If you had to choose the strength of our team this year, what would it be?

[WildCatzPhreak]

Offense/Defense?

I say defense.

[michigancat]

Is this a prediction or preference or something else?

[ksu_FAN]

In order:

Special teams
Defense
Offense

[WildCatzPhreak]

Is this a prediction or preference or something else?

Preference.

And thanks fan, I forgot to include ST.

[ksu_FAN]

Is this a prediction or preference or something else?

Preference.

And thanks fan, I forgot to include ST.

NP.  You have to include ST, Prince and his staff believe stellar ST is one of the main ways to consistently have KSU at a championship level. 

[WildCatzPhreak]

My order would be:

Defense
Special Teams
Offense

[catzacker]

I'd prefer:

Defense....specifically rush defense
ST...specifically punt return
Offense...specifically rush offense

What I think will happen:

Defense...pass rush
ST...kickoff return
Offense....pass attempts

[catsfan20012002]

Defense and Special Teams in either order. You can win with an inept offense as long as you have a great Defense and Special Teams to keep you in the game.

[WildCatzPhreak]

I'd prefer:

Defense....specifically rush defense
ST...specifically punt return
Offense...specifically rush offense

What I think will happen:

Defense...pass rush
ST...kickoff return
Offense....pass attempts

You're thinking exactly what I am.

Looking at our team this year, I think our offense will be our weak point, and our defense will be our strength.  Especially with the new kickoff rule, special teams will be very important this year.  We had good ST last year and I hope to have it again this year, because I think it's going to be even more important than it was last year.

Just considering our current roster, I would love to see Prince play to what I think are our teams strengths.  Play ball/clock control defense.  A run first offense that utilizes Patton and Johnson heavily, and throws to set up the run.  Limiting the playcalling that will put Josh in a position to turn the ball over.  I'm afraid that Prince/Franklin are going to use an offense that lives or dies by Josh's decision making ability.  If they do that, we could be in a lot of trouble in a lot of games this year.  He has the ability to win games for us, and also has the ability to lose games for us, just as he can be an all american QB(Texas game last year!) he can be a giant turnover machine(a few games last year.)  Until they can get him to a point where he can deal with pressure and not constantly turn the ball over, I'd rather see them use conservative playcalling that doesn't put him in the position to deal with it until he's ready.  If that's this year, fine, if not until his senior year, so be it.  He'll be a great QB.  But he's not yet.  A lot of that has to do with him and his decisions, a lot of it has to do with the lack of protection.  I think it's best not to force him into the situation until either/both are resolved.

Basically, let the defense and special teams/field position win games for us.  Don't give the opponents any freeby turnovers.  Control the clock and make them play our game.

That's JMO though.

[ksu_FAN]

Just considering our current roster, I would love to see Prince play to what I think are our teams strengths.  Play ball/clock control defense.  A run first offense that utilizes Patton and Johnson heavily, and throws to set up the run.  Limiting the playcalling that will put Josh in a position to turn the ball over....   

Until they can get him to a point where he can deal with pressure and not constantly turn the ball over, I'd rather see them use conservative playcalling that doesn't put him in the position to deal with it until he's ready.  If that's this year, fine, if not until his senior year, so be it.  He'll be a great QB.  But he's not yet.  A lot of that has to do with him and his decisions, a lot of it has to do with the lack of protection.  I think it's best not to force him into the situation until either/both are resolved.

Basically, let the defense and special teams/field position win games for us.  Don't give the opponents any freeby turnovers.  Control the clock and make them play our game.

Agreed.  In fact, when we were successful that's what we did for the most part.

OSU - 36 rushes; 15 passes.
ISU - 32 rushes, 20 passes.
CU - 38 rushes, 26 passes.
UT is when the formula started to get off; 25 rushes, 34 passes.  But it worked and really we ran the ball "enough" to keep UT's safeties up which allowed for the PA throws to Figurs and the pair of "tricks". 

Then:
ku - 30 rushes, 44 passes.
RU - 21 rushes, 24 passes.

And others:
NU - 18 rushes, 47 passes.
MU - 47 rushes, 20 passes.

[WildCatzPhreak]

You're all over it Fan.  Good job.

I know it was only for a half and we were behind so they'll be skewed, but do you know what the Baylor game run/pass ratio was?

[power4PURPLE]

how about that secondary? Prince has been praising the play of cheat and carney, we add gary chandler, watts-garvin-baldwin all healthy, plus moore and erker gained some valuable experience...not to mention maybe somebody like justin woods/reggie haynes/kendrick matthews this summer

[tmramrod91]

Wish: Run Defense
Probable: Pass Defense

Overall, RP needs to make a huge committment to run the ball. This is one of the best duos at RB ksu has possibly ever seen (outside of roberson and sproles). Josh is young, let him make the easy plays. But, as said before, RP is likely to let the season (and his career) ride on Freemans shoulders.

[Poopley]

We dont have a consistent FG kicker beyond about 38 yards. We dont know who the punt returner is gonna be yet. We dont really know if Parker can do a good job kicking off from the 30. And we dont have anyone on the roster who can play gunner like Figurs did, although most teams dont. If we can play at the same level as last season on ST, that will be a true accomplishment.

[ksu_FAN]

BU was 21 rushes to 55 passes.  Freeman had 33 of those, all in the 2nd half.  

Like any stats, these can be skewed.  The MU and NU games both are examples b/c we sort of stayed in the NU game with a high pass to rush ratio and we were never in the MU game but had a high rush to pass ratio.  But I think its clear in those games where we made it a point to establish the run we did better.  

I think against ku we pressed a bit when we could've stuck with the run, and vs Rutgers I think we were just outmanned against a very motivated team.  Of course, some of that is the way teams played us as well.  CU was willing to play off and Josh was able to take advantage with a stellar 22-26 performance.  In any case, getting some semblance of running game and "letting the game come to Josh" seemed to be the formula.  We sort of opened it up vs UT and Josh handled it, but I don't think that it is clear he will do that every time.  Now we need to figure out where we are next fall and if he can handle it.  If he can, this team could contend for 8 or 9 wins, if not then we're going to fight for 6 or 7 (which is what I expect), but only if we take some of the game off his shoulders.  It will be interesting to see how this develops next year.

On ST; we work on special teams a ton.  No reason to think we won't have one of the Big 12's better units, even with some turnover from last year's team.

[WildCatzPhreak]

I know that the stats will always be skewed in rushes/passes in correlation with wins/losses (when you have the lead you run to burn clock, when you're behind you pass to use minimal clock so you have more time to come back) but 55 to 21 rushes?  Jeez.

I think if we run more this year, we'll be more succesful.  Gives the defense more time to catch their breath by burning clock and playing a shorter game, and we'll turn the ball over less.

[ksu_FAN]

I know that the stats will always be skewed in rushes/passes in correlation with wins/losses (when you have the lead you run to burn clock, when you're behind you pass to use minimal clock so you have more time to come back) but 55 to 21 rushes?  Jeez.

I think if we run more this year, we'll be more succesful.  Gives the defense more time to catch their breath by burning clock and playing a shorter game, and we'll turn the ball over less.

Yeah, those were really wild numbers.  Only vs ku and NU for an entire game did Freeman have more attempts than he had in a half vs Baylor.

[Saulbadguy]

Championship caliber football, with an emphasis on speed, discipline, strength, and honor. 

[coitus]

st will cross the rubicon.

defense will execute operation overlord.

offense will resemble the persians at thermopylae.

[doom]

Longsnapping?

[SkyWalkJUSTforFUN]

O-Line........



If you have a good O-Line mostly with Freeman your offense really could be something special.

[Dan Rydell]

I have no preference.  I want to see both be strong enough to win some games.

I've followed teams that were strong on offense and weak on defense.  I've followed teams that were strong on defense and weak on offense.  Both are extremely frustrating.  I don't care about either being a "strength."  I just want a combination that wins games.

[coitus]

what could have been.

if only the years would have aligned so that snyder could have been hc, with the good stoops at dc and hudson at oc.

the havoc that would have been unleashed on the college football world.

[AzCat]

If you had to choose the strength of our team this year, what would it be?

The diversion provided by the basketball program.