Scheduling top teams

[S. Parker]

Prince has caught the same abuse that is heaped on all new coaches by rival fans, but in all honesty I kind of admire much of what he has done and is doing. For example, I found this article on KSU, and I think it's cool that he is lining up so many great teams to play. Auburn? Miami? Oregon?

I don't know how his career will turn out, but he seems to be pretty aggressive, and he got your team to play above its level several times last year.

Thoughts on the scheduling? Do you think it will pay off in recruiting?

K-State Finally Going on the Road
Posted May 22nd 2007 9:18AM by Charles Rich
Filed under: Big 12, Kansas State Football

Making fun of Kansas State's non-conference schedule when Bill Snyder was in charge was almost as easy as the non-con schedule itself. Nothing drives that home more than this little factoid. Since the Big 12 conference was formed in 1996, the Wildcats had played exactly one road game against a BCS team -- Southern Cal in 2001.

Other than that, the only time they left Manhattan, KS to play BCS teams as part of the non-con were for two "neutral" site games in Kansas City, MO for the BCA Classic in 2000 (Iowa) and 2003 (Cal). Technically, Temple could count as a BCS team that came to Manhattan in 1999 since they were still a part of the Big East at that point.

The apologists for the schedule would argue that teams weren't willing to do a home-and-home with K-State, but that hasn't been true for quite some time. Simply put, Snyder liked padding the non-con with home patsies, and the Wildcats deserved the national mocking for their scheduling.

Ron Prince, however, seems to have no problem lining up home-and-home games. This fall the Wildcats will have a road game at Auburn (the Tigers come to Manhattan in 2014). Next year the Wildcats go on the road to Louisville to return the home game played last season. In 2009 they play at UCLA as part of a home-and-home concluding in 2010. Kansas State under Prince already has home-and-homes lined up with Oregon (2011 and 2012), Miami (2011 and 2012) and Virginia Tech (2014 and 2016).

It will take quite a while before K-State's reputation for scheduling nothing but patsies is shed, but Prince is doing what he can to accelerate that. That is assuming he survives long enough.

[McGrowlTowelZac]

I am for it, I like the change, and it will give us some respectability.  Prince had a nice showing in year 1 and if he can build on that, then those non-conference games will help recruiting.  Plus, in the Snyder years, you never looked forward to any of the non-con games, we always had to wait for the Big 12 to start.  The only thing you looked for in the non-con was how much some of star players could pad their stats early in the year.

So I am really looking forward to it.  If we get brutalized by Auburn then that will of course suck, but it will hype of the beginning of the year nicely and help the team play against some big time competition which should help down the road.

[WildWillie21]

I don't really like it for this year because I think it could end up being the difference in going to a bowl or not or the difference between a crappy bowl and a decent one, but I do think it will help in recruiting. Now we can tell them you not only play the Texas', Nebraska's, Oklahoma's regulary which most BCS conference's have, but you'll play an Auburn, Miami, Oregon, and UCLA in your career also. You'll have two big time west coast games for scouts to see you and two big time east coast games also.

I'll like it a lot more when we see these teams coming to Manhattan.

[WildCatzPhreak]

I understand why Snyder scheduled cupcakes.  He did it in the beginning to build confidence, and practice against easy teams to build up for conference play.  Then later on he did it trying to get to the national championship, ensuring that he wouldn't have any surprise losses or key injuries before having to face the then juggernaut big 12 north.  It almost worked in 98..

But where we're at now, I don't see any value in playing cupcakes.  We're not good enough to compete for the national championship, and you only have to win half of your games to get to a bowl game nowadays, so scheduling a big dog and risking a potential loss doesn't hurt much in the position we're in.  If anything it helps due to the added exposure.

[S. Parker]

I don't really like it for this year.

That's the only thing I am wondering...is it too soon? Luckily, Auburn is the perfect team to try it against because their offense isn't that great. Their defense might smother you, but if you lose I don't think it will be a blowout.

If you win--which you could judging by Texas--the recruiting benefits will be huge.

[S. Parker]

I understand why Snyder scheduled cupcakes.  He did it in the beginning to build confidence, and practice against easy teams to build up for conference play.  Then later on he did it trying to get to the national championship, ensuring that he wouldn't have any surprise losses or key injuries before having to face the then juggernaut big 12 north.  It almost worked in 98..

I agree.

The people that criticize Snyder for scheduling a lot of easy teams also didn't have to turn around the worst football team in college football. Your team had absolutely no confidence when he got there, so he had to start somewhere. 

[WildWillie21]

I don't really like it for this year.

That's the only thing I am wondering...is it too soon? Luckily, Auburn is the perfect team to try it against because their offense isn't that great. Their defense might smother you, but if you lose I don't think it will be a blowout.

If you win--which you could judging by Texas--the recruiting benefits will be huge.

Yeah, I don't really like it this year, but I might've thrown a sh*t fit if it was late September or late Nov like our Fresno game. It's understandable this year because since it's the first game anything can happen.

[michigancat]

It's awesome.

Glad Prince has balls (unlike some fans & other coaches).

[Iceberg]

I like how the progress is going over this last year on scheduling. In 2011, 2012, 2014 we have two BCS conference teams lined up. By that time, I wouldn't be against throwing Marshall back into the picture just for the fun of it. If we stop playing AA teams, I will be fine.

The teams I would like to see scheduled: (some are repeats from previous non-conf/neutral games that I would like to see again)

Big Name Wishlist (its so easy to add all the big names, so I picked my top 4)
-Alabamba
-Notre Dame
-LSU
-Ohio State

The Rest
-Marshall (would be a good fit in 2014 w/VTech and Auburn)
-Iowa
-Arkansas
-Penn State?-Depends on were there gonna be in five years from now

[WildWillie21]

-Penn State?-Depends on were there gonna be in five years from now

I would love to play them. That is one place I definitely want to see a game at regardless if the Cats are playing or not. It'd be 10x better though if the Cats were there.

[konofo]

Thoughts on the scheduling? Do you think it will pay off in recruiting?

"Dear Class of 2008 5-Star Prospect:

Come to Manhattan, and this can be your senior season schedule:

Oregon
@Miami
@Iowa State
@Nebraska
Kansas
Baylor
@Oklahoma State
@Texas
Missouri
Colorado
& two games TBA.

In your sophomore and junior years, we will play UCLA.  As a freshman, you can cut your teeth on cupcakes like Louisville, Fresno State, and Oklahoma."


Yeah, I could see it coming in handy.  Being able to be showcase yourself to fans/media in big games in Texas, California, and Florida over the course of your junior and senior seasons has to be attractive to anyone with NFL aspirations.

kono

[S. Parker]

Thoughts on the scheduling? Do you think it will pay off in recruiting?

"Dear Class of 2008 5-Star Prospect:

Come to Manhattan, and this can be your senior season schedule:

Oregon
@Miami
@Iowa State
@Nebraska
Kansas
Baylor
@Oklahoma State
@Texas
Missouri
Colorado
& two games TBA.

In your sophomore and junior years, we will play UCLA.  As a freshman, you can cut your teeth on cupcakes like Louisville, Fresno State, and Oklahoma."


Yeah, I could see it coming in handy.  Being able to be showcase yourself to fans/media in big games in Texas, California, and Florida over the course of your junior and senior seasons has to be attractive to anyone with NFL aspirations.

kono

I can't believe you guys are going to start with Oregon and Miami in back to back weeks. That is impressive. I actually hope Prince pulls this off. I think Nebraska is coming back, and I would like Nebraska, KSU, and Colorado to get strong again.

I tired of the North sucking.

[konofo]

I can't believe you guys are going to start with Oregon and Miami in back to back weeks. That is impressive. I actually hope Prince pulls this off. I think Nebraska is coming back, and I would like Nebraska, KSU, and Colorado to get strong again.

I tired of the North sucking.

We're not.  The 2 TBA fill in the gap.  http://www.kstatesports.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=3061&SPID=212&DB_OEM_ID=400&KEY=&Q_SEASON=2011

kono

[McGrowlTowelZac]

Again, as long as Prince can build on the success we had last year, then the recruits will start coming if they see our schedule and growing success.  Some consistancy on the staff wouldn't hurt either.

It's gonna be so much more fun leading up to the Auburn game, the players should be that much more hyped during summer practices.  It's a different thing practicing for the season opener against Auburn, than against Illinios State.

I wouldn't mind seeing some more East Coast teams on the schedule, like Penn State, PITT, Ohio St., WVU, and etc.  Easier travel for me, since I can't make every game in Manhattan too often.

[purplehiatt]

I can't wait to go to Miami and to Oregon!  That's gonna be fun!!!