21-14, Notre Dame.

6:45 p.m. ESPN2: Vanderbilt at Georgia
Vanderbilt is my favorite SEC team.  I think it's because they get close to beating all these ranked teams and then shoot themselves in the foot when they get within striking distance.   It's fascinating in its consistency.  Georgia has the talent and experience and maturity to win the SEC, and yet they're projected to lose every game they play.  We know your pain, Bulldogs.  Prediction:  35-20, Georgia.

7:00 p.m. ABC: Clemson at Florida State
Boy was I wrong about Florida State last week.  I like their defense, and might even be on board with Mark as the least reprehensible of the Stoops brothers.  Clemson's offense is overwhelming, but as West Virginia proved last year, it's really the only trick they have.  Florida State's the better team, and it'll be over early.  Sorry, GameDay crew.  Wrong again.  Prediction: 45-17, Florida State.  

9:30 p.m. ESPN: Arizona at Oregon
Offense!  Offense!  More offense!  Faster offense!  Bigger offense!  POINTS.  There will be absolutely no defense in this game which makes it the perfect late night game.  Feel your eyes grow heavy as you watch the pretty colors streak across the field.  Look at them go... go..... go..........zzzzzzzzzzz.  Prediction: 56-45, Oregon.

K-State vs. OU preview

It's great to finally be starting conference play, but it feels as if we've skipped a month by jumping straight into the OU game, doesn't it?  Neither team has been tested this season and has shown weaknesses against inferior opponents.  Is that a sign of real trouble or just general apathy about cupcakes?  Additionally, this is K-State's first road game of the season.  Will the 2012 family have that same magic on the road that kept them in the OSU game in Stillwater and the Texas Tech adventure in Lubbock?  They haven't been down yet this season for longer than a kick-off, and OU should be a hostile environment.  I'm afraid to look and too excited not to.  Whee!?

Oklahoma Sooners

 

Your name is Bobby.  Your visor is stupid.  And this week you said that Steve Spurrier taught you more than Snyder.  Eternal thumbs down, Bobby.

Players to watch
#1 Tony Jefferson - Safety.  Jefferson went down in OU's last game with an ankle injury but Bobby has reported that he'll be available on Saturday.  That's mostly bad news for K-State, as he seemed to be involved on every tackle in last year's game.  All of our receivers will need to play more aggressively against Jefferson and Klein better be careful.  It's been a long time since K-State's had a real safety.  Jefferson will make you ache for the lynch mob of the 90's.
#26 Damien Williams - Running back.  So far this season, Williams has been winning the headlines over Roy Finch and Dominique Whaley.  I don't know if that's just a decoy and they've been saving the others for conference play, but the point here is that OU has some pretty scary depth at running back.
#16 Jaz Reynolds - Wide receiver.  Kenny Stills has been named the go-to replacement for Ryan Broyles, but it's Jaz who I remember from last year with his one hand catch in the end zone and subsequent taunting of our section.  No one deserves a beat-down from Arthur Brown more than this kid. 

Strengths
Offense.  That's right.  I'm not going to even limit it to pass offense vs. rush offense.  The whole offense is a strength.  Their offensive stats are terrifying.  More than that, their stable of reliable scorers is stupidly excessive.  You're not going to wear them down.  The only way to slow them down is to limit their chances and hope that they get anxious on the sideline and try to force some throws.  They can run, they can pass, they can run the up-tempo, they even have a Klein clone if their Heisman QB decides to take a few downs off.  Their weapons are limitless, and even if you beat them, they'll still put 300 yards on you. 
Pass defense.  They're #3 in the country in pass efficiency defense and #4 in overall pass defense.  Ufft.  I know that Collin is supposed to throw and have a balanced offense so that we can utilize the running game, but those numbers are not inspiring.  Granted, they did come against UTEP and Florida A&M. My biggest fear with the pass defense is interceptions.  I'm still not on the Mike Stoops bandwagon, and I think there are certainly holes to exploit, but Collin will need to use everything he learned at the Manning camp to survive this one. 
Home field advantage.  Much has been written and tweeted and talked about in reference to OU's insane home field advantage under Stoops. 44-2 at home against conference teams. 7-0 at home in Big 12 openers.  14-0 at home against ranked opponents.  Beaten those ranked opponents at home by an average of 28 points.  Only one ranked team has come within single digits of the Sooners at home.  That ranked team?  The Snyder Cats of course, in 2001.  Statistically, historically, empirically, the Sooners play well at home.  Luckily K-State and Snyder know a thing or two about changing football history.

Weaknesses  
Offensive line.  They're one of the youngest in the Big 12, and it showed in the opener against UTEP.  Landry ran for his life most of the game and relied on big plays in the 4th quarter to finally pull away for the victory.  I expect the bye week benefited them, but it'll be interesting to see if Meshak, Adam, Justin and Ryan can outlast the newbies.
Special teams.  Stoops used to have the best punt blockers in the Big 12.  Now they're on the receiving end.  You hear that, Vai?  Channel your inner Guidry and get those big mitts in the air.  Manhattan wants a block party.  

 

They called it a miracle in 1997 and in 2003 and last year when we won 10 games.  It's not miraculous to us, but we're happy to have the scheme doctor on our side.

Fun Facts
The last time the Cats beat OU in Norman was 1997.  It was the 5th consecutive victory over the Sooners and the last time we played them before Stoops took over.  Currently it's the Sooners with 5 consecutive victories over K-State.  Tsk, tsk.  Unlucky number for you Bobby.

The 1997 victory was a crazy game.  It was Bishop's first year and he ended with -2 yards rushing.  Despite Michael's unprecedented struggle on the ground, OU couldn't get anything moving on offense and used three different quarterbacks to try and get things moving against that great 90's defense.  One of the quarterbacks OU used?  Their starting strong safety.

OU doesn't have the same QB problems now, but it is interesting to note that Landry Jones went an entire month last season without a touchdown pass and Bobby relied on Blake Bell to essentially be Collin Klein in the red zone in order for his team to score touchdowns.  Landry hasn't looked the same since losing Ryan Broyles and if K-State is successful with the pass rush, expect to see Stoops bring Bell in on short yardage plays. That begs the question - will Snyder follow suit and bring in Sams?  How many quarterbacks does it take to win a game in Norman?

Kansas State Wildcats

It's a big, big, big, big, big, big game this week.  I've felt like this since Sunday.

Players to watch
#16 Tyler Lockett - Wide receiver.  Other than the kick return last week, Tyler had a very quiet game.  He had one reception in the game, late in the second half.  We saw a little bit of his speed and a small sampling of the plays they've designed for him in the Miami game.  Add to that the fact that he's an Oklahoma kid, playing against the big Oklahoma school that didn't try to recruit him, his Dad or his Uncle and you've got the perfect script for a big big day for Tyler.
#7 Collin Klein - QB1.  Collin needs to have an amazing day to pull off this victory on the road.  He got sacked 9 times in the OU game last year and ended up with a bruised sternum.  Even when the game was far out of reach in the second half, he stayed in for every snap.  We'll need his leadership, his vision, his positive attitude and his mental toughness to grind out the game plan this week.  Collin's better than Landry.  But it will be up to Collin to make sure that the rest of the offense is better than OU, all game long.  (If you don't normally watch ESPN College Game Day on Saturday mornings, you might want to this week.  They're doing a feature on Collin.)
#12 Ty Zimmerman - Safety.  Ty's had a relatively quiet season so far.  He's struggled a little bit with injuries, but has played in all three games.  Last year Landry torched the defense for 505 yards passing on the day.  Ty started in that game and will start in this one.  It's up to him to lead the secondary and shut down Kenny Stills and Jaz Reynolds.  The secondary has the most to prove on this team, and it's now or never.  

Strengths
Special teams.  It's repetitive because it's true.  Special teams continue to be our most competitive advantage.  OU had a punt blocked against UTEP and they returned it for their only touchdown of the night.  OU is statistically strong in nearly all categories except for punting, where they rank 108th.  The more opportunities for special teams to get involved, the better off we'll be.
Time of possession.  Did you watch the Stanford/USC game last week?  Stanford hung around by playing stifling defense, controlling the time of possession and keeping the score close into the 4th quarter.  The Cats have played their best football in the 4th quarter this year.  If we can find a way to keep the offense balanced, convert on 3rd and 1, and put together multiple 7 minute touchdown drives, we'll be right where we need to be heading into our favorite quarter.
Running game.  The O-Line forgot to tackle last week, and that was unfortunate.  However, the best offensive unit in the past three weeks has been the running game.  Collin has looked great early and had tremendous success running against OU last year before getting stepped on.  Hubert has looked a million times stronger than last year and Pease, well, I have sort of a conspiracy theory about Pease.  He didn't play at all last week but was suited up, helmet on, standing on the sideline all game long.  Then Coach took the time to mention in a press conference this week that he would be available for the game.  Secret weapon? What about Sams?  Would Coach dare use him on some sort of trick play? Either way, OU has been weak stopping the run, and Hubert, Wilson, Tannehill and Thompson have all stepped up their blocking abilities.  Should be a fun day for the running backs.

Weaknesses
Pass defense.  The secondary is the most uninspiring group of players on the field so far this season.  Huge holes over the middle all the time, no pass break-ups, 1 interception, soft coverage, sloppy open field tackling.  Better believe that the Stoops brothers have been salivating over that tape and will not hesitate to attack Malone, Zimmerman, Milo and Chapman.  Malone had 2 interceptions in the OU game last season.  He'll need some this year too.  Chapman needs to prove himself, Zimmerman needs to lead and Milo has to find his inner Canty.
Passing game.  It's improved, but we haven't faced a defense like this yet.  Our receivers, for the most part, are undersized and inexperienced.  Harper has a tendency to sulk mid-play and forget to knock down the interception.  When nervous, they have a history of dropping passes.  They take for-e-ver to get open.  They have got to be surprising to keep the defense off-balance and the chains moving.  They MUST be dangerous to get OU to back off the run.  

Trap level
From the highest of highs to the lowest of lows.  Everyone is amped for this game.

Keys to victory
Good yardage on first down.  Stuff the run.  Make Landry scramble.  We can't have three-and-outs on offense.  The offense needs to hold the ball for as long as possible and put together multiple long sustained drives.  OU has the defensive depth, so it's not a question of conditioning.  It's simple keep away, and it doesn't work if we have 6 snaps in the first quarter like last week.  OU has an arsenal of running backs so conditioning isn't an issue there either.  We got lucky last year that Whaley broke his ankle on the first play of the game.  This year they'll have Whaley, Finch, Williams and the Bell-dozer.  Our defense cannot keep up with the schemes if we allow them any sort of offensive balance.  Finally, we have to make Landry run.  His passing efficiency sinks dramatically when he's on the run and he will do almost anything to avoid the sack.  Our defensive ends and schemes have been more sack-happy this year, so this isn't a pipe dream.  Hurry Landry and we'll force a few more of those punts they're so bad at.  

Goal of the week
#10 -  Never Give Up.  Never Never Never.  The boys gave up last year.  They were still in it, but they let down their guard and the defense stopped making plays.  We'll get behind in this one and face adversity and it should be a battle for the full 60 minutes.  If we're mentally tough and refuse to give up, it should be anyone's game down to the final second.  That was the main difference between the OU smackdown and the OSU thriller last year.  Don't give up, boys.  Never never never.
 
Prediction
There is absolutely no way to know how this game will go.  OU hasn't been tested and hasn't looked consistent.  K-State has played three games and yet there's still no telling what their strengths and weaknesses are on any given Saturday.  No score will surprise me, so I'll tell you what I'd like to see: K-State wins it, 31-21.

North Texas recap - That old queasy feeling

  

The Mean Green played meaner than we did on the line all game long.  So much for cupcake stomping.

North Texas came to town and it was as frustrating as I worried it would be.  We forgot to practice, forgot how to stop the run, forgot to communicate on defense, forgot to play gap sound football, forgot, forgot, forgot.  This is K-State football, and this is what happens.  It happens every year, and it's frustrating every year, and every week is a brand new emotional adventure.  So even though I am SO MAD at them for wasting a great opportunity to improve and rotate guys in and keep people healthy and try out new things and improve our stats... I will remember that we won and look at the reasons why we won and be thankful for the win and remember that we could be USC and it could be worse and I'm so sorry Matt Barkley that must be awful. Deep breaths.

The Good

  

Special teams is getting really good at saving us from utter humiliation.  Thanks, guys.  

Special Teams.  Yet again, special teams saved the day.  The first quarter was abysmal, and on the same drive that Arthur Brown went down and we all stopped breathing, North Texas walked into the end zone, untouched.  It's the first time we've been behind all year, and the first time people looked panicked.  Then, on the ensuing kick-off, baby Lockett returns it 96 yards for a score and it's like nothing ever happened.  Unfortunately, the stubborn defense refused to sustain momentum for longer than 2 plays a drive so Vai Lutui had to block a field goal.  From here on out, only kickers with traumatic brain injuries will kick to Lockett, so we're going to need a new get out of jail free card.

Arthur Brown.  Arthur proved that he is an absolute boss, and will lead this defense whether they like it or not.  I hate that Arthur got hurt helping with a tackle that should've easily been managed by one person.  I hate that Arthur had to come back in when he was clearly hurt because Tre couldn't lead the defense.  I hate how when we got a glimpse of Arthur working with the trainers, his head jerked up when the crowd booed about something.  Arthur and Collin are absolutely indispensable to our team and that makes them huge targets for other teams like mercenary OU and WVU.  This family needs to step it up and start acting like one.

Tramaine Thompson.  Tramaine had a huge day and is easily the most consistent receiver we have right now.  Though Harper and Klein are supposedly bffs,  Thompson seems to have the best timing with Klein right now.  He always gets open, he never drops passes and he makes sure he knows where he is and comes down with the big receptions in the end zone.  More than that, he does all the little things that don't get talked about.  On Lockett's kick return, he ran right behind him and sealed off the kicker to make sure he got in the end zone.  On Hubert's big bursts to the outside, he was always the one on the edge, sealing off the corner so Hubert could get out.  For a guy who's 5'8 and 160 lbs, that's pretty impressive.  Keep it up #86. 

Braden Wilson.  Braden had a small moment in the second quarter that I just loved.  After his run on 3rd and 1 ended up a little close for comfort, he immediately went to #89 Zach Nemechek to tell him where he should have been and how that play should have looked.  I like using Braden on those 3rd and short situations because it gives Nemechek valuable time in the ballgame at fullback, takes a hit off Klein and surprises the defense a little bit.  Naturally those look a little uglier right now than when Braden's the one doing the blocking, but this effort to spread the power run game out is really valuable and I like the immediate feedback Braden is giving to his back-up.  Leadership in action.  Braden had a great game, because Braden always has a great game, and I like how happy Coach was on the sideline when Braden got the first down.  Coach likes Braden too, and that's the best endorsement you can get.    

Collin Klein.  Collin looked a little suspect in the first quarter, but he woke up a lot faster than the defense did.  He's making great strides in the passing game and I was impressed with the coaches for calling Harper's number repeatedly after they didn't connect.  They're still a little out of sync, and Klein has over/under thrown Harper more than anyone else this season.  Props to the coaches for sticking with the call until the guys got it right.  His vision on the option is such a pretty thing to watch and Hubert is becoming as good as Wilson blocking for him.  In the 4th quarter, the announcers mentioned that Klein went to Snyder late in the game and said, "Hey Coach, I'm passing the ball quite a bit today."  Snyder just smiled and walked away.  I think we can take that to mean that Klein isn't calling his plays anymore.  

Sacks.  We got three sacks in the first half which is three more than LSU got, so that's good. My guy Ryan Mueller got his first career sack, and it was a high energy never-give-up kind of play, which made my heart happy.  Mueller and Brown and Milo (Gooooolsby) never give up on a play and I like it.  Zimmerman keeps coming up short, but he's trying.  They'll get there. 

Fourth quarter.  This team really knows how to finish.  In the last three games we've scored more points in the fourth than any other quarter.  Now if we could just get the first quarter on board.  And then of course the second and third.  But I'd settle for starting with the first.

Daniel Sams being human.  This is controversial and might be crazy but I'm happy that Sams didn't score a touchdown in this game.  I was already hearing grumbling around me in the second quarter from people wanting Snyder to put Sams in the game.  It made me sort of sadistically happy to see everyone deflate after Sams got 4 yards on his first carry of the ballgame instead of 46.  He's human, Klein is king, everybody just calm down and stop acting #life crazy.  

The Bad

 

It's not a sneaky camera angle.  He really was this untouched heading into the end zone.    

Run defense.  The run defense that looked so strong in the first two games just completely imploded in this one.  It's like they knew the game plan was to stop the run, so they just assumed that they could stop the run and then forgot to work this week on actually stopping the run.  Or maybe the secondary is just really really bad and they had some deal with them to be inefficient so that North Texas wasn't forced to throw the ball.  I don't know.  I'm stooping to conspiracy theories to make sense out of this game.  That's how baffling the drop-off in skill was.  It must be so frustrating for Snyder to have his players continually handle success so poorly.  Don't you want nice things?  

John Hubert.  After two great games, Hubert was due for a step back.  I don't know how much of it was his fault, how much was the play calling and how much was the offensive line that got beat all day long.  But I do know that John fumbled in the red zone, all by his lonesome.  You can't do that, 33.  That'll put you on the bad list every single time, no matter how many touchdowns you get or how many blocks you pick up for Collin.  No more dropsies.

Stupid backwards pitch option play.  Can we please retire this play now?  I don't remember a single time that it worked for more than a 3 yard gain and about half the time it results in a loss.  Does it reset the defense somehow?  I don't get it, but it doesn't seem like we've had the speed to pull it off since the Sproles era. 

Jarell Childs.  Jarell seemed to be on the wrong page all day long.  He looked slow, he looked flat, he looked out of position and he didn't seem to be feeling anything about any of it.  He came in for Arthur in the first and second quarter and was completely out of position during the first North Texas touchdown play.  When he realized what was happening when little Chancellor swept around the side, he took a couple of halfhearted steps and let him go.  No no no no no.  If you're out of position and someone is going to score on you, you better run and make an effort, just in case.  No giving up. 

Allen Chapman.  Bubba seems to have a different idea about tackling than the rest of the team. More than anyone else in this game, he was actively trying to strip the ball instead of just wrapping up and making solid tackles.  No heroics, Bubba.  Just learn to wrap up your guy, and maybe, every once in awhile, be in the right position to knock the ball away.  He did have a few nice open field tackles and at least seemed to swarm toward the ball, unlike Jarell, who seemed to give up on plays before they began.

The Ugly

 

The most heart-stopping image of our season.  

 
Tackling.  What happened to the fundamentals?  Why did guys just bounce off and through our much bigger, stronger, faster, experienced defenders?  Coach said at the end of the game that the team had a bad attitude and I agree.  They didn't take this game seriously and it showed.  Nice primetime debut guys.  You had all those impressive defensive stats wasted in three hours.  Sure, you got the victory, but you also got Arthur hurt.  Sure the offense scored four touchdowns, but you got Finney hurt.  Sure you got another non-offensive touchdown for Lockett, but you've essentially burned that secret weapon.  So many missed opportunities because of sloppy fundamentals.   

First Quarter.  6 snaps, -1 total yardage, no first downs, time of possession 3:05.  Remember how much fun the Miami game was?  Remember how we all cheered and that spurred the defense and you got all those sacks and turnovers and touchdowns?  We'll stay in our seats for a good game just as long as we will for a sloppy one.  No need to make it closer than it should be. 

Line of scrimmage.  We lost the battle at the line all game long.  That's just simple, physical football and we gave it up all day, on both sides of the ball.  No heart, no fear, no urgency, no excitement in this game.  The special teams did their best to fire everyone up, and it would carry over for a couple of plays and then fall flat.  This team has got to learn to play every down and show up for every game.  The fact that three of our four offensive touchdowns had to be reviewed does not bode well.  You've got to do more than just enough.  I suppose, technically, you don't.   But still, if you can, you should. 

Mental toughness.  What frustrated me the most about this game was the lack of focus.  The team would play well for a couple of downs, then make a mistake and completely unravel for three minutes.  They gave up long drives and huge chunks of time.  North Texas beat us in the time of possession battle by almost 15 minutes.  That's insane.  If we had some momentum going and got called for a penalty, the very next play would be a 20 yard gain.  The defense got burned on simple plays all day long.  That inside shovel pass?  We made it look like the sneakiest trick play around.  Their two touchdowns were scored on the exact same play (jet sweep left) and they walked into the end zone untouched both times.  I don't know what the strategy was for the OU game, but it seems like we just gift-wrapped two surefire plays for them.  

Final Thoughts

I'm frustrated by the lack of consistency with this team and a little bit concerned about the leadership.  The secondary doesn't seem to be improving and the defense is wildly inconsistent.  Which team will show up next week to face OU?  Will they be deterred by early mistakes?  Is this a defense that will continue to fight?  Do they just play to the level of the competition?  Have they learned anything from this or are they just happy to get the win?  Are they motivated by team statistics as much as they seem to be about their own?  It wasn't all bad, but it's got to be a whole lot better.  Was that the strategy, Coach?  Play poorly so that OU wouldn't see us coming?  It might have worked.  I have no idea what to expect next week.  

The Thing You Never Knew You Needed But Now Can't Live Without - Week 3

The Big 12 schedule is super dull this week, but luckily the rest of the FBS is starting to pick up a bit.  Or not.  It has a definite sequel vibe to it, and they can't all be Terminator 2.  I'm here to guide you through your Saturday, whether you like it or not.  FOOTBALL. 

Big 12 Schedule

For TCU's first game in the Big 12, they get everyone's favorite ritual massacre.  Horned Frogs, meet Jayhawks.  Enjoy the freebie.  

Last week: 6-2, Season: 17-2

11:00 a.m. FX: TCU at KU
Poor TCU.  Their first Big 12 game is against KU, in Lawrence.  Say what you will about the SEC, but at least Missouri and Texas A&M got home games against quality opponents for their SEC openers.  Silver lining?  TCU should win this game easily.  Prediction: 45-7, TCU.

11:00 a.m. FSN: UL-Lafayette at Oklahoma State
UL-Lafayette (or Ooh-La-La, if you're in the know) is a sneaky good team facing off against what might be a sneaky bad team.  The Cowboys got shocked in Arizona last weekend, mainly because of penalties and turnovers and an absolute inability to finish.  Your youth is showing, OSU.  Expect the visitors to rattle them early.  If OSU needs the 4th quarter to win it, this could be another upset.  Prediction: 31-24, OSU.

3:30 p.m. MSN: James Madison vs. West Virginia
James Madison is ranked 4th in the FCS.  It won't matter.  Geno Smith rolls as the hype gets louder and more obnoxious. It will be so, so sweet when West Virginia inevitably loses to Baylor.   Prediction: 52-21, West Virginia.

6:00 p.m. FSN: North Texas at K-State (extended preview also available)
Read today that Ty Zimmerman is out with an injury and won't play in this one.  All the more reason to stuff the running game and force North Texas to throw the ball to our young secondary.  The offense should look basic but dominant.  Keep an eye on the pass coverage.  If it doesn't look good in this game, it won't look good all year.  Prediction: 56-9, K-State.

6:00 p.m. FCS: Sam Houston State at Baylor
Another easy game, another offense with too much hype.  I was impressed with Baylor's defensive improvement against SMU, though.  Bennett is doing well now that he has the chance to recruit some of his own players.  Nick Florence will have another big day and it won't prove a thing.  RGIII sure looked good on Sunday though, didn't he?  Prediction: 49-14, Baylor.

6:00 p.m. FCS: New Mexico at Texas Tech
Texas Tech survived their guaranteed upset over "scary" Texas State last week with an easy 58-10 victory.  Good call, ESPN.  Texas Tech is still the biggest unknown in this conference after racking up huge wins and tons of passing yards in their first two games.  I'd expect this one to go the same, but still have no idea if Tuberville has the defense turned around yet.  Conference competition will be enlightening.  This one is better left unseen.  Prediction: 52-7, Texas Tech.

7:00 p.m. Cyclones TV: Western Illinois at Iowa State
Iowa State won the Cy-Hawk trophy last week in the sloppiest 9-6 victory the world never saw.  Thank goodness for twitter, or I still wouldn't know anything about the game.  I hate these conference/school TV networks.   Same story this week, I'm afraid.  Prediction: 28-12, Iowa State.

8:15 p.m. ESPN: Texas at Ole Miss
I've been to Oxford and I've been to Austin and I would love nothing more than a Rebel upset in the Grove.  Mostly, I'm excited to see more than 20 seconds of the Longhorns on TV.  I know that you're supposed to cheer for the Big 12, especially if they're a team your team hasn't played yet, but I have a soft spot for Archie Manning's alma mater and that sweet, quiet, little book town.  Prediction: 21-17, Ole Miss.

Best of the Rest

Derek Dooley's pants are the lead story on GameDay.  What other sign do you need that you're at the wrong game, guys?

Last week: 2-3, Season: 5-4

11:00 a.m. ESPN: Wake Forest at Florida State
For some reason, Wake Forest has won this game 4 of the last 6 years.  It's probably the reason I never take Florida State seriously, because, c'mon.  The Demon Deacons?  K-State has trouble with OU, but Florida State can be forgiven for losing to Wake Forest?  Ridiculous.  I'm rooting for the upset.  Prediction: 28-24, Wake Forest.  

11:21 a.m. ESPN3: UL-Monroe at Auburn
I love how cranky the GameDay guys have been all week about UL-Monroe beating Arkansas so they had to go to Knoxville for GameDay instead of Fayetteville.  I'd love it even more if UL-Monroe beat Auburn so that we can all agree that Cam Newton won that championship in spite of Gene Chizik.  Less Gene Chizik is always more.  Prediction: 31-17, UL-Monroe.  

2:30 p.m. CBS: Alabama at Arkansas
Somehow UL-Monroe knocked out all of Arky's playmakers last week and they still haven't recovered.  I'd love for Arky to pull a victory out of nowhere, but Saban would never allow it. Saban never surprises, and his players never have fun.  If you hate fun too, then this game is for you.  Prediction: 35-3, Alabama.  

5:00 p.m. ESPN: Florida at Tennessee
Three weeks in, and GameDay has been to three SEC games.  Shocking!  I don't know why everyone's so high on Texas A&M.  If anything, the fact that Florida beat them last week says nothing about Florida and everything about the Aggies.  Tyler Bray is for real, Cordarrelle Patterson somehow went from Hutch CC to Tennessee without Coach snagging him and Derek Dooley wears fancy pants.  Sounds like a recipe for success.  Oh, and the Gators suck.  Prediction: 30-17, Tennessee.
 
6:30 p.m. Fox: USC at Stanford
This game was a 3-OT thriller last year.  Unfortunately Andrew Luck graduated so this year the game should be over by the second quarter.  Gus Johnson gets the call though, so he'll make every first down thrilling, if that's what the game calls for.  If you're not familiar with Gus yet, you're doing it all wrong.  Prediction: 42-10, USC.

7:00 p.m. ABC: Notre Dame at Michigan State

Here's the real game of the week.  Notre Dame and Michigan State are very evenly matched this year, and have an electric recent history.  In 2010, Michigan State faked a field goal to win the game in overtime.  Then, to celebrate his victory, Sparty head coach Mark Dantonio had a heart attack.  HOW IS THIS NOT THE GAMEDAY GAME?  ESPN is stupid and I should run the world.  Prediction: 41-38, Michigan State. 

K-State vs. North Texas preview

North Texas Mean Green

 

Just... creepy.

These two teams last met in 2010, in the last game of the season.  K-State's run defense was atrocious that year, and North Texas' Lance Dunbar gashed us for 270(!) yards.  We escaped with the victory that day, 49-41.  Now the Mean Green are led by former Iowa State head coach and long-time Snyder bud Dan McCarney.  They head to Manhattan with a 1-1 record after a respectable loss to LSU in the opener  This one has the look of a snoozer, with some very sneaky match-up problems.  If K-State is looking ahead, they could very well get caught.

Players to watch
#35 Zach Orr - Linebacker.  Orr is a two time captain and led the team in tackles last season.  He played in the 2010 game and recorded 8 tackles on the day.  Much like we rely on Arthur to control the defense, the Green look to Orr for leadership.  Better believe he'll be ready for Klein, Hubert and Sams this weekend.  It'll be up to Braden to neutralize him.
#22 Antoinne Jimmerson - Running back.  In addition to having an awesome name, he's the redshirt freshmen who put up 139 yards on 15 carries last week.  He's already earning lots of comparisons to Lance Dunbar, who did such a good job dismantling our run defense in 2010.  Remember how slow our linebackers were that season?  Thank God for Arthur Brown. 
#24 Brandin Byrd - Running back.  Antoinne had the breakout performance last week, but Byrd still gets a majority of the carries.  Our linebackers better be ready and swarming or this could be a long, stressful day. 

Strengths
Offensive Line -  There are three second year starters on this line that have played together since March of 2011.  Through two games this year they have yet to allow a single sack.  Pretty impressive when you consider that their first game of the season was against LSU.  I can't imagine that our front four are stronger than LSU's, so I think the key will be sound gap protection to stymie the running game.  Hat on a hat.  And all that.
Running game - North Texas picked up their first win last week with 350 yards on the ground.  Two of their running backs finished with over 100 yards and they're coming in with tons of confidence.  Then again, if they've been watching Miami game film all week, maybe not.  Solid running backs + veteran offensive line is a winning combination, regardless of your FBS ranking.  Our linebackers will be tested.

Weaknesses
Passing game - Derek Thompson is only completing 42% of his passes so far this season.  Should be a fairly simple game plan this week for Coach Hayes.  Now it comes down to execution.
Turnovers - They've had 4 turnovers so far in 2 games.  We caused 3 last week.  If we can do it to Miami, we can surely do it to North Texas.  Big hits and good schemes should turn into lots of turnovers on the day.  You hear that Lynch Mob?  Let's boost that turnover margin.   

Amazing Hayden Fry coaching tree.  Snyder top left, Stoops bottom right, McCarney to his left.

Fun Facts

There's a lot of history between these two programs.  Snyder was coaching with Hayden Fry at North Texas before making the move to the University of Iowa in 1978.  Dan McCarney had played for Iowa and was working as a graduate assistant when Fry took over.  He was the youngest on the staff, but Fry was impressed with him and asked him to stay on to coach the tight ends, for a $6000 raise.   They coached together for 10 years before Snyder came to wildcat land.  The two are good friends, and in a press conference this week, he even referred to Coach as "Snydes".  Can you imagine being close enough to Snyder to call him that in a press conference?  No you cannot.  

Kansas State Wildcats

 

This effort, this form, this unity, this teamwork, this way, every play.  Okay?  

Players to watch
#50 Tre Walker - Linebacker.  Tre has had two quiet games to start the season, and I think he's ready to bust out.  North Texas will try like crazy to run the ball, and that gives Tre plenty of opportunities for tackles for loss.  Given the nature of this trap game, he will also play a big role in making sure everyone's mind is right come kick-off.  No slacking, defense.  I want to see Miami level energy all game long.
#8 Angelo Pease - Running Back.  If this game goes according to plan, we should get to play a lot of our #2's to avoid injuries before conference play.  If Hubert looks good early, Pease should take over in the second half.  This is as good a time as any for him to finally shake off the rust and learn to follow his blockers.  Please, Pease.  Just run straight.
#24 Nigel Malone - Cornerback.  The game plan should be to force North Texas to throw the ball.  If our pass coverage improves, and we force North Texas to throw where we want them to throw, when we want them to throw, Malone should have a big day.  He gets better the more film he sees, and I expect him to improve with each game.  

Strengths
Run Defense - We are allowing 2.5 yards per carry on the season and held speedy Miami to 1.9 yards per carry last week.  Wouldn't it be fun to reduce that number to an even 2 yards per carry heading into conference play?  Just imagine all the tackles for loss that would require.  Yum.
Punt return unit - K-State is currently 3rd in the nation in punt returns.  North Texas is 101st.  If we can stuff the run game and keep North Texas punting, we should be able to play with great field position all day long.  Ty-ler Lock-ett, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap.

Weaknesses
Passing game - North Texas is actually ranked very high in pass defense statistics, especially when you consider that they played LSU earlier this season.  If Klein gets overly confident and makes bad throws, he could get surprised by interceptions.  North Texas has four on the season.  This is not a game to be sloppy.  I'd like to see Chris Harper's number called a few more times and maybe one or two deep balls early.
Playbook - It's a tricky game, because we have the personnel and leadership to make this a relatively vanilla victory.  Unfortunately, the only way that works is if the team shows up to play in the first quarter like last week.  I'm not quite sure I believe that we're to that level of consistency just yet.  I can't decide if Coach will want to try out some new things in this game to get practice for OU next week, or if he'll keep it vanilla and then bust out surprises next week, or play in a way that targets our weaknesses so that guys get some game time experience to work through those mistakes before conference play.   I'm overthinking it.  Realistically, we shouldn't have weaknesses in this game.  Hopefully I'll still agree with that on Sunday. 

Trap level
Threat level midnight.  It's basically the definition of a trap game.  Third game at home.  Coming off a blowout victory over a marquee opponent.   Huge conference opener next week.  General sense of apathy from fans and the media.  Jumped 6 spots in the polls.  On and on and on.  Luckily this team has strong leadership from Klein and Brown and motivated back-ups like Sams and Mueller who want to get on the field.  I think this game will be uglier than it should be if K-State shows up sleepy.   

Keys to victory
Play smart, show up early, swarm the run.  Success breeds two things in this type of game.  Complacency and over-confidence.  If the defense shows up lethargic, North Texas will burn them for big gains on the ground all game long.  If the offense is feeling overly confident after last week's fireworks, they could fumble, drop passes, get too fancy with the running game and get themselves hurt.  We'll know if the team leadership is for real by the end of the first quarter. 

Goal of the week
#6 - Self Discipline.  Do it right and don't accept less.  Chris Fowler might not like it, but the stats count, regardless of the opponent.  Every snap is an opportunity to improve.  Don't waste it.

Prediction
This game should tell us a lot about the mental toughness and leadership of this team.  If they come out soft, look out.  If they come out like they did last week, the winning mentality is here to stay.  Can they be the first K-State team ever to open the season with three straight games over 50 points?  I say yes.  K-State wins it, 56-9.  

Miami recap - Huuuuuuuberrrrrt

Harley Day was a rockin' good time ending in a 52-13 beatdown of the once mighty Hurricanes. Almost 500 yards of offense, a rush defense that allowed less than 50 yards on the whole and only 22 for superstar Duke Johnson.  Sacks, fumbles, tackles for loss, and complete domination on the ground and time of possession.  A perfect game plan, perfectly executed.   Even better?  They started fast and played with a lead, all game long.

Good

#33 had an amazing day and earned himself a brand new chant from the K-State faithful.  Keep it up Huuuuuberrrrrrrt.

Special Teams.  The punt return team continues to be excellent, and the kick-off coverage was perfect until the fourth quarter.  Even on the botched coverage, newcomer Morgan Burns managed to run down the speedster Duke Johnson and save the touchdown.  Little known fact?  That's the first time Duke Johnson has been caught from behind since high school.  Good first showing, Morgan Burns.  Loomis and Truman continued their streak of beautiful, bruising tackling as well.  Ryan Doerr didn't have to punt until 11 seconds were left in the ball game, but when he did, it was a monster of a punt, about a mile in the air and came down just over the goal line.  Welcome back, Ryan.  Sean Snyder has this unit rolling.

Dirty room: Anthony Cantele's botched field goal attempt and suspect extra point kick in the 3rd quarter.   Not sure if it was the hold or the wind or the snap or the kick - but it was ugly and could have had serious consequences if Miami had been able to score a touchdown to close the first half.

Better 

 

Lutui and his crew had a massive day with 5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles.  Welcome back, lynch mob.

Pass rush.  The lynch mob is alive and well at K-State.  Justin Tuggle got the first sack of the year while Adam Davis, Vai Lutui and Arthur Brown each got in on the action as well.  Ryan Mueller had two pass deflections and recovered a fumble.  Randall Evans made the goal line stop on 4th and goal in the 3rd quarter.  The first string defense continue to lock it down in the red zone, not allowing a touchdown on the season.  (The Miami TD in the 4th quarter was against the back-ups.)  When the secondary allowed the 56 yard gain in the 1st quarter, Jarard Milo (Goooooooolsby) ran him down to keep him out of the end zone which led to Miami settling for a field goal.  That extra effort on big plays almost always ends up with a stop in the red zone and 3 points instead of 7.  It was critical to our success in close games last year and I'm happy to see that our speed and effort is still an integral part of this year's team as well.

Dirty room: Our pass defense is still a bit lacking.  They had huge holes over the middle for most of the day, but the pass rush was strong enough that it didn't burn us as much as it could have.  We'll have to keep working on those schemes to get ready for Big 12 offenses, but overall - a HUGE improvement over week one.  

Best

 

This dirty play robbed Lockett of a TD, but the upside is that we've finally figured out how to utilize his speed.

Offense.  I still can't believe we punted the ball for the first time with less than 15 seconds left in the game.  The offense was dominant today and Dana Dimel called a fantastic game.  John Hubert (Huuuuuuuberrrrrrrt) had a perfect game, Collin looked comfortable running and passing, the O-Line beat Miami all game long and protected Collin.  Even better?  We are starting to build an arsenal of offensive weapons.  Curry Sexton got his first TD of his career.  Dimel has figured out how to best use Lockett's speed on the outside and over the middle.  Thompson had yards after catch and picked up crucial first downs.  Pease bounced to the outside and proved himself a reliable power running back.  The longest play of the day was a throw to back-up tight end Zach Trujillo who caught it in stride and took off for 58 yards.  In clean-up, Daniel Sams continued to impress and Demarcus Robinson looked good as well.  Everything was clicking and working with the game plan.  When the first offensive drive took 7 minutes and ended with a touchdown, you had to know that it was going to be a special day.

Dirty room: Chris Harper.  He's either not running the right routes or Klein isn't getting the ball to him, but he's the only receiver who hasn't looked in-sync with the offense.  Last week he had to come back 5 yards for a pass, this week Klein underthrew him.  The fact that the disastrous trick play was the closest Harper got to the end zone is indicative of his storyline in the season so far.  Maybe he's just warming up and will be a great weapon for us during conference play.  For now it seems odd that he's been so quiet. 

Final thoughts

No Andre McDonald yet in this game, though he did come in for coverage on a couple of field goals.  I'm assuming he'll need to earn his way back into the rotation, and based on what Trujillo did today, that could be difficult.  I'm excited to see the tight ends doing so well and the coaches calling their number at least once a game for a big gain.  I think they'll be clutch as we begin conference competition.

It'll be important for the Cats to play North Texas next week without looking ahead to OU.  Three games scoring at least 50 points would be an impressive stat to carry with them to Norman.  Coach will get another chance to preach about the dangers of success and complacency this week.

Previous big names on the defense had a relatively quiet day on Saturday.  No interceptions for Malone, only two assists for Walker and two solo tackles for Zimmerman.  It'll be interesting to see if that trend continues throughout the season.

Next week we're back in Bill Snyder Family Stadium at 6pm facing off against the mean green North Texas machine.  Full preview up on Friday.  Go Cats!

The Thing You Never Knew You Needed But Now Can't Live Without - Week 2

It's week 2!  This is a weird week, as no ranked teams are playing other ranked teams.  The upset potential is so low that NASCAR has the primetime spot on ABC tonight.  Fear not, footballers.  ABC may have passed, but there are plenty of games this weekend worth your tapenade.  Game on.

Big 12 Schedule

This week's schedule brought to you by the honorable Bob Bowlsby. Thanks for the TV deal, Bob. Now let's see some games.

Last week's predictions: 9-0.

11:00 a.m. FX: Miami at K-State (extended preview also available)
The Cats go full on Snyder Ball to confuse, frustrate and befuddle the speedsters from South Florida.  Look for special teams to have a big day and at least one non-offensive score in K-State's second victory of the year.  Prediction: 42-17, K-State. 

2:30 p.m. Big 10 network: Iowa State at Iowa
The Cyclones took home the controversial Cy-Hawk trophy last year in a triple overtime classic.  This year they're on the road, but facing an even weaker Iowa team.  Like all their games, Iowa State will do enough to both win and lose, but I think they come out on top in the end.  Prediction: 28-24, Iowa State.

2:30 p.m. FSN: Rice at KU
They put the KU game on WIBW last week and I was so excited to watch it.  I got halfway through the first quarter and fell asleep.  Something about it felt like Juco ball.  I can't imagine this one will be any better.  Prediction: 28-10, KU.  

6:00 p.m. Fox Pay-Per-View: Florida A&M at OU
OU is back at home, playing before midnight this time.  They should look better against an FCS opponent, but even if they don't, everyone will fall all over themselves to make excuses for Landry Jones and determine that OU is a national title contender yet again.  Grrrr.  Prediction: 45-7, OU.

6:00 p.m. FSN-SW: Grambling State at TCU
TCU finally plays their first game in the Big 12!  This game has been 17 years in the making and I expect them to come out huge offensively.  Big time blowout that will tell us nothing about TCU's actual strengths and weaknesses.  Welcome to week 1, Frogs.  Prediction: 56-10, TCU.

6:00 p.m. ESPN3.com: Texas Tech at Texas State
Upset alert!  Texas State stomped all over Houston last week which means that OF COURSE they can beat Tech.  Seriously?  Houston was supposed to be good without Case Keenum and Kevin Sumlin?  C'mon guys.  Just because you beat one team in Texas doesn't mean you should be favored to win them all.  Unless, of course, you're the reigning Texas State Champs.  Prediction: 31-17, Texas Tech.

7:00 p.m. Longhorn network: New Mexico at Texas
Another week, another Texas game that only Texas fans can see.  From the 15 second clip I saw on SportsCenter I would say that David Ash is still inconsistent, their defense is an average Big 12 defense and they should easily win this game.  Prediction: 28-7, Texas.

9:30 p.m. Pac-12 network: Oklahoma State at Arizona
This is the second best Big 12 game of the week and it's on the Pac-12 network.   How is NASCAR better than this?  Wes Lunt and the Cowboys could have trouble in this one, on the road, late at night, overconfident from their snoozefest last week.  This might be competitive in the 4th quarter, but everyone will have given up and gone to bed because NASCAR is on TV.  Grrr again.  Prediction: 38-35, OSU.

Best of the Rest

Hi sad, Aggies. You've given us plenty of entertainment in the off-season. Can you keep the humiliation going on the field, too? I have faith in you.

Last week's predictions: 3-1.

2:30 p.m. ESPN: Florida at Texas A&M
This is A&M's first game of the year after Isaac postponed their opening night cupcake with Louisiana Tech.  If it was anyone other than Florida, I'd say A&M would get the SEC welcome they deserve.  Unfortunately, Florida almost lost to Bowling Green last week, so I think we'll have to wait another week to see everyone's favorite second half collapse.  At least Aggie fans can take comfort in the fact that the stadium wall will show them as conference champs, regardless of performance.  So that's something.  Prediction: 21-10, Texas A&M. 

2:30 p.m. NBC: Purdue at Notre Dame
Notre Dame beat Navy by 40 points last week so naturally they're ranked this week and expected to face OU in the national championship.  Purdue, please win so we can put all this Notre Dame nonsense to bed for another year.  Prediction: 24-20, Purdue.

5:00 p.m. ESPN3.com: Savannah State at Florida State
Savannah State should be proud.  They beat last week's record by 5 points!  Way to go, guys.  If Florida State loses this game, can we all agree to stop preseason hyping them for the next 5 years?  I need a break.  Prediction: 62-3, Florida State.

6:30 p.m. Fox: Nebraska at UCLA
I would love nothing more than for UCLA to beat Nebraska, even if it meant that we started overhyping UCLA again.  Sports analysts have the strangest selective memory.  Unfortunately, UCLA can't be trusted, especially with something as rewarding as this.  Prediction: 28-7, Nebraska.

6:45 p.m. ESPN2: Georgia at Missouri
Why do the SEC lovers at ESPN hate Georgia so much?  I don't quite understand it.  I also don't understand why they think Mizzou is so good.  I must have watched a different team last year.  It doesn't matter how many Georgia starters are sitting out of this one. Mizzou is not SEC ready.  Prediction: 42-21, Georgia.

7:00 p.m. Big 10 network: Vanderbilt at Northwestern
Two of the craziest games last week involved Vandy and Northwestern.  What a gift to have them matched up in week 2.  What's that?  It's on the Big 10 network?  Gift CANCELED.  Prediction: Totally awesome score that will be unviewable and ignored by ESPN because of NASCAR coverage.  Infinite grrrrrrrr.