K-State Stats expands to football!

[Beer]

Looking at the ku game though, fans are able to see that in the first half the defense had played pretty well for most, and the offense had a major field position advantage.  Had our offense not shot itself in the foot repeatedly, we could have easily been in control of the game by halftime.

The shooting itself in the foot had little to do with coaching and everything to do w/penalties, IMO.

Do you think that Mangino alerted the officiating crew to the fact that Alesana clubs defensive linemen near the head with his closed fist?  If so, why is Alesana using that technique?  Did a coach teach it?

I just can't believe that the penalties were THAT outrageous.  We have some serious flaws in technique along  the offensive line.  Crews will pick up on that stuff all year long.  I expect to see some of it on Saturday.  You don't just re-learn basic fundamentals overnight.  

[cireksu]

offense has put us in positions to win games this year, and played at least well enough to be 5-0, defense has choked and offense isn't good enough when it really counts.

[pissclams]

Rusty can you do some hard hitting stat-like stuff that will explain why while watching our Defense against Auburn we were fast, hard hitting, and fundamentally sound, and since then we've kinda basically sucked?

Once complete can you help explain why people here are so focused on blaming the ku loss on our Offense and Franklin while completely ignoring the fact that our defense made Jake Sharp look like John Riggens and the rest of ku's offense look...good?

TIA!!   

Fans are focused on offense b/c its "easier" to analyze.  Most folks watch the ball 90% of the time and they've played playstation enough to know a few plays.  On defense though they notice (maybe) when we blitz a backer and who makes a tackle or gets a pick or picks up a fumble.  That's about it.  Fans are always more prone to talk about offense and its issues b/c they simply know a bit more about offensive football from being trained to watch the ball for years.

people fail to realize that in both the Auburn and the ku game we had the lead late in the 4th and with our defense on the field just had to stop them to win.  and couldn't.  and they blame the offense that got us the lead in the first place. 
 

And then people on the other side fail to acknowledge how short some of our scoring drives were thanks to the D getting turnovers.

you're hanging your hat on how great our defense was by forcing turnovers against ku and auburn?  really?

[catzacker]

Prince appears to have the special teams phase solved (off the top of my head it's won us 3 games in the past 2 year - Ill St., OSU, UT).  Since 2003, the underlying problem is defense.  I completely agree the defense has, in the 4th quarter, been a let down in both of our losses.  But that doesn't mean that the offense still doesn't have problems.  The OL is terrible.  And if the OL isn't terrible, then our OC is terrible, and if our OC isn't terrible then our QB is terrible.  

Against BCS teams, the offense has put up 13 against Auburn, 21 against UT, and 24 against ku.  The offense isn't exactly a juggernaut.  The offense is not complicated, dynamic, or hard to figure out.  It's based on (flawless) execution and it has a very difficult time overcoming negative plays because we tend to want to chip away at the field instead of get yardage in chucks (aside from the occassional trick play or Jordy Nelson fade).  Which is the part I don't understand because Freeman was put on the field because he could "reach areas of the field that other QB's couldn't".   The offense could do more and it's not, just like the defense.  

[michigancat]

Against BCS teams, the offense has put up 13 against Auburn, 21 against UT, and 24 against ku.  The offense isn't exactly a juggernaut.  The offense is not complicated, dynamic, or hard to figure out.

I think the primary goal is minimizing turnovers and controlling field position.

[pissclams]

But that doesn't mean that the offense still doesn't have problems.  The OL is terrible.  And if the OL isn't terrible, then our OC is terrible, and if our OC isn't terrible then our QB is terrible.  

Against BCS teams, the offense has put up 13 against Auburn, 21 against UT, and 24 against ku.  The offense isn't exactly a juggernaut.

The point is that the offense has done what Prince has asked of it, which is put to us in a position to win every game we've played in the 4thQ. 

Argue.

I'm not saying our offense is perfect, it's obviously not, but Franklin's team has done what it's been asked to do, with a lot of shortcomings personnel wise.  He's still pulled it off.   On the flip side, we have tons of talent on defense and sleepwalk through the 4th quarter of most games when the game is on the line.

[catzacker]

Against BCS teams, the offense has put up 13 against Auburn, 21 against UT, and 24 against ku.  The offense isn't exactly a juggernaut.  The offense is not complicated, dynamic, or hard to figure out.

I think the primary goal is minimizing turnovers and controlling field position.

I know.  We just seem like we're wasting Freeman's ability.  Christ, Carson can throw 5-15 yard passes (note: that was tongue in cheek, I'm not calling for Carson).  But maybe that's the "beauty" of the system, it allows for any QB to step in and play quickly.  But I don't know how much longer I will accept the "the other team is in cover 2".  Every team is in cover 2. 

All that said, if Garvin makes a tackle on a slant pattern, or Christ Patterson pulls his head out and covers the flat, I'd probably be celebrating how "effecient" our offense is and how good our defense is. 

[michigancat]

How many times do people need to be explained that the poor OL reduces the ability to throw downfield?

Jesus.

[catzacker]

How many times do people need to be explained that the poor OL reduces the ability to throw downfield?

Jesus.

Besides fatty's pic on the last play of the game where everyone in the stands and on the field and watching at home knew we were going to throw, we didn't exactly do a bad job of pass protecting.  And when I go back and watch, Freeman, more times than not, is looking to check down rather than down field.  I don't think Freeman (or maybe he is told to) gives some plays the proper time to develop.  Even the announcers noticed one occassion in which Jordy was open down the field (Freeman had protection) and he checked it down quickly. 

[cireksu]

that means that he doesn't have confidence in the oline to let him step up and make a throw, he's been trained to check down quick and not force or take a sack.

[michigancat]

that means that he doesn't have confidence in the oline to let him step up and make a throw, he's been trained to check down quick and not force or take a sack.

Lower risk.  Which is what the offense is all about.

[Kat Kid]

If people can't realize that the defense lost the ku game, they should turn in their power towels.

Giving up 30 points (and especially ku's last gut wrenching TD drive where Reesing basically fisted us in front of grandpa) in 'The Bill' just isn't going to win this or any team a lot of football games.

Prince can throw out the "we were in a position to win the game" line about Auburn and ku, but that doesn't excuse the D's performance.  We all know our offense, we all sat there and knew during the Auburn game and during the ku game that there was no way in hell it was going to happen.

The difference between the Auburn game and the ku game is our D gave up points over and over to ku.  Just because our Offense couldn't win either doesn't mean that "the mob" gets off the hook for giving up obscene numbers against ku at home (who left a pretty easy 3 on the field).

[Skycat]

If people can't realize that the defense lost the ku game, they should turn in their power towels.

Giving up 30 points (and especially ku's last gut wrenching TD drive where Reesing basically fisted us in front of grandpa) in 'The Bill' just isn't going to win this or any team a lot of football games.

Prince can throw out the "we were in a position to win the game" line about Auburn and ku, but that doesn't excuse the D's performance.  We all know our offense, we all sat there and knew during the Auburn game and during the ku game that there was no way in hell it was going to happen.

The difference between the Auburn game and the ku game is our D gave up points over and over to ku.  Just because our Offense couldn't win either doesn't mean that "the mob" gets off the hook for giving up obscene numbers against ku at home (who left a pretty easy 3 on the field).

Bottom line:  if either unit came up in the clutch, we'd be 5-0.  Both units failed when the team needed either one more stop, or one more drive.

I don't care what happened up to that point in time.  Nobody on either side of the ball should be saying "hey, at least we did our jobs."  Because in the end, neither of them did.