A desired football model existed just about anywhere once for Kansas State.
When Bill Snyder ignored sound advice and hired on in 1989, the Wildcats had a few equals, but only among losers.
You know the story. The K-State program was arguably the worst in Division I-A.
Initially, it was hard to look at Nebraska and fathom a period when the Wildcats and Huskers would share North division titles during the first five years of the Big 12's existence.
But the K-State staff was wise enough to indeed look hard at Nebraska.
"(The Big Eight) was a dynamic conference. There were a lot of models," Snyder said. "But I've always had a lot of respect for Tom Osborne and I loved the way his teams conducted his program.
"Not just the championships he won, but how he handled his program, how he worked with young people and what he meant to his state. It was the total package, and indeed, it could serve as a model program for anyone."
The staff Snyder assembled was loaded with inspired assistants who went on to become head coaches.
When they first began to prepare for Nebraska, the lessons expedited their development. Osborne never lost a matchup against Snyder, but coaches at K-State worked vigorously to account for every move the Huskers tried and learned about the art of preparation.
In fact, Bob Stoops has shared those recollections with Osborne.
"He had as much to do with my development as a defensive coordinator as anybody I ever worked with, though I never worked with him," said the Oklahoma coach, an original member of Snyder's first K-State staff.
"Just going against those great Nebraska teams and all the great offenses they had with those different schemes, whether it would be option or all the different ways they ran the football. Then, with play-action pass off of it, you had to be incredibly disciplined defensively to stop it, and you had to be intelligent in how you stopped it, or you weren't going to."
Surprising back-breakers caused defensive busts.
Sometimes it was a flick to the tight end ... or a belly dive by the fullback ... or an option keeper by the QB. Combine that with sheer power and Nebraska grew into the nation's most dominant team, winning three national titles in Osborne's last four seasons before he retired following a 13-0 run in 1997.
"I felt as we got better defensively at Kansas State working against that offense, that's how we really developed," Stoops said. "They're who we had to beat. So over time, we made improvement defensively. The thought process to stop it really developed a lot of what we're still doing (at OU)."
Some of that thinking will probably be incorporated into the plan K-State devises this week.
But Saturday's showdown in Lincoln for the North Division title involves a new cast of characters in red.
Questions even exist regarding respect.
In 2003, the last time Kansas State played for a Big 12 championship (and won it), Bo Pelini angrily raced across the field to confront Snyder after the Cats won 38-9 at Nebraska.
Pelini was then the NU defensive coordinator. As head coach, Pelini called that incident a "mistake I made six years ago" during Big 12 media days, adding it was "a dead issue." On Monday, Pelini reflected on Snyder coaxing the Cats into a title hunt.
"It just goes to show how good of a coach coach Snyder is," Pelini said. "He does a great job. He works hard at it. He gets the kids to be committed (and to) play tough, very sound, fundamental football. It's a pretty good equation to win football games."
The equations Snyder solved to put K-State in contention with Nebraska again were difficult. But not nearly as complex as those he and his first staff encountered 20 years ago when the Big Red menace cast a sinister shadow.
The Cats are not favored. They have yet to win on the road. They are coming off a humbling defeat.
Upset Nebraska, however, and the fashionable football model in the Big 12 North is again Kansas State under Snyder.
That's right KSU fans. How's it feel to know that you'll always be looking up at big brother? IMITATION IS THE SINCEREST FORM OF FLATTERY!!!!
