Team preview: Kansas State

[catsfan20012002]

http://insider.espn.go.com/ncf/insider/news/story?id=2932087

COACH AND PROGRAM

Upon arriving at Kansas State before last season -- his first both wearing the Wildcat purple and as a head coach -- Kansas native Ron Prince shied away, to put it mildly, from any talk about "replacing" former head coach and Kansas State legend Bill Snyder.

Because no coach, no matter how confident in his own abilities, attempts to "replace" the guy whose name is on the stadium where his school's home games are played.

"That word was never in our lexicon. We never used it once," Prince said. "We came in knowing Kansas State had some success at a very high level, at a national level in the past. We just wanted to build from that and continue to field the kind of team that the people of Kansas would be proud of.

"Because of my familiarity with the region, being from around here, I have a pretty good sense of the values of the people around here. I know what they want and what they expect, and that was our initial goal to give them the kind of team they would get behind. We didn't come here to replace anybody."

No doubt Prince and the Wildcats have already made fans of Kansas State proud. More importantly, he's given the fan base good reason to believe that the program's absence from the Big 12 elite will be very short lived.

After totaling at least nine wins in seven of their first eight years in the super conference, the Wildcats had seen their status slide a bit as they combined for just nine wins in 2004 and 2005.

But all signs are clearly pointing up after Prince's first season, one in which the Wildcats not only won seven games, but also returned to the bowl scene by making an appearance in the inaugural Texas Bowl.

Along the way, there were signs of progress that suggest this seven-win season could very well be just a starting point. The Wildcats, once adjusted to a new coaching staff and system, closed the regular season by winning three of their last four games -- earning that bowl bid along the way. Two of those three wins were notable in themselves -- one coming at Colorado, and another coming against the No. 4-ranked and defending national champion Texas Longhorns, on national television to boot.

"On a national level, beating Texas was obviously a huge win for us," Prince said. "It was the Heidi game. Wake Forest was beating Florida State I think 33-0, so they decided to put our game on national television from coast to coast and all of America got to see that game. It couldn't have happened at a better time for us, because now when we go to high schools to recruit, they recognize us. People started saying we were back. My point was Kansas State had been winning those types of games for a long time, and we want it to be like that again."

Even with the national spotlight on the Texas game, Prince said he believes the victory against Colorado -- the Wildcats' first in Boulder since 2000 -- was the real turning point of his squad's season.

"That game was critical," he said. "Winning road games in general had been very difficult for us, so for us to go there and win that game on the road, to me was probably our biggest win of the year. For what we want to do in the future, winning that game was significant."

Those significant wins helped Prince and the Wildcats join some elite company for levels of success so early in their tenure.

Not only did Prince become the first coach in school history to take his team to a bowl game in his inaugural season, he was just the fourth Big 12 coach ever to take over a team coming off a losing season and guide it to a bowl berth in his first year. The other three: Mack Brown at Texas (1998), Gary Barnett at Colorado (1999) and Bob Stoops at Oklahoma (1999).

Not bad company considering two of those three have gone on to win national championships at their respective schools.

So how, exactly, did Prince do it?

For starters, he placed an overwhelming emphasis on special teams -- an often overlooked but incredibly important segment of college football, and one that can often help teams pull off upsets against deeper, more talented squads.

Oddly enough, that's no stretch from the way Snyder did things in Manhattan. Kansas State has long been known as a very dangerous squad on special teams, and it's a tradition Prince wanted to continue.

"We weren't the most talented team in the league," he said. "We did have some talented players, and that helped us, but having those kids also being willing to go grind it out and play in the kicking game gave us a chance to win all the games we won.

"We knew we would have some transition to make in offense and defense. But Kansas State has been a very good special teams program for a long time. We wanted to hang our hat on that, and that's what we did."

Did they ever. For starters, the Wildcats broke a 38-year-old school record by returning three kickoffs for touchdowns, which also tied them with Indiana for the most in the country. With an average kickoff return of 27.14 yards, the Wildcats led the nation in that category, too, but their special teams mastery wasn't just limited to returning kickoffs.

Kansas State also led the nation in total special teams touchdowns with seven (three kickoff returns, three punt returns, one fumble return) and ranked in the top 25 nationally in kickoff return defense (18th), punt returns (16th) and field goals (24th) while also blocking three punts.

The special teams tradition is clearly protected under Prince. Now, he wants to take Kansas State to another level. hoping to once again see the Wildcats play not only in the Big 12 championship game, but also to figure in the national championship picture yet again, as they did in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Getting there requires more than just winning. It requires playing big games and learning lessons along the way. Kansas State could get an early one this season as the Wildcats open their schedule on the road. This year, however, they'll do so at SEC power Auburn.

And it's just the kind of game Prince can't wait to play.

"I didn't only agree to that game, I wanted that game," he said. "I think it's exactly what our team needs right now in our development. If we want to get into the position to win the [Big 12] North and play in our conference championship game, we need to play these kinds of games.

"We need to go prove ourselves on a national stage, and that game will be a clear indicator of where we are and how we match up and what things we need to work on, no matter the outcome."

[catsfan20012002]

QUARTERBACKS

For any coach, whether he's in his first, second or 20th season, there is no greater comfort level than having an experienced quarterback returning.

And if that quarterback is coming off a record-setting passing season -- despite being only a sophomore -- so much the better.

That's exactly what Prince and the Wildcats have in Josh Freeman (6-6, 238), a player whose natural skills meshed with an understanding of the system as his freshman season progressed, earning him the starting job for the final eight games.

During those games, Freeman obliterated the school's passing yardage record for a freshman, finishing the season with 1,780 yards and six touchdowns. He finished Big 12 conference play by averaging 204.1 yards per game (sixth in the league), and in the final four games -- during which Kansas State went 3-1 -- Freeman hit 64.5 percent of his passes for 925 yards (231.2 per game) and recorded all six of his touchdowns.

More important, says Prince, is how Freeman's skills showed the way for the rest of the Kansas State offense to be functional.

"We knew Josh had the ability to create plays with his legs, which he did in the Oklahoma State game, and he can win it with his arm, as he did in the Texas game," Prince said. "He's got size and he can put the ball into all the different field zones. There isn't any place on the field he can't put the ball effectively, and that forces the defense to defend every spot on the field. So he was able to back up the defenses a little and get us some opportunity to run the ball.

"Without Josh, the ceiling was low for the defenses because we weren't able to stretch them vertically. Josh gave us that ability to stretch them."

Even more thrilling to a coach is to see a young player improve on his own during the offseason.

Prince saw that from Freeman immediately when spring practice rolled around.

"He had a terrific spring," Prince said. "He had command of the practices, he had clearly gotten stronger and is taking his training very seriously. But we do have to remember he's a sophomore. We want to make sure his progression is natural and not forced. That's why we signed four very good wide receivers and some good offensive linemen so we can put people around him to make sure he can play as well as he can."

Serving as Freeman's immediate backup will be redshirt freshman Carson Coffman (6-2, 200), who, like Freeman, had a very strong spring game and comes in with loads of high school credentials, having not lost a game as a starter at Missouri's Raymore-Peculiar High School. The Class 5A state player of the year his senior season, Coffman threw for more than 3,000 yards with 42 touchdowns against just eight interceptions in high school.

"He's a very accurate passer. Not the same size as Josh, but he has the same accuracy," Prince said. "I think he's going to develop into a very good quarterback."

The third quarterback in the mix will be newcomer Tysyn Hartman (6-2, 190), a true freshman out of Wichita's Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School who started for three years at both quarterback and defensive back.

[catsfan20012002]

RUNNING BACKS

Experienced depth may be lacking at the running back position for Kansas State, but that's not to say the Wildcats don't have proven talent, especially in their top two returning rushers.

Back to battle for the right to get the most carries are sophomore Leon Patton (5-7, 184) and senior James Johnson (5-11, 200), a duo that combined for more than two-thirds of Kansas State's rushing yards and half the team's rushing touchdowns in 2006.

Patton, an honorable mention All-Big 12 pick by the league's coaches, made three starts at tailback last season and rushed for a team-leading -- and Kansas State freshman record -- 609 yards on 108 attempts. He also led the Wildcats in rushing touchdowns (six) while churning out three 100-yard rushing games.

Despite his relative lack of height, he's certainly not short on speed, athleticism or power.

"He had committed to Kansas State when we got here, and thank goodness he had," Prince said. "He has legitimate speed, he's very thick and strong in the lower body and he's very difficult to tackle once you hit him. He's short, but he's not little. He's got that element of power."

The complement to Patton is Johnson, a bigger back but one who possesses many of the same attributes -- especially the element of pure speed. A junior college All-American, Johnson started the final five games in 2006 and responded with 403 rushing yards.

"He has terrific vision," Prince said. "He's a real slasher who never allows anyone to get a real good hit on him. And he's always moving forward."

As much as Prince wants each back to thrive, the thought of having one progress past the other and command all the carries isn't exactly what he's looking for.

In this day and age of college football -- with the 12 game schedules, conference championship games and bowl games, the load can't be carried by just one back. The Bill Parcells-NFL style of utilizing multiple backs, Prince says, is optimal and will offer even the best backs the chance to be more effective. Just as Reggie Bush shared time at USC with LenDale White, he expects any great back to be prepared to share carries at Kansas State.

"For those of us with exposure to the NFL, we realize all those teams have a tandem," he said. "With the number of games we play now, it's critical to have that kind of depth. And with so many people coming out with the intention of stopping the run first, I think it does a lot for your team to have two or three top-flight running backs."

Still, Patton and Johnson won't be the only ones getting carries in Prince's backfield. For a coach so determined to achieve balance, one can expect to see the ball distributed to several different carriers this season.

Among the candidates for those extra carries will be senior Terry Petrie (5-8, 183) and junior John McCardle (5-8, 200). However, they will have to hold off three talented newcomers signed in the offseason by Prince's staff -- freshmen Dee Bell (5-9, 170), Jeremy Reed (5-11, 205) and Justin Woods (5-10, 180), who all possess tremendous speed.

"We signed three players, and they'll all get a very serious look," Prince said. "They are all very capable of competing."

[catsfan20012002]

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS

Perhaps Freeman's most comforting thought this offseason was the return of senior wide receiver Jordy Nelson (6-2, 213), one of Kansas State's best offensive players a year ago and a bona fide candidate for all-conference honors in this, his final year in Manhattan.

Kansas State's leading receiver each of the last two seasons, Nelson has 84 receptions for 1,216 yards and nine touchdowns during his career. A preseason Biletnikoff Award candidate, Nelson had 39 catches for more than 500 yards last season.

"He's a big, strong kid with big hands who is deceptively fast," Prince said. "He has really reliable hands and catches the balls over the middle. He's a leader on this team, a two-time captain and the rest of the team will follow him and listen to him. He's a real mature kid who is just everything you would want your son and all your football players to be.

"In a perfect world, we would like for him to have 10 catches every game."

Nelson, however, won't be alone. The Wildcats hope to be deeper and more balanced at wide receiver this year; Prince's plan involves getting as many different receivers involved as possible.

Returning receivers figuring into the mix will be senior Daniel Gonzalez (6-3, 216), who made four starts last season and caught 15 passes for 199 yards, and junior Cedric Wilson (6-1, 190), who made one start and caught 11 passes for 120 yards, and, says Prince, had a very good spring.

Senior Tony Coleman (6-1, 193), who has battled a string of injuries, also hopes to have a healthy season and more chances to catch the ball, while sophomore Tony Purvis (5-11, 159) can use his speed to help stretch the Kansas State offense.

The bad news for those veteran players is that simply returning won't guarantee them more playing time -- not with the talented group of receivers the Wildcats brought in on signing day.

Prince and his staff signed four young receivers -- some big, all fast, and all capable of stepping in and playing immediately.

The two most experienced are junior college transfers Ernie Pierce (6-4, 204) and Deon Murphy (5-10, 170). Younger, but no less talented, are freshmen Lamark Brown (6-3, 215) and Danny Hogan (6-2, 190).

"All four of them could play significant minutes for us," Prince said. "If Josh Freeman doesn't have top flight receivers, then he is grounded."

One of Kansas State's deepest positions is tight end, where the Wildcats return four players with significant experience.

Senior and two-year starter Rashaad Norwood (6-3, 229) leads the way for the Wildcats, coming off a 26-catch, 358-yard junior season which was the second highest catch total on the team. He'll be joined by returning sophomore Jeron Mastrud (6-6, 255), arguably the best blocker of the group and an eight-time starter last year who had 17 catches for 235 yards.

Also expected to be in the mix will be senior Michael Pooschke (6-3, 245) and junior Brett Alstatt (6-4, 229). They'll be challenged for extra playing time by newcomers Dante Pinchback (6-5, 265), a freshman out of Irving who was ranked the No. 1 tight end in Texas before his senior season, and Jeremy Mack (6-4, 210), who could see time at receiver or tight end.

[catsfan20012002]

OFFENSIVE LINE

How's this for pressure.

Prince has, without reservation, said the key to his team's success this season lies heavily on how well the Wildcats' offensive line plays.

For an offensive unit that struggled to find consistency at times in 2006 -- scoring 30-plus points five times, but scoring fewer than 10 points on four occasions -- the ability to consistently run the ball and protect Freeman in the passing game is imperative.

"Their play, and how consistently they play, is going to go a long way in dictating our success," he said.

The Wildcats return eight linemen who started at one point last season, including three who started at least eight games.

The leader of that group is junior center Jordan Bedore (6-3, 302), who has started 17 games the last two seasons and takes seriously his role of being the literal center of that offensive front.

"A year ago he established himself as a terrific player," Prince said. "He's strong, mobile, smart and he communicates well. He's a Kansas guy who is playing for the colors, and the other kids listen to him."

Another potential starter on that offensive front is sophomore Nick Stringer (6-6, 271), a freshman All-Big 12 performer last season who should have the inside edge at right tackle after starting nine games last season, as long as he can avoid injury.

Outside of those two, the remaining offensive line positions -- and the all-important depth spots behind them -- will be heavily contested during fall drills.

Mid-year transfer Alesana Alesana (6-6, 295), one of the top junior college tackles in the country, arrived for spring drills with eyes on landing the starting left-tackle job. Sophomore Derek Meyer (6-6, 301) and junior Gerard Spexarth (6-6, 312) also hope to be in the mix for one of the starting tackle positions.

At guard, junior Caleb Handy (6-1, 313), who has 16 career starts, ended the season in a starting role, as did senior Logan Robinson (6-8, 338), who made a critical block for Kansas State on the winning touchdown against Texas. Each hope that experience will help find them back in the starting lineup come that season opener in Auburn.

Junior Brad Rooker (6-6, 291), who filled in at center last year, hopes to battle for a starting guard spot as well.

Sophomore Brock unruh (6-5, 301), redshirt freshman Kenneth Mayfield (6-4, 300) and senior John Hafferty (6-2, 296) also figure to battle for a spot in the starting rotation.

The experienced players will have to hold off a talented group of newcomers, including junior college transfers Ben Liu (6-6, 325) and Eldridge Sims (6-6, 279) and freshmen Clyde Aufner (6-7, 260), Colten Freeze (6-7, 270) and Jake Roepke (6-7, 300).

Any of that group, Prince said, could play -- as long as they prove their worth in the fall.

"To be honest, every position is up for grabs," he said. "We want to get as many resources as we can to bolster that position. If our offensive line can jell and find chemistry, we can have a good team. If they don't, we'll have to scrap and scrape for every first down and every win."

[catsfan20012002]

KICKERS

Gone, but not forgotten, is place-kicker Jeff Snodgrass, who made 17 of his 24 field goals (70.8 percent) and was a perfect 32-of-32 on extra points in 2006. His 6.4 points-per-game average also ranked tied for fifth among all Big 12 players, tied for fourth among kickers.

No doubt a serious loss.

"He was very valuable for us," Prince said. "He was extremely reliable from long distance. He made a number of 50-yard field goals in his career, and right now I can't say we have a player with that kind of leg anywhere on our campus."

That doesn't mean Prince doesn't have candidates to replace Snodgrass. The leaders on campus would appear to be senior Tim Schwerdt (5-8, 174) and junior Jared Parker (5-11, 197).

Those two, however, will be pushed mightily by freshman Josh Cherry (6-0, 170), who comes in from Nebraska as one of the nation's most sought after kickers.

"We have two very good candidates, and we feel Josh was one of the best high school kickers in the country," Prince said. "Whether Josh is ready to go, we'll find out early and often."

Parker will handle the kickoff duties, and Prince said he had been "very pleased" with the junior in that role.

[catsfan20012002]

DEFENSIVE LINE

If you polled the Wildcats about the best player on the team entering the 2007 season, the majority might vote for junior defensive lineman Ian Campbell (6-5, 232).

Those not voting for Campbell, very likely, would pick fellow lineman and senior Rob Jackson (6-3, 265).

That alone should explain something about the athleticism of Kansas State's defensive front.

Campbell, an all-conference performer and one publication's choice for the league's Defensive Player of the Year in 2006, is the Wildcats' returning leader in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks, tying the school record in the latter with 11.5 last season. His 17.5 tackles for loss also led the Big 12.

Even on his off days, he's difficult to block.

"He's athletic," Prince said, "and he's relentless."

Jackson, though 30 pounds heavier, also uses his athleticism, along with his strength, to be a force in the Wildcats' pass rush. During the 2006 season, he recorded 8.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

"I think Rob Jackson will be one of best players on our team, and I'll be surprised if he's not one of best players in the conference," Prince said. "He's really a dynamic player."

While Jackson and Campbell could play either defensive end or standup outside linebacker as the Wildcats progress to a new 3-4 defensive scheme, the nose tackle position is seemingly settled -- at least in the top two spots -- with senior Steven Cline (6-1, 291) and junior Alphonso Moran (6-0, 294).

Junior Brandon Balkcom (6-0, 278) also expects to get heavy playing time in the defensive interior. Prince also hopes to see redshirt freshman Gabriel Crews (6-2, 310) step in and improve the Wildcats' run defense.

The defensive end position seems loaded with athleticism, and a few potential newcomers could make some noise there in 2007 for Kansas State.

Sophomore Eric Childs (6-3, 230) recorded 17 tackles and two sacks a year ago for the Wildcats and expects to improve on those numbers this year. Senior Moses Manu (6-2, 258) recorded nine tackles, including 3.5 for loss, in 2006 and figures to be among the candidates for what Prince hopes will be a deep rotation on the line.

Should anyone not fill the potential on the line, Kansas State has a gaggle of talented newcomers, all possessing great athleticism and the potential to be future stars. Heading up the class is Michael Abana (6-7, 295) a junior college transfer with the size, strength and speed to play either the defensive tackle or end position. He's joined by freshmen Xzavier Stewart (6-1, 275), Raphael Guidry (6-4, 240) and Payton Kirk (6-6, 240).

"We signed players who give us a lot of versatility," Prince said. "You really need to have that with the different kind of offensive looks you see in the Big 12."

[catsfan20012002]

LINEBACKERS

Perhaps no position will be tougher to fill than the linebacker spots recently held down by Brandon Archer and Zach Diles, Kansas State's top two tacklers last season with 205 combined stops.

While junior Reggie Walker (6-0, 223) hopes to fill some of that void after recording 36 tackles in 2006, he'll need some help (if he's not playing on the outside).

Leading candidates to provide that help are senior Justin Roland (6-0, 245) and sophomore John Houlik (5-10, 212).

Sophomore Ross Diehl (6-2, 220) is coming off a strong offseason and spring and hopes to work to fill one of those holes as well. Senior Marcus Perry (6-1, 225), who started two games last season, could provide depth as well.

Like many other positions, the Wildcats could also be looking at several newcomers to fill in at linebacker as well. Junior college All-American Chris Patterson (6-3, 215) and freshman Kevin Rohleder (6-1, 205) figure to arrive in Manhattan with hopes of winning a job. Another incoming freshman, Brandon Walls (6-1, 205) is incredibly athletic and figures to compete.

"We basically lost two NFL linebackers," Prince said. "So we're looking for several guys who can come in and stop the run, but who can have some coverage responsibility as well."

[catsfan20012002]

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Most likely the deepest and most talented group on the Kansas State roster is the secondary; five players with significant starting experience return.

Leading that group is senior safety Marcus Watts (6-1, 191), a second-team All-Big 12 selection with a team-leading three interceptions in 2006.

That's just the start of the returning experience. Also back is junior Andrew Erker (6-0, 195), who recorded 36 tackles last season, and sophomore Courtney Herndon (5-11, 201). Joining them at the safety position will be sophomores Chris Carney (6-1, 175) and Kevin Hollis (5-11, 190).

At cornerback, Kansas State has four players -- count them, four -- who have significant playing experience. Seniors Bryan Baldwin (5-10, 190), Justin McKinney (5-9, 185) and Byron Garvin (5-10, 180) combine with sophomore Joshua Moore (5-10, 168) to give the Wildcats perhaps the most experienced group of corners in the Big 12.

"We have six corners who can play, and three are seniors," Prince said. "We feel pretty good about that."

[catsfan20012002]

PUNTERS

Three year starter Tim Reyer (5-11, 208) returns for a fourth season, and that's definitely good news for the Wildcats.

For his career, Reyer has averaged 41.4 yards per punt. In 2006, he improved that to 42.1 on 61 punts, sixth in the Big 12 and 30th nationally.

"He's been terrific," Prince said. "Just so steady. We think he is an all-conference type performer."

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Wildcats' forte, special teams is in great shape with Patton, Johnson and McKinney all back after each having returned a kickoff for a touchdown in 2006. Deon Murphy, who will arrive over the summer, could take over the punt-return duties.

With long-snapper Jeff Mortimer lost to graduation, that job will be up for grabs among freshmen Sean Kolich (6-1, 216), Corey Adams (6-4, 230) and sophomore Caleb Smith (6-2, 220). Adams was the nation's top rated long snapper coming out of high school.

[catsfan20012002]

BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS

The offensive grade is based on K-State's struggles scoring in 2006 (finishing 10th in the Big 12 in scoring offense). However, with the quarterback position now established, expect improvements there and the potential for a higher grade.

The Wildcats' bend-don't-break defense (they were at their best in the red zone) must stop a few drives earlier to get the offense back on the field more often. That comes with improvements in run defense, which Prince hopes to see this year. Oddly enough, getting better against the run will also make them better defending the pass (putting less pressure on a talented, athletic secondary).

The onus is on the linebackers to make more plays against the run, and on the offensive line to sustain a more consistent running attack (ninth in the league last year) when K-State has the ball.

Prince's enthusiasm and obvious ability to coach work as intangibles, as does the fact the system has been in place a year now. If the Wildcats can get through the opener at Auburn relatively unscathed, it should bode well for their chances in the obviously weaker North Division of the Big 12.

[catsfan20012002]

Grading the Wildcats:

Offense C+
Special teams A-
Defense C+
Intangibles B+

[asava]

first off... &@#% you for making me read all that. that crap was long, but thanks for the post i don't have anything else to do at work.

and second

Grading the Wildcats:

Offense C+
Special teams A-
Defense C+
Intangibles B+

all that sunshine blown up our ass about our offense and defense and we only get a C+?

that seemed like a very fluffy article. and since when was hafferty still on the team...

[HaberstrohBVBC]

Great Post.

I dont know if this make me feel any better though. Some of the worries I had about the team just got reconfirmed.

[doom]

That was crap with all the positives they put we get c+ for both defense and offense.  ouch.

[mjrod]

This is gonna suck when ESPN calls me and tells me I have to remove their premium content.

 

[asava]

i enjoyed it thoroughly though! thanks.

[doom]

Yeah.  I don't think we're supposed to post insider content.

[kougar24]

"...who, like Freeman, had a very strong spring game..."

  Awesome research, ESPN.

[steve dave]

I think ESPN may have phoned that in a bit, what do you think?   

[asava]

I think ESPN may have phoned that in a bit, what do you think?   

they may have phoned that in to a gopowercat poster...

[kougar24]

Catfan28, did you write that article?

[fatty fat fat]

catsfan = 

[catsfan20012002]

first off... &*$@! you for making me read all that. that @#%$ was long, but thanks for the post i don't have anything else to do at work.

and second

Grading the Wildcats:

Offense C+
Special teams A-
Defense C+
Intangibles B+

all that sunshine blown up our ass about our offense and defense and we only get a C+?

that seemed like a very fluffy article. and since when was hafferty still on the team...

Would it have helped if there were pictures?

[catsfan20012002]

catsfan = 

Um.....Thanks? 

[asava]

next time i want a pop up book. or maybe in the form of a comic strip.

[Pete]

"...who, like Freeman, had a very strong spring game..."

  Awesome research, ESPN.

Holy Christ, that is so far off base.  ESPN is getting their info from Oldefella.

[ksu4tc]

Sophomore Brock unruh (6-5, 301), redshirt freshman Kenneth Mayfield (6-4, 300) and senior John Hafferty (6-2, 296) also figure to battle for a spot in the starting rotation.

Ummm, John Hafferty.

[ew2x4]

It really wasn't too bad of a preview. No more errors anyone other than a KSU site would make.

At any rate, we should only share premium info from other sites on the premium forum. That way MJ can make some cash before the lawsuit.

[ChicagoCat]

Where is Waks? Surely he is impressed by CF0102's post