SE: K-State Returns to '1-0 Mentality' Before Hosting No. 6 TCU
Oct 13, 2017 | Football, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
One of K-State's preseason goals, to reach the Big 12 Championship, is still within reach and still within the Wildcats' control, but it is more than 40 days away. To give themselves a chance, the Wildcats know they must return to a nearsighted mentality.
"We've got to get back to what our premise is, and it's that 1-0 concept," K-State head coach Bill Snyder said. "It's about today. Let's do all we can do today. Let's do the best we can do today. Let's be better today than we were yesterday. It's the same old stuff, but nevertheless it's valuable in our program. That's what's benefitted us for many years."
As K-State (3-2, 1-1) comes off a double-overtime loss at Texas and prepares to host No. 6 TCU (5-0, 2-0) on Saturday at 11 a.m., many Wildcats echoed Snyder's comments.
"Being 1-0 is important. It's extremely important right now just to be 1-0 and get better every day because this TCU ball club is good and we're going to have to be prepared to beat these guys, and I feel like we are capable of doing so," sophomore quarterback Alex Delton said. "I'm confident in our guys and I think we'll be ready to go this weekend."
"What we really need to do is take it one game at a time and have that 1-0 mentality, focus week by week," sophomore receiver Dalton Schoen added. "Obviously we've lost a couple of games, we let those slip by us, so I think the big thing for us is taking it one step at a time, don't really think too far ahead, just kind of let it build as it goes."
In order to start building, Schoen said K-State must first correct what went wrong at Texas.
Offensively, he said K-State's 394-yard performance at Texas, which included 254 through the air, was a step in the right direction, but it still has plenty of room for growth.
"It was definitely an improvement. We had better execution and did a better job of being where we needed to be. We spread the ball around and made some catches," he said. "There is still room to get better, and we have to obviously do better if we want to win the game."
TCU, led by K-State graduate Gary Patterson, will bring a respected defensive unit to Manhattan. The Horned Frogs lead the Big 12 in scoring defense (19.6 PPG), sacks per game (2.6) and rushing defense (104.0 YPG).
On the other side of the ball, TCU presents many challenges offensively. The Horned Frogs lead the nation in third-down conversions at 58.3 percent and are led by a dual-threat quarterback in Kenny Hill, who has amassed more than 1,200 yards of total offense this season.
"They talk about him being improved, and I certainly concur with that," Snyder said of Hill, whom the Wildcats faced in the second half last year's 30-6 win at TCU. "He is throwing the ball well, and he is 10th in the nation in completing 69 percent of his passes. He can bring the ball down when he wants to and run."
K-State faced a similar challenge last week in Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger. From that game, sophomore defensive end Kyle Ball said K-State understands how to better contain such a quarterback.
"(Hill) is a great quarterback with some good speed. It is just about keeping him in the pocket and doing what we have to do to rush the passer. We have to keep him from scrambling and that is the biggest thing," Ball said. "In the Texas game, (Ehlinger) scrambled and got the first down, and I give credit to him. Going forward, we need to learn from our mistakes and not let that happen again against TCU."
The Horned Frogs also use a variety of running backs alongside Hill. While led by Darius Anderson's 465 rushing yards on 77 carries, Kyle Hicks and Sewo Olonilua have combined for 348 yards on 63 carries, good for an average of 5.5 yards.
"They have a lot of speed up front. They are pretty talented and big. It is just going to be a lot about how to combat that speed they have," Ball said. "We need to fit up on our assignments and do it quicker."
Regardless of ranking or record, Snyder said the same factors that determine any other game would decide Saturday's outcome.
"The way I look at it, they (Big 12 teams) are all top-25 teams to me. I guess it is hard for people to understand that, but that is what makes college football so great," he said. "Obviously anybody can beat anybody on any given day. It is all about the same thing — who prepares the best, who plays the best and who coaches the best. That will never change."
One of K-State's preseason goals, to reach the Big 12 Championship, is still within reach and still within the Wildcats' control, but it is more than 40 days away. To give themselves a chance, the Wildcats know they must return to a nearsighted mentality.
"We've got to get back to what our premise is, and it's that 1-0 concept," K-State head coach Bill Snyder said. "It's about today. Let's do all we can do today. Let's do the best we can do today. Let's be better today than we were yesterday. It's the same old stuff, but nevertheless it's valuable in our program. That's what's benefitted us for many years."
As K-State (3-2, 1-1) comes off a double-overtime loss at Texas and prepares to host No. 6 TCU (5-0, 2-0) on Saturday at 11 a.m., many Wildcats echoed Snyder's comments.
"Being 1-0 is important. It's extremely important right now just to be 1-0 and get better every day because this TCU ball club is good and we're going to have to be prepared to beat these guys, and I feel like we are capable of doing so," sophomore quarterback Alex Delton said. "I'm confident in our guys and I think we'll be ready to go this weekend."
"What we really need to do is take it one game at a time and have that 1-0 mentality, focus week by week," sophomore receiver Dalton Schoen added. "Obviously we've lost a couple of games, we let those slip by us, so I think the big thing for us is taking it one step at a time, don't really think too far ahead, just kind of let it build as it goes."
"We just got to be 1-0. In meetings, in practice, I'm confident in our guys and we'll be ready to go this weekend." #KStaeFB's Alex Delton pic.twitter.com/gVZmGjZ4Wc
— K-State Football (@KStateFB) October 10, 2017
In order to start building, Schoen said K-State must first correct what went wrong at Texas.
Offensively, he said K-State's 394-yard performance at Texas, which included 254 through the air, was a step in the right direction, but it still has plenty of room for growth.
"It was definitely an improvement. We had better execution and did a better job of being where we needed to be. We spread the ball around and made some catches," he said. "There is still room to get better, and we have to obviously do better if we want to win the game."
TCU, led by K-State graduate Gary Patterson, will bring a respected defensive unit to Manhattan. The Horned Frogs lead the Big 12 in scoring defense (19.6 PPG), sacks per game (2.6) and rushing defense (104.0 YPG).
On the other side of the ball, TCU presents many challenges offensively. The Horned Frogs lead the nation in third-down conversions at 58.3 percent and are led by a dual-threat quarterback in Kenny Hill, who has amassed more than 1,200 yards of total offense this season.
"They talk about him being improved, and I certainly concur with that," Snyder said of Hill, whom the Wildcats faced in the second half last year's 30-6 win at TCU. "He is throwing the ball well, and he is 10th in the nation in completing 69 percent of his passes. He can bring the ball down when he wants to and run."
K-State faced a similar challenge last week in Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger. From that game, sophomore defensive end Kyle Ball said K-State understands how to better contain such a quarterback.
"(Hill) is a great quarterback with some good speed. It is just about keeping him in the pocket and doing what we have to do to rush the passer. We have to keep him from scrambling and that is the biggest thing," Ball said. "In the Texas game, (Ehlinger) scrambled and got the first down, and I give credit to him. Going forward, we need to learn from our mistakes and not let that happen again against TCU."
The Horned Frogs also use a variety of running backs alongside Hill. While led by Darius Anderson's 465 rushing yards on 77 carries, Kyle Hicks and Sewo Olonilua have combined for 348 yards on 63 carries, good for an average of 5.5 yards.
"They have a lot of speed up front. They are pretty talented and big. It is just going to be a lot about how to combat that speed they have," Ball said. "We need to fit up on our assignments and do it quicker."
Regardless of ranking or record, Snyder said the same factors that determine any other game would decide Saturday's outcome.
"The way I look at it, they (Big 12 teams) are all top-25 teams to me. I guess it is hard for people to understand that, but that is what makes college football so great," he said. "Obviously anybody can beat anybody on any given day. It is all about the same thing — who prepares the best, who plays the best and who coaches the best. That will never change."
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