Texas Longhorns (8-3)
It might be Mack Brown's last game in Bill Snyder Family Stadium too...
Players to Watch
#6, Quarterback Case McCoy: McCoy gets his first start of 2012 due to the fact that David Ash got hit in the ribs last week and didn't tell his coaches. Why are the Texas QBs always such babies? Hopefully Case didn't spend too much time talking to his brother about playing against K-State in Manhattan. Better that he just experience the horror himself and then they can trade war stories after.
#1, Wide Receiver Mike Davis: Davis is the real superstar of this Texas offense, though he becomes marginally less effective with the quarterback switch. Still, we tend to be kind to superstar wide receivers, and Davis isn't one to turn down a favor. I'd feel much more comfortable about this if we had Zimmerman back, but for now, I think we'll just have to hope for a weak offensive line and a renewed pass rush. We didn't sack Nick Florence one single time. That has to change.
#32, Running Back Johnathan Gray: Remember how Texas' running backs were supposed to beat everyone in the league by a million percent? And how their defense was projected to be an unstoppable force that even Nick Saban would drool over? Neither of those things happened, further proving that Mack Brown is in his last year as ball coach of the mighty, mighty Longhorns. Having said all that, Gray is currently their most consistent running back. So... watch out for him.
Keys to Victory
Protect your quarterback. Case McCoy is getting the start this week because David Ash is injured. They better hope there's someone backing up McCoy because Texas hasn't gotten through a game against us with just one quarterback since the Vince Young days. That line better be ready to protect him in the pocket, and they better be ready to deal with #4 in the middle linebacker spot. No Longhorn fan wants to see the end result of Case vs. Arthur.
Establish a ground game. Our rush defense is limited without Tre Walker. I'm sure that fact was on full display in film study this week and I'm sure that's the primary offensive strategy. Will the supporting linebackers be enough to stop the running game this week? Can Texas run the ball without turning it over? Texas is 8-0 when rushing for at least 136 yards and 0-3 when held below that number. This war, like all important wars, will be won on the ground.
Build an early lead. We may have several weapons on offense and the ability to control the game clock, but as we found out against Baylor, we do not play well from behind. Given how fresh the pain from the Baylor game is, if Texas can get out to an early lead and play smart on defense, the pressure and fear may begin to creep in to our sideline and force us into some uncharacteristic errors. We've been notoriously slow starters at home, and the defense might still come out tight. If that happens, it's going to take a monumental amount of leadership and good fortune to get things turned around.
Fun Facts
I love the poetry of this game. Two years ago, in Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Collin Klein had his first career start against the Texas Longhorns. Even though it was senior night for Carson Coffman, Klein got the start. It surprised everyone, including Mack Brown and his defensive coordinator. On the second play from scrimmage, Daniel Thomas burst free for a 20 yard touchdown. The rout was on. I remember, very clearly, two Texas fans in our section. They didn't seem shocked by their team's 39 point deficit in the fourth quarter. When Texas finally scored a touchdown they started cheering and looking around and caught me glaring at them. Instead of getting angry he looked at me and said, "Come on. You gotta let us have something." That's when I knew what owning Texas meant. The fans of the richest and most talented team in college football, asked me, a K-State fan, to give them something. It was a great feeling. I didn't give it to them.
Stan Weber said this week that he thought some people disrespected the 1998 team a little bit because they weren't able to come back and beat Purdue in the Alamo Bowl after the most depressing football game in CFB history. This 2012 team has always been about mental toughness, about Snyder's 16 goals, about unity and teamwork and unselfishness and establishing a culture of winning and leadership and responsibility. In his press conference this week, Collin said that if he had to choose one word to describe this team it would be perseverance. This is the team that fought through so many single digit victories last year and fought tooth and nail for every part of this season, including the game-that-shall-not-be-named. I believe this team will come back, just like Oklahoma State did last year, and win these last two games, making them the first team in K-State history to win 12 games in a season. That 12th win would also make Collin the winningest quarterback in K-State history, which is entirely appropriate.
We're losing 27 seniors this year. That's a big, big number. Here's what they look like, all in a row: Javonta Boyd, Nick Briney, Arthur Brown, Anthony Cantele, Allen Chapman, Jarell Childs, Adam Davis, Ryan Doerr, Ethan Douglas, Thomas Ferguson, Roman Fields, Chris Harper, Ben Kall, Collin Klein, Brandon Klimek, Vai Lutui, Jared Loomis, Nigel Malone, Zach McFall, Jarard Milo, Angelo Pease, Nick Puetz, John Sua, Travis Tannahill, Justin Tuggle, Meshak Williams, Braden Wilson. There are so many things that I want for these guys in this game. I want Javonta to bat down a pass. I want Nick Briney to play a snap or two. I want Arthur to burn that Texas running game to the ground. I want Cantele to have a perfect night. I want Bubba to get another interception. I want Jarell to get a solo tackle for loss. I want Adam Davis to get a sack. I want Ryan Doerr to kick an 80 yard punt. I want Ethan Douglas to down that punt on the 1 yard line. I want Thomas Ferguson to start for Ty Zimmerman if he's still hurt. I want Roman Fields to play a snap or two. I want Harper to get over 100 yards receiving, and maybe one of those nifty one-handed catches. I want Ben Kall to play a snap or two. I want Collin to have a Heisman winning performance. I want him to have everything he's ever wanted. I want him to never, ever leave. I want Brandon Klimek to play a snap or two. I want Vai Lutui to get a sack. I want Jared Loomis to decimate someone on a kick return. I want Nigel to get a pick 6. I want Zach McFall to play a snap or two. I want Jarard Milo to finish with the highest number of tackles. I want Angelo to start in place of Hubert. I want Puetz to signal a touchdown on a Klein keeper. I want John Sua to play big. I want Tannahill to catch a ball and not end up somersaulting over a defender. I want Tuggle to have his best game since OU. I want Meshak to end up with 3 sacks and leave Case McCoy with nightmares. I want Braden to score a touchdown. It can't all happen that way, of course. But wouldn't it be magical if it did?
Kansas State Wildcats (10-1)
So much weeping.
Players to Watch
#7, Quarterback Collin Klein: I thought saying goodbye to Jacob Pullen was hard. This is unfathomable. Given everything that happened in the death valley of Waco, Klein is the player to watch in college football on Saturday. He had a poor game last year against Texas, and the offense was only able to scrape together 120 yards in the 17-13 victory in Austin. This year he's (slightly) healthier and (greatly) improved in his decision-making abilities on the field. I would love nothing more than to see Klein run up and down the field for 4 quarters, just like he did in 2010.
#4, Linebacker Arthur Brown: You better believe that big game Arthur will be keyed up for this one. I can't wait to see him on a corner blitz, spying Case McCoy and causing general mayhem for all those speedy, vaunted, Texas recruits. He sees your Rivals rating and he is not impressed. No one escapes judgment in his house.
#3, Wide Receiver Chris Harper: Harper has taken some heat from me this season, and I'm sure this is not the senior season he envisioned. However, he's been a rock for Collin and I will miss seeing those two buddies on the sideline laughing and talking and scheming. It'd be great to see that old clutch Harper from 2011 return to form on senior night.
Keys to Victory
Don't abandon the running game. The running game is a staple of Bill Snyder football, and I've been missing it these last few weeks. In order to keep our offense moving and their defense off balance, we need to have more success running than throwing. Should be a good game for it too, with Angelo, Collin, and Braden plenty motivated on senior night. Not to mention Hubert, who completely fell on his face during his homecoming visit.
Win at the line. Our defensive line has slowly gotten more porous over the past three games, crippled by injuries and the loss of their vocal leader, Tre Walker. They had a terrible game in Waco and should be highly motivated to return to form. They'll face a tough challenge with Texas' running game, but it's a line that is comprised mainly of seniors, so let's hope they've got one more in them. The offensive line has also suffered quite a few injuries, and the sack numbers just keep growing as the season wears on. They're young, so they'll need to band together to send Collin out injury free and make way for that all important running game.
Mix it up a bit. Senior night is a good chance for a team to run a few plays that they love in practice, but never got to use in a game. Mack Brown and Snyder go way back, and there are very few surprises when it comes to game plans. It might be useful, in a momentum game like this, to take advantage of the friendly home field and try a few new tricks.
Trap Level
N/A.
Goal of the Week
#1 Commitment: To common goals and to being successful. Arthur Brown doesn't want to talk about senior night. He wants to focus on building a better program for future K-Staters. He wants the program to go on, bigger and better every year. He wants to be a part of the foundation, not the best team in history, but the team that established a winning culture at K-State. Commitment to success, as a team, for a greater goal. Senior night done right.
Prediction
I believe this team has what it takes to bounce back, and I think the time off will help a lot of our injured guys get back in the mix. I'm not expecting a blowout, and I'm terrified of an early deficit, but I have faith that this group of seniors has the experience and perseverance to go out on a win. K-State wins the Big 12 championship and secures a BCS bowl berth, 37-24.
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