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[Boom Roasted]

 
Hold your horses this thing is big and might take a little to post

[Boom Roasted]

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ABOUT
It gets said so much that nobody says it anymore, but you don't want to find yourself in a position of having wagered heavily against LHC Bill Snyder.
Snyder, now in his 20th season at Kansas State, once again has another team filled with holes. The quarterback situation appears particularly perilous, the defense was a disaster last year and the team's best player, workhorse running back Daniel Thomas, is gone.
There is no reason the Wildcats should be any good, but that has been true a lot of times in Snyder's two decades on the job, and most of the time they wind up winning a couple more games than anybody thought they would.
Last season's 7-6 record, which included a loss to Syracuse in the Pinstripe Bowl, represented another Snyder masterpiece, if a barely-over-.500 season can be described as such. With all due respect to Carson Coffman, the Wildcats did not have much at the quarterback spot last season, they ran an almost completely one-dimensional offense and their run defense was the second-worst in the nation.
Yet the Wildcats won seven games.
The defense will get an athletic injection from transfer Arthur Brown at what was its least athletic position (linebacker), and the loss of Thomas figures to be mitigated by the addition of transfer running back Bryce Brown, who was once one of the most highly touted players in the country.
But otherwise, it is difficult to see where the Wildcats will be improved. They lost most of an offensive line that created all those holes for Thomas and enter the season without anybody with any significant experience whatsoever at quarterback.
Collin Klein, a former wide receiver, is the frontrunner for the starting position, which means the Wildcats' passing game should be even less adventurous than it was last season with Coffman, who was a traditional pocket passer.
So Snyder has another big task ahead of him.
In year three of his second stint as K-State coach, the 71-year-old Snyder inhabits a far different position than he did from 1989-2005, when he built K-State from national laughingstock to national title contender and saw the program slip again at the end.
They called all that the "Miracle in Manhattan," and nobody is expecting that again. Snyder's second run was more about, as he put it, "calming the waters" after the tumultuous Ron Prince era. Snyder seems to have accomplished that, so the direction of the program now has a little fog in front of it.
The Wildcats have struggled in recruiting since Snyder returned, (though they do continue to end up with talented Kansans who initially chose to play ball out of state before transferring back) and there is a feeling among some in Manhattan that Snyder has done all he is going to be able to do in this re-boot of his.
For 2011, though, Snyder remains the coach, and like plenty of seasons before it, he'll have to do some polishing to make a winner out of his roster.
Nobody is betting against it.
THE STAFF
Head Coach: LHC Bill Snyder (William Jewell '63)
Record at school: 149-80-1 (19 years)
Career record: 149-80-1 (19 years)
Assistants:
• Sean Snyder (Kansas State '94) Associate Head Coach/Special Teams
• Chris Cosh (Virginia Tech '83) Assistant Head Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator
• Dana Dimel (Kansas State '86) Co-Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs
• Del Miller (Central College '72) Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
• Joe Bob Clements (Kansas State '99) Defensive Ends
• Charlie Dickey (Arizona '87) Offensive Line
• Tom Hayes (Iowa '71) Defensive Passing Game Coordinator/Defensive Backs
• Mo Latimore (Kansas State '76) Defensive Line
• Michael Smith (Kansas State '95) Wide Receivers

[Boom Roasted]

QUARTERBACKS
The good news is that junior Collin Klein (6-5, 226) has completed 63 percent of the passes he has thrown in his career.
The bad news is that Klein has thrown 19 passes in his career.
The scary news for Kansas State is that Klein is probably going to be the starting quarterback this season.
Klein's biggest game at K-State was a 4-for-6, 65-yard outing at Missouri last year in which he was replacing Carson Coffman.
The Wildcats did some experimenting with Klein last season, in part because his skill set was so different from Coffman's. Klein is a former receiver who is fast and physical and occasionally effective in zone read situations. He ran for 127 yards against Texas and 141 against Missouri in consecutive games before going back on the shelf for K-State's final two games.
So that is one proposition, though the way coach LHC Bill Snyder handles quarterbacks (and the way he guards information), there really is no telling what the Wildcats will do this fall.
Last year they signed junior college transfer Justin Tuggle (6-3, 227) a dual-threat junior, but most indications coming out of spring ball were that Klein had the edge. It also would not be out of the realm of the reasonable to see senior Sammuel Lamur (6-4, 221) take some snaps. He is another JUCO transfer who has rushed for 20 yards and thrown for 28 so far in his K-State career. He didn't do much more at either of his two junior college stops, either, having thrown for a total of 575 yards.
So this is one of the program's weakest positions, which has been true since Josh Freeman left after the 2008 season.
Snyder has a way of amplifying his quarterbacks' strengths and hiding their weaknesses, which means whoever is playing quarterback this year will be doing plenty of running.
All three are about the same size and about the same speed, which actually might mean something of a return to the good ole days in Manhattan, when the Wildcats were winning all those games by running it, running it with the quarterback, then throwing deep. It did not require a great deal of precision.
So Klein it probably is, though it would not be a surprise to see K-State use some combination of the three on a semi-regular basis.
K-State also signed Daniel Sams (6-2, 210), a highly athletic high school quarterback who has impressed so far but is expected to redshirt his first season.
If nothing else, the Wildcats do have some security in that all three of those quarterbacks possess a similar skill set, so K-State at least has a level of interchangeability that it didn't have last season.
RUNNING BACKS
Important as Kansas State's quarterback play will be, the production from the running back spot will probably make or break the Wildcats' season.
Kansas State proved last season it could have a winning year without a passing game or a defense. This was because running back Daniel Thomas was borderline unstoppable by a single defender. He ran for 1,585 yards and 19 touchdowns on 298 carries, a monster season.
K-State will look to sophomore transfer Bryce Brown (6-0, 220) to pick up where Thomas left off.
Ostensibly, this should not be a problem. Brown, in fact, would have been considered the superior prospect at almost any other stage of their careers.
Coming out of Wichita (Kansas) East High School in 2009, Brown was the No. 1 high school running back in the country, a dynamo who would eventually sign with Tennessee, where he rushed for 460 yards on 101 attempts as a freshman in 2009.
After coach Lane Kiffin's departure from Tennessee and his brother Arthur's departure from Miami, Brown was released from his scholarship and he and his brother moved back to Kansas to play for Snyder. This would have been the single biggest recruiting coup in Kansas State history had the Wildcats signed the brothers out of high school.
As it stands, though, Bryce was considered something of a disappointment by Tennessee fans, as was his brother at Miami. So the relationship between K-State and the Browns is symbiotic. Kansas State could really use some blue chips, and the Browns could really use a team they know they can play on.
It appears it will work out for both, though Bryce's role will be the most scrutinized. A 1,500-yard season won't necessarily be the expectation, but it will be considered plausible and it will probably be necessary if Kansas State is going to duplicate the season it had last year.
For the occasional breather, K-State will turn to sophomore John Hubert (5-7, 185), a scat back who had just 12 rush attempts as a freshman.
Another Wichita native, redshirt freshman DeMarcus Robinson (5-6, 191), remains on the roster but has dealt with some personal issues and isn't expected to contribute much this season. Two years ago he was ranked by Rivals.com as the 18th-best running back in the nation.
Sophomore Robert Rose (5-4, 173) could also see some time, though K-State's leading returning rusher is quarterback Collin Klein, meaning the Wildcats will generally be able to spell Brown without getting deep into the running back depth chart.
RECEIVERS
Kansas State's unusual relationship with players from Wichita -- they commit elsewhere, then come running back to K-State when things don't go well -- shows up again in the receiving corps.
Junior Chris Harper (6-1, 225) was once an Oregon quarterback who never really played quarterback before transferring to Kansas State as a quarterback who never will play quarterback.
He is now a wide receiver who caught 25 passes for 330 yards and four touchdowns last season, making him the team's second-leading receiver behind the now-departed Aubrey Quarles.
Tramaine Thompson (5-7, 165) is maybe the Wildcats' most promising receiver. He caught 19 passes for 258 yards last season. But junior Brodrick Smith (6-1, 209), another native Kansan who began his career elsewhere (Minnesota), expects to be the Wildcats' leading receiver. He played a small role last season (14 catches for 191 yards and three touchdowns) and is expected to be K-State's top threat.
That essentially gives Kansas State two big, physical receivers on the outside and a classically quick slot receiver in Thompson, making it one of the Wildcats strongest position groups.
K-State signed four receivers in 2011, including freshman Tyler Lockett (5-10, 160), son of former K-State great Kevin Lockett.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Losing three starters off last year's offensive line will hurt, none more than the loss of center Wade Wiebert, the leader of a group that for the last two seasons gave Kansas State its offensive identity.
The Wildcats were the kind of team that would hand if off on third-and-5 and expect to get it, so without the interior players of that line, all of whom are gone, the Wildcats will need to find some road graders on the roster somewhere to complement an offense that again is likely to rely heavily on the ground game.
Redshirt freshman BJ Finney (6-4, 297) is expected to take over for Wiebert at center. Junior JUCO transfer Jordan Allred (6-3, 300) arrived on campus for spring ball and is expected to contribute immediately. Senior Colten Freeze (6-4, 301) has started at K-State before and will be a strong candidate to break back in this year.
Seniors Clyde Aufner (6-6, 301) and Manase Foketi (6-5, 300) return at the tackle spots, but will compete for their jobs with Zach Hanson (6-8, 313), a senior transfer from Sacramento Community College who is in his third season in the program.

[Boom Roasted]

DEFENSIVE LINE
Kansas State is hoping somebody, anybody, can become a playmaker on the front four.
The Wildcats would love to get the biggest spark from junior college end Meshack Williams (6-2, 231).
The Wildcats registered only 20 sacks last season (their opponents got 31), and their leading sack guy, Prizell Brown, has graduated. The next highest sack total belonged to David Garrett, who returns this season. Trouble is, Garrett is a defensive back.
K-State also has high hopes for senior end Brandon Harold (6-5, 264), who was a freshman All-American in 2008, when he totaled 10.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. He was injured for most of 2009 and had a disappointing 2010, registering 7.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.
Senior tackle Raphael Guidry (6-4, 290) returns after a 36-tackle, 2.5-sack season, as does tackle Ray Kibble (6-4, 307), a senior who had half a tackle for loss and half a sack in 2010.
Coaches will generally say the best you can hope for from a JUCO transfer in a year and a half of production, so in that scenario Kansas State defensive coordinator Chris Cosh might have to get creative to manufacture a pass rush.
The best athlete on the field for K-State's defense will be linebacker Arthur Brown, and it certainly would not be unprecedented for a Snyder team to use a smaller, speedier linebacker as a pass rush specialist on passing downs. Should Brown show an aptitude for that, it might buy the Wildcats some time until Williams or other young players are ready to contribu
te.
But if none of that works out, it figures to be another tough year for the Kansas State defense.
LINEBACKERS
Without question, this is the most exciting position group on the team for Kansas State fans.
This is mostly because the Wildcats added junior Arthur Brown (6-1, 223), the transfer from Miami who is rumored to have been an utter terror during spring football practices (which at K-State are closed to the public).
But it also has to do with senior Emmanuel Lamur (6-4, 219), a former safety who has moved up to linebacker this season to help solve what most observers identified as K-State's most glaring defensive problem last season -- a profound and dire lack of speed.
Lamur had 46 tackles, including three for loss, two sacks and an interception from his safety spot last year and will team with Brown and sophomore Tre Walker (6-3, 213) for an almost completely re-tooled linebacking corps.
K-State instantly becomes much more athletic at the position, but there are some concerns. First, and most obviously, Lamur is playing a new position. Second, and less obvious, is that despite his immense talent, Brown was a disappointing player at Miami.
He was the Hurricanes' top recruit in 2008, and they tried to play him at outside linebacker. That didn't work out as Brown spent most of his freshman year on special teams. He made four tackles.
Brown was set to move to inside linebacker for his sophomore season, but he left for Kansas State.
That all said, it would be nearly impossible for the Wildcats not to improve on last year's linebacking corps, which had to have ranked among the slowest in BCS-level football.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Here's what's strange: Sophomore Ty Zimmerman (6-1, 202), Stephen Harrison and Terrance Sweeney all received Big 12 postseason recognition last season.
But senior David Garrett (5-8, 175) did not, and Garrett was obviously the best player on K-State's defense. He led the team in tackles (92), more than doubled the next-highest guy in tackles for loss (15), ranked second in sacks (three), had an interception, 10 passes defended and two fumble recoveries.
Then again, Garrett's K-State career has always been running a little behind. A junior college transfer, Garrett showed up halfway through fall camp in 2009 and still ended up starting the team's first four games. He is back for his senior year, which gives the Wildcats an anchor to go with some younger players. Zimmerman, a converted quarterback, was the Big 12 defensive freshman of the year in 2010, when he piled up 74 tackles and a team-leading three interceptions as a safety.
Veteran safety Tysyn Hartman (6-3, 206) will man the other safety position opposite Zimmerman. Injuries have derailed large portions of his career, but the senior is the leader of K-State's defense.
Garrett's mate at corner is a major concern for the Wildcats with the departures of Harrison and Sweeney. Linebacker-sized senior Dahrnaz Tigner (6-2, 234) and fellow classmate Matthew Pearson (6-0, 190) will be battling for playing time. Junior college signee Nigel Malone (5-10, 176) may have the edge after recording 25 tackles, three interceptions, nine pass breakups and one forced fumble last season at City College of San Francisco

[steve dave]

Hold your horses this thing is big and might take a little to post

lol, great post

[Boom Roasted]

SPECIAL TEAMS
One of the most reliable things about LHC Bill Snyder's teams over the years has been the return teams and the coverage teams, and Kansas State excelled in both areas in 2010, ranking 11th in net punting, 46th in kickoff return defense, 15th in kickoff returns and 59th in punt returns.
Unfortunately, their two best return men, William Powell and Aubrey Quarles, are both gone, meaning sophomore John Hubert (5-7, 185), who averaged 19.1 yards on nine kick returns last season, will battle with Tramaine Thompson, the team's leading punt returner (7.4-yard average) for return duties.
Not much separates them. Hubert is an elusive 5-7 and Thompson is a speedy 5-7, so the two are virtually interchangeable.
Thompson, however, is a starting wide receiver, while Hubert is a backup running back, so if injuries are a concern, Hubert probably wins the job.
KICKERS
Junior Anthony Cantele (5-10, 189) will take over for Josh Cherry, who went 7-for-9 on field goals in 2010. Cantele doesn't have a lot of experience, having made just one of his two field goals last year and missed one of the seven extra point kicks he tried.
But the alternative is junior Brandon Klimek (5-11, 178), who had one moment of glory two years ago, when he belted a 46-yard field goal. He also made two extra points that year.
Klimek has not attempted a scoring kick since. So, as often happens with kickers in college football, the Wildcats will be counting on a place-kicker they know little about.
PUNTERS
Junior Ryan Doerr (6-3, 182) averaged 41.3 yards per boot and pinned 17 of his 57 tries inside the 20.
That made Kansas State the No. 11 punting team in the nation last year. Opponents returned just 11 of K-State's 61 punts for a total of 67 yards.
NEWCOMERS
It's Brown, Brown, Brown, Brown, Brown. There are only two Brown brothers, but it feels like five.
The Brown brothers, running back Bryce and linebacker Arthur, once considered the top football prospects in the nation, are part of two rebuilding projects. The first is their own, the second is Kansas State's.
Let's face it, these are not the kinds of players who commit to Kansas State out of high school. And, indeed, they did not, choosing Tennessee and Miami, respectively.
But Kansas State needed talent, and the Browns needed to play, and so here they are. Everybody is happy, at least for now.
It would be a stretch to call either of them program changers, but both will start immediately, and both will be expected to be the best players on the team and some of the best in the conference.
For the first time in a long time, Kansas State in most games will have the two most athletic players on the field.
Whether either of them can effectively play their positions is another matter, but suffice it to say it has been a long time since a couple newcomers inspired so much optimism in Manhattan.
The Wildcats are also excited about dual-threat quarterback Daniel Sams, though not so excited they plan to burn his redshirt this season, even with the alternatives as they are.
Beyond those three, there is not a lot that has fans buzzing.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
Almost all of the hope for a better, brighter 2011 is placed upon the shoulders of Bryce and Arthur Brown.
Considering their talent, the expectations are not unreasonable. But the Wildcats will again have to try to manage their way into a bowl game without an ideal quarterback and with offensive and defensive lines that are both shaky.
Kansas State should be competitive at almost any position that doesn't require great size. Their stable of wide receivers is solid and skilled, their running backs have excellent potential and the linebackers and defensive backfield are full of capable players.
It is a team that would do well to win seven games again, particularly in the new round-robin Big 12 schedule, which removes one nonconference game and puts teams like K-State through the entire Big 12 gauntlet every season.

[Trim]

Skipped straight to the bottom.

[sonofdaxjones]

Reading the LB section one only has to ask . . . is the era of the foot divers over??

[Bookcat]

Reading the LB section one only has to ask . . . is the era of the foot divers over??

well, if we're still foot divers and we're running a 4-3...things could be even worse than 2010. Way worse.

[The Manhatter]

a few problems with this analysis.

1) Basically dissects Klein's ability in the passing game.  While we all know he isn't Freeman throwing the ball that simply isn't what Snyder's offense is about.  Both he and Brown present threats of bigger plays out of the backfield than last year's backfield (coffman and no home run speed at RB). 

2) the OL will be used more like the early 2000s than that of last year where we played to our strengths which was the interior running game with good point of attack players inside.  They had limited mobility on the edges.  I don't see how we aren't quicker at guard this season and we're experienced on the edges w/ the tackles, tight ends, and fullback...not to mention the receivers blocking on the edges.

in '09 we started 4 new OL, 1 new QB, and a new FB...still managed to rush for about 180 yards per game and Gregory is not the horse running the ball like Klein.

Better receivers this season than in '09 and it isn't a new system.  I think Klein throws the ball, at the very least, as good as Gregory...I think he throws it a bit better than Gregory.

This offense's potential, realistically, probably falls somewhere between 2009 and 2010 w/ the best case scenario being slightly better than 2010...very slight.  But offense wasn't the problem last year.



The issue with the analysis defensively is that it fails miserably to tackle the issues of depth in terms of available players.  Give Snyder a LOT of bodies to work with on the DL and he'll have a decent one every time.  A corpse would have been better than what we had at RDE and many corpses for depth would have been better than last year. 

Seems Blue Ribbon wants to simply charge Brown as a disappointment to this point when the fact remains he played behind a LB his freshman year who was starting in the NFL last year and as a sophomore played behind one of the better inside LBs in the 2011 draft.  That was part of the reason.

You give Snyder a lot of bodies on defense and, at the very least, he'll come up w/ something average to solid.

[EllToPay]

a few problems with this analysis.

1) Basically dissects Klein's ability in the passing game.  While we all know he isn't Freeman throwing the ball that simply isn't what Snyder's offense is about.  Both he and Brown present threats of bigger plays out of the backfield than last year's backfield (coffman and no home run speed at RB). 

2) the OL will be used more like the early 2000s than that of last year where we played to our strengths which was the interior running game with good point of attack players inside.  They had limited mobility on the edges.  I don't see how we aren't quicker at guard this season and we're experienced on the edges w/ the tackles, tight ends, and fullback...not to mention the receivers blocking on the edges.

in '09 we started 4 new OL, 1 new QB, and a new FB...still managed to rush for about 180 yards per game and Gregory is not the horse running the ball like Klein.

Better receivers this season than in '09 and it isn't a new system.  I think Klein throws the ball, at the very least, as good as Gregory...I think he throws it a bit better than Gregory.

This offense's potential, realistically, probably falls somewhere between 2009 and 2010 w/ the best case scenario being slightly better than 2010...very slight.  But offense wasn't the problem last year.



The issue with the analysis defensively is that it fails miserably to tackle the issues of depth in terms of available players.  Give Snyder a LOT of bodies to work with on the DL and he'll have a decent one every time.  A corpse would have been better than what we had at RDE and many corpses for depth would have been better than last year. 

Seems Blue Ribbon wants to simply charge Brown as a disappointment to this point when the fact remains he played behind a LB his freshman year who was starting in the NFL last year and as a sophomore played behind one of the better inside LBs in the 2011 draft.  That was part of the reason.

You give Snyder a lot of bodies on defense and, at the very least, he'll come up w/ something average to solid.

We've got a lot of work to do with you.

 :powerespect:

[jtksu]

So, Snyder wasn't able to turn last year's bunchof stiffs but he will be able to this year? 

[steve dave]

guys, I'm pretty jacked for this Kansas State Football Season of Football

[The Manhatter]

So, Snyder wasn't able to turn last year's bunchof stiffs but he will be able to this year? 

apparently you didn't examine the roster last year...I'll assist you.

Defensively...

we had 7 scholarship DL available (not redshirting, not hurt, etc.) for 4 positions, total.  It is very difficult to do anything with that regardless of the circumstances.  Kibble was in his first year (think Daniel Calvin from year 1 to year 2) and the other DT moved from TE the year before.  Harold was coming off of surgery and had no adequate back up unless we took one tackle to play at End.  He'll have, at least, double the amount of bodies (depending on who redshirts the range could be anywhere from 12-15 or so) for the four positions and by all accounts are players with more quickness..at least at the end position.  At least Davis and Meshak were outstanding pass rushers in JC...Felder never was so I'm not sure how he would have been at this level.  I'm not saying either Davis or Meshak will be at this level but they seem to have a better shot based on talent.

At LB we had a walk-on 5-10 LB who probably can't break 5.2 seconds in the 40.  I would suspect Art is a major upgrade.  We had a converted RB in his first year playing LB in Childs.  One might say Lamur is a converted safety...yes, but at least he led the team in tackles in '09 and played defense last year.  He has a helluva lot more experience covering people than Childs had last year.  Tre Walker should be 15lbs bigger, stronger, and more experienced.  I don't see how that situation isn't light years better.

Secondary.  Last year we had to deal w/ Josh Moore's unexpected early entry to the draft, Darious Thomas eligibility ruling, and losing yet another potential body in Courtney Thompson.  Our starters were two walk-ons...one a converted wide receiver in Harrison and the other a corner out of JC.  That was basically it...if we played anybody else at corner it was Garrett..we simply had nobody else.  THIS year appears to be a different story at least in terms of numbers.  Thomas may be back, he's still taking classes at KSU this summer.  He likely would have been the top corner last year since he played a true freshman.  Malone and Chapman appear to be two solid corners but we'll have to see how they perform.  Daily is another JC corner.  I think the redshirted walk-on Randall Evans has some talent.  Garrett can play there as well.  Point is...we simply have a lot more bodies there and will have actual competition.  The safety spot is fine with Zimmerman...either Garrett plays opposite him or Hartman.

[steve dave]

the fact that 2Ys is one of the player reps at B12 media days tells me he's prolly starting

[jtksu]

Gotcha.  No bodies last year and a bunch of questions this year.  Clearly a return to dominance.

[Rage Against the McKee]

a few problems with this analysis.

1) Basically dissects Klein's ability in the passing game.  While we all know he isn't Freeman throwing the ball that simply isn't what Snyder's offense is about.  Both he and Brown present threats of bigger plays out of the backfield than last year's backfield (coffman and no home run speed at RB). 

2) the OL will be used more like the early 2000s than that of last year where we played to our strengths which was the interior running game with good point of attack players inside.  They had limited mobility on the edges.  I don't see how we aren't quicker at guard this season and we're experienced on the edges w/ the tackles, tight ends, and fullback...not to mention the receivers blocking on the edges.

in '09 we started 4 new OL, 1 new QB, and a new FB...still managed to rush for about 180 yards per game and Gregory is not the horse running the ball like Klein.

Better receivers this season than in '09 and it isn't a new system.  I think Klein throws the ball, at the very least, as good as Gregory...I think he throws it a bit better than Gregory.

This offense's potential, realistically, probably falls somewhere between 2009 and 2010 w/ the best case scenario being slightly better than 2010...very slight.  But offense wasn't the problem last year.



The issue with the analysis defensively is that it fails miserably to tackle the issues of depth in terms of available players.  Give Snyder a LOT of bodies to work with on the DL and he'll have a decent one every time.  A corpse would have been better than what we had at RDE and many corpses for depth would have been better than last year. 

Seems Blue Ribbon wants to simply charge Brown as a disappointment to this point when the fact remains he played behind a LB his freshman year who was starting in the NFL last year and as a sophomore played behind one of the better inside LBs in the 2011 draft.  That was part of the reason.

You give Snyder a lot of bodies on defense and, at the very least, he'll come up w/ something average to solid.

There is no guarantee that the offense will be better this year than last year. In fact, it is highly likely we will be worse on the OL, at QB, and at RB.

[MadCat]

Is this the year we can run a toss sweep without it ending in a TFL?

[The Manhatter]

a few problems with this analysis.

1) Basically dissects Klein's ability in the passing game.  While we all know he isn't Freeman throwing the ball that simply isn't what Snyder's offense is about.  Both he and Brown present threats of bigger plays out of the backfield than last year's backfield (coffman and no home run speed at RB). 

2) the OL will be used more like the early 2000s than that of last year where we played to our strengths which was the interior running game with good point of attack players inside.  They had limited mobility on the edges.  I don't see how we aren't quicker at guard this season and we're experienced on the edges w/ the tackles, tight ends, and fullback...not to mention the receivers blocking on the edges.

in '09 we started 4 new OL, 1 new QB, and a new FB...still managed to rush for about 180 yards per game and Gregory is not the horse running the ball like Klein.

Better receivers this season than in '09 and it isn't a new system.  I think Klein throws the ball, at the very least, as good as Gregory...I think he throws it a bit better than Gregory.

This offense's potential, realistically, probably falls somewhere between 2009 and 2010 w/ the best case scenario being slightly better than 2010...very slight.  But offense wasn't the problem last year.



The issue with the analysis defensively is that it fails miserably to tackle the issues of depth in terms of available players.  Give Snyder a LOT of bodies to work with on the DL and he'll have a decent one every time.  A corpse would have been better than what we had at RDE and many corpses for depth would have been better than last year. 

Seems Blue Ribbon wants to simply charge Brown as a disappointment to this point when the fact remains he played behind a LB his freshman year who was starting in the NFL last year and as a sophomore played behind one of the better inside LBs in the 2011 draft.  That was part of the reason.

You give Snyder a lot of bodies on defense and, at the very least, he'll come up w/ something average to solid.

There is no guarantee that the offense will be better this year than last year. In fact, it is highly likely we will be worse on the OL, at QB, and at RB.

you need to learn how to read, dude. 

What guarantee did I make and where did I say it would be better?  Here is my quote.

This offense's potential, realistically, probably falls somewhere between 2009 and 2010 w/ the best case scenario being slightly better than 2010...very slight.  But offense wasn't the problem last year.

['taterblast]

fight the good fight, 'hatter.

 

[colsanders718]

fight the good fight, 'hatter.

 

agreed

[kougar24]

You give Snyder a lot of bodies on defense and, at the very least, he'll come up w/ something average to solid.

Crediting Snyder with defensive prowess is something I expect from the generic tuck, but not from you, 'hatter. Not from you.

[Stevesie60]

Everytime I start thinking "jtksu is really coming around" he starts doing crap like arguing with one of the 2 people on this board who know every K-State statistic off the top of their heard.

Keep on keepin' on, 'hatter.

[DQ12]

Good stuff 'hatter.
 

[The Manhatter]

Gotcha.  No bodies last year and a bunch of questions this year.  Clearly a return to dominance.

Nobody said there was a return to dominance.  I'm not sure why sarcasm would run its course ITT.

I think we all want improvement and I think we all know we won't resemble a defense from the '95-'03 run of outstanding play on defense. 

I fail to see how there will not be improvement made.

More bodies = more competition...and not all of these kids will suck.