November 11, 2006
Bill Snyder Family Stadium
Kansas State 45 v. #4 Texas 42
Hot D@mn!
Howdy Folks! It’s been awhile and the ‘ol Wildcat Jack can’t get to this article enough anymore. It’s hard when you’re up here in the northwoods and gettin’ to the games is an adventure in an of itself. Well, I’m not really in the northwoods, but when folks think a good ‘ol boy from Kansas has a southern accent, then you’re “Up Nort, hey, you betcha!”
So when I get the tickets this year I’m gonna get two home games and I pick out Florida Atlantic and Texas…not so much for who but when. About 3 weeks before this one the better half is givin’ me the business and tellin’ me I don’t need to go to this Texas game and we’re gonna get killed anyway and why do you wanna go and on and on……Well, I just play this one cool for a bit. She let’s her slip one day she’s goin’ to Chicago for a girls weekend……and that’s my first Hot D@mn, the door is wide open and this horse is boltin’. I find me a good flight outta Milwaukee and I’m headin’ south. I gear up in my purple and fly into KC….it’s amazin’ how many K-Staters you run into across this great land and it didn’t fail on this day either.
Ya know it gets kinda gloomy in the northwoods this time of year and ‘ya never know how ya miss that Kansas sunshine. So I’m a little pessimistic, but with every approaching day the excitement and the optimism builds. By the time we cross that stateline I’m thinkin’, hot d@mn, this just feels right.
So I start workin’ on this thing in my head…..this bully theory. I’m thinkin’ it through this is got all the makins’ of a bully situation. Here we got this Texas team, #4 in the country, comin’ into lowly ‘ol Manhattan on a crisp November Saturday night. Just a speed bump……a first year coach with a team that hadn’t done nuthin’ in two years….I mean this wadn’t the K-State of the late 90’s and we’re the defendin’ national champs…..we’re Texas by-God and all we gotta do is show up…..you could see it….it’s nuthin’ new….it’s a bully mentality.
My Dad and Grandads all told me there’s only one way to deal with bullies. Ya gotta push all that fear down and call ‘em. Their gonna be one of two types either full of bluff or mean cusses. Either way ya just gotta find out the hardy way and ya can’t let ‘em push ya around or you’re not gonna be able to live with yourself. So I found it interestin’ in readin’ about Prince relatin’ a similar story as a kid. He said his Dad sent him back to face down a bully once….it wadn’t acceptable to back down. So I knew one thing comin’ into this one…we had a coach that wadn’t gonna back down….and you can just feel that strength growin’ in this team. In the past we talked about the Lynch Mob and swagger…it’s just that mentality of inner strength and we’re gettin’ it back.
So here we got it a big November night game showin’ to all the country. We got a bully comin’ to town and a coach that’s had to deal with a few bullies. We got a team gettin’ it together. What an opportunity. It’s there in front of us. Hot D@mn!
So I wake up Saturday mornin’ and I’ve got this feelin’ it’s the same feelin’ I had three years ago on that beautiful December night (yeah, that’s right I always call it that “beautiful December night”). There’s just a feelin’….a indescribable irrational feelin’….but it’s growin’. I’m just flat-out ready for this one….I don’t know how I’m gonna make it through the day…..Well, the ‘ol second basemen, BC, shows up and we’re headin’ to Manhattan.
We got a few errands to run around town takin’ care of the next generation (yep, the kid and my money are goin’ to KSU), but I can’t think of a better way to spend it…..come to think of it, I think I sent the kid back to face down some bullies in his day, what an interestin’ memory….so ‘ol BC and I gotta figger out a way to kill about nine hours until kick off. We get some grub and some tickets to see the Huggins show and that takes care of a bit. The only question we got the rest of the day is, what color is Hot D@mn (ya know the cinnamon schnapps). Folks, just so y’all know it’s the same color as fruit punch….and fits perfect in one of those bottles….Hot D@mn, we’re set for the impending crispy night. After some chillin’ time in the parkin’ lot, we’re finally ready. With every beverage I drank the better I felt, by the time it was ready for kickoff I had this overwhelmin’ feelin’….this night was right…….Hot D@mn.
So we get up in the seats and the whole gang is there, includin’ ‘ol JP. I tell him I got a feelin’, this nights feelin’ just like that beautiful December night three years ago. He says it’s gonna take more than a feelin’. I said, heck I’m even dressed the same way as that beautiful December night. He says it’s gonna take more than the way you’re dressed. I just said we’re gonna do it.
So we get this thing started and Texas is gonna get the ball goin’ into that stiff south wind….and I was wishin’ for a stiff north wind. They start at the 20 and things just aren’t goin’ right for the ‘Cats. Texas, the bullies, shows why they’re defendin’ national champs and drive that ball inside the two in no time. We look like we’re lost. We can’t tackle, we can’t cover and this idn’t a good start. But then somethin’ interestin’ happens. The bullies get the ball to the one and they’re gonna smashmouth it in. It’s right now when we gotta decide if we’re gonna stand up to this bully or let him back us down. Three plays we go toe-to-toe with those boys and smash ‘em right back and ‘ol Mack Brown decides he’s a meaner cuss and sends ‘em back out on 4th down. Well, we stuff ‘em up on 4th down too and there’s still a doubt as to whether he got to pay-dirt, but we brought that attitude on that play and hit ‘em…and ended up hurtin’ ‘em. The bully knew they were gonna be in a tussle after those four downs from the one….it set the tone. That’s why I said to ‘ol JP and ‘ol BC….and anybody else that would listen…..After 14 plays we’re down 7-0 but, WE GOT ‘EM RIGHT WHERE WE WANT ‘EM…..just like that beautiful December night.
So now it’s our turn and the offense is gonna have to decide what they wanna do with a bully. I’ve always bought into the notion ya attack weaknesses and avoid strengths. This bully had a great rush defense and a poor pass defense….so don’t rush. We didn’t we came out slingin’ it. Freeman goes complete to Pooschke for 4, scrambles for 4, complete to Johnson for 21 and hits Yamon deep for 36 and the TD. It takes less than two minutes and this bully knows right now he’s in for a fight. Hot D@mn! Take a swig, it’s 7-7 and Texas is gonna have to see what it’s like playin’ without McCoy…..
Folks face it, Texas is loaded. Playin’ without McCoy is like livin’ without a pinky-finger….it’s no big deal. They still got that all-world O-Line and great runnin’ backs and their #2 QB is all-world too. We hadn’t stopped the run-game all day and they did what I woulda done they came out runnin’. It worked to, they’re movin’ us up front. 5 plays in a row they rush and get it to our side of the field. Then they decide to pass and that gets ‘em off rhythm and we’re able to stop ‘em. They get a nice punt to the seven and we’re pinned. We can’t do nothin’ and go three and out with 3 incompletions. Reyer gets a nice 52 yarder outta there, but they still got decent field position.
They start runnin’ again and move us. I know offensive coaches believe ya gotta be balanced to be successful, I’m just glad Texas was subscribin’ to this theory cause I think they coulda run at will against us. But, once again they decide to pass and it gets ‘em off schedule and we end this drive with a sack by Rob Jackson. They have to punt and interfere with our returner so we don’t get pinned too bad.
So we’re startin’ from our own 27. We get 3 on first and then get nothin’ else so we’re puntin’. Here’s where our first bonehead comes in. We decide to fake a punt and it’s a disaster. Reyer is sacked, fumbles and Texas gets it inside the five….a personal foul moves it to the two. We’re playin’ with these guys and we decide to try somethin’ goofy on 3rd and 7 from our own 30….that’s scary-smart….’Ol JP things it’s stupid and says “I can’t believe this guy thinks we can’t play with ‘em.” There’s much grumblin’ and gnashin’ of teeth….and I’m right there with ‘em on that roller coaster of emotion. Texas takes it in, but once again we make ‘em earn it from the two. So here we sit….we just gave ‘em 7 points on a 3 play 2 yard drive and we’re still in this thing.
So the O’s gotta answer and they come out firin’. Johns goes for 1, Freeman finds Figurs for 14 and the first. Johnson comes back for 8 twice and a first down. Now we’re movin’. Freeman goes to Gonzo for 8 and scrambles for a first. Freeman hits Yamon for 11 and then sets the screen to Johnson for 32 and the answer. It’s an 8 play 86 yard thing of beauty and it’s 14-all. Hot D@mn, take a swig!
Now we got some MO and we realize if we don’t give it to ‘em we can play with these guys…and Texas knows it too. We make ‘em count to three and they’re puntin’ again. Yamon catches it, makes a sweet spin-move and is headin’ south. The kicker has the angle and forces him back in where he’s tackled at the UT 8. Now the place is goin’ crazy. The little general comes in and goes untouched into the endzone on the next play and now we’re up…..about this time the bully’s thinkin’….Uh oh……..I’m thinkin’, Hot D@mn take a swig.
So they get the ball back and keep it for awhile…they run 12 plays but only move 33 yards and take almost the rest of the quarter. They punt we get it and run out the clock and we’re up at half. The confidence is rollin’ now. So the half was a “what-iffer.” What-if we hadn’t tried that stupid fake…we might be up 14.
Ya know the thing about a bully is they’re arrogant…heck even President Wefald knows that and said so a few years back in public. I didn’t see it until the next day, but it struck me. ‘Ol Mack comin’ outta the lockerroom says, “K-State is playin’ as good as they can, all we gotta do is play our game and we’ll be fine.” One thing ya gotta be is honest with yerself. First off, we weren’t playin’ as well as we could…we giftwrapped one TD for y’all and second in case y’all didn’t notice ‘ol KSU was hittin’ the Bevo outta y’all and y’all didn’t exactly care for it…..You mighta told those boys all ya gotta do is be Texas, but the boys in purple wadn’t buyin’ what Mack was sellin’.
We’re back for the second and we’re gettin’ the ball. Texas decides to let us have the wind in the 4th quarter….and I’m intrigued by that. But it looks like a good decision for them as it looks like we haven’t woke up from half-time yet. We go three and out and are puntin’ into that stiff south wind. This time we can’t block ‘em in the middle and they get to Reyer….IT”S BLOCKED…..they recover it at the five and they get another short drive opportunity. This time it takes ‘em one play and shoot we’re tied….and tack on 15 to the kick for a personal foul. And I’m sure ‘ol Mack said to his boys….see we just gotta be Texas.
It was lookin’ that way on our second series as we go three an out again and get a crappy punt. They’re on our side of the field and comin’ right down hill…..it’s lookin’ like a stampede as Charles goes for 6 on first down. I tell ‘ol JP and BC…..we need a turnover. 4 plays later we got a hot one right outta the over, Roland strips Charles and that kid from Cimarron, Ian Campbell, pounces on it….Hot D@mn, now we’re in business….wake up offense!!!
It doesn’t look like it, we go incomplete and a gain of five. Then Freeman hits Yamon big for 29 and we’re cookin’. We get scary-smart with back to back tricks. Jordy takes a backward pass from Freeman and throws a sweet soft pass right into Norwood’s gullet. Then the little general takes a pitch and finds Cedric Wilson at the goal line for six…..Hot D@mn!!! We’re up 7 and cookin’ now.
They get it back and are back out. On second down, Erker has bought into this hit the bully thing. He brings a vicious pop to Charles and the balls out again. The kid from Cimarron’s got it again and I’m tastin’ cinnamon…….Hot D@mn!!! Don’t waste anytime, Freeman to Yamon….and I hadn’t even got the cap screwed back on……..Hot D@mn!!! We’re up 14 and there’s pandemonium in Manhattan.
Now that D’s back out and we haven’t stopped ‘em. Okay we got ‘em feelin’ like they gotta pass…two fumbles in a row and down 14….they’re gonna panic and get stupid. Sure enough….three attempts, three incompletions and they’re puntin’. This time ‘ol Greg Johnson comes through and takes one beautiful angle….he blocks that punt without touchin’ the kicker….Gonzo takes it to the 23 and Hot D@mn, we’re in business again…..Hey Mack, are we playin’ as good as we can yet.....arrogance will be the downfall of man.
We take three plays to get it in from there with a short completion to Johnson, one to Mastrud down to the one and then Freeman sneaks it in. But, he gets hurt on the play to Mastrud…..it’s an uh-oh….but also a Hot D@mn, we’re up 21. The only problem is it all happened so fast there was a whole lotta game left.
Texas doesn’t waste anytime. They drive it right down the field in 4 plays and not even usin’ a minute to answer. It’s 42-28 and I tell ‘ol JP and BC….I can’t believe I’m sayin’ this but 42 ain’t gonna be enough….we gotta score again.
Freeman is out and Meier’s got us in there. He completes a pass to Wilson and it’s almost a disaster. Wilson fumbles at our own 29, but we recover. But, we can’t convert the first down. Reyer hits a good punt into the wind and puts Texas at their own 26.
So they’re back out and I’m tellin’ ‘ol JP and BC I hope they don’t figger out they can run and keep tryin’ to pass. They get six plays and the only one that makes ‘em anything is a 9 yard rush by Charles and a 5 yards off-sides on us. The passes are either incomplete or a sack to end the drive and they’re puntin’ with the wind to end the quarter.
The most notable thing next is Freeman sprintin’ from the lockerroom to the sideline lookin’ for his helmet. That young fella wadn’t gonna miss this opportunity for nuthin’. He sets the attitude for this team….you could see it. He’s in there and got us goin’ but makes his first mistake in this drive with an INT in our own territory.
So Texas has it again with a short field….we’ve already gift-wrapped two of ‘em and now a third….but we’re playin’ as good as we can, right Mack? Snead hits Sweed on the next play and now Texas is within 7…..this thing is a roller-coaster….I tell ‘ol JP we need at least a field goal.
We go back and forth a couple of series and with 7 and a half left in the game get the ball at the 46 after another kick catch interference. So it’s right here…we need this thing right now. We get a sweet play from Freeman to Norwood on first down but get a phantom block in the back….so it’s 1st and five. The little general goes for 4 and then Freeman sneaks for the first. Patton goes for a loss of three and then a gain of 9. Nelson gets a gain just short of the marker and it’s fourth down at the Texas 34. So here it is….this is the 3 points we need…..Snodgrass comes in for the 51 yarder…… with the wind….It’s about half-way there and both endzones roar…..that thing is true….and K-State is up 10 with 3:19 left…..Hot D@mn.
Texas comes back out with a long field. They move it though. They goes 84 yards in 11 plays and 1:43 to bring it within 3. At this point I’m sure glad we got the wind, but bummed ‘cause I’m all outta Hot
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Jordy picks up the onside and we’re in good shape. We’re calculatin’ the clock and it looks like we can pretty much run it out unless we do somethin’ stupid. On 3rd and 6 we have one of those stupid-scary-smart plays I can’t believe, but it works out…..Freeman bootlegs and finds Nelson. Jordy stretches for the first and that’s the ballgame.
I can’t believe it….it’s a great one…..one of the best we’ve ever had. The field is stormed and the whole country got to see us take out one of the biggest bullies on the block. This team stood toe-to-toe with the bully and kept on comin’ back. In the end we dished out a physical beatin’. We didn’t play as well as we could’ve but, we played well enough.
Hot D@mn, it’s time to go get ‘em in Lawrence next week……….I’ll be watchin’ from da Northland, you betcha!!!
Until next time,
Wildcat Victory is more than a song!
Wildcat Jack
