SE: K-State Defense Looks to Continue Providing Turnovers, Red Zone Stops
Nov 16, 2017 | Football, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
When it comes to K-State's defense, opponents' yardage totals do not tell the whole story. This is especially true in Big 12 play.
While the Wildcats have allowed the most yards in the league against conference opponents only, they still rank fourth in the Big 12 in scoring defense (30.1 PPG). Their ability to close the gap from 10th to fourth in these two categories is significant and certainly not lost on head coach Bill Snyder.
"Obviously, at the end of the day, the most significant statistic is points on the board and we've been relatively good in that respect," Snyder said. "There are some other things that become significant for us as well."
Namely, turnovers and red zone defense.
This season, K-State has forced 20 turnovers to rank second in the Big 12 and 19th in the country. The Wildcats are also one of only 10 FBS teams with double-digit fumble recoveries (10) and interceptions (10).
Last week against West Virginia, K-State forced four turnovers that included a pair of fumble recoveries and interceptions. Junior defensive back D.J. Reed accounted for one of each, including a fumble recovery in which he did all the work. On the play, Reed shed a block on a short pass to the boundary, tackled the ball carrier, forced the fumble and then recovered it.
"That was a major, major play for us," said Snyder, whose team travels to play Oklahoma State on Saturday at 2:30 p.m., on ESPN2.
In the red zone, K-State has allowed opponents to score only 73 percent of the time to rank 11th nationally and second in the Big 12. It's not by accident the Wildcats have been so effective inside their 20, either.
"It's something that we've always really focused on. We really keyed on it in the offseason, fall camp and even throughout the season it's something we really try to focus on," senior safety Brogan Barry said. "It's all about guys knowing how to make adjustments down there, how to change your techniques and really know what they're going to send your way."
Against Oklahoma, an impressive interception by Denzel Goolsby in the end zone and a fourth-down stop at K-State's 19-yard line were instrumental in the Wildcats' upset attempt.
Two weeks later against Texas Tech, a late stop by K-State inside its 20 set up a missed field goal, which allowed the Wildcats to tie the game and eventually win it with a goal-line stand in overtime.
"We've been pretty successful at it," Barry said of the team's red zone defense. "It's always just a mentality when you go out there that we know we're trying to hold them to a field goal and just make sure they're not going to come away with six."
More often than not, K-State's opponents also walk off the field with fewer points than they are accustomed to scoring. This season, K-State has held six of its seven Big 12 opponents either right at or under their scoring average entering the game. Texas was the exception, and it took the Longhorns two overtimes to exceed their season average by 5.5 points.
Most recently, K-State held West Virginia nearly 15 points under its season scoring average that included shutting out the Mountaineers in the second half.
Snyder said the defense simply played better in the second half, especially when it came to limiting sizable plays. The Wildcats only allowed three plays of 15 yards or longer in the final two quarters.
"I think we just played better and did a better job adjusting to some of the defense that they got us on earlier," he said, as his team prepares to face an Oklahoma State attack that averages 45.7 points a game. "The capacity is there. It's just a matter of when we do it and when we don't do it."
When it comes to K-State's defense, opponents' yardage totals do not tell the whole story. This is especially true in Big 12 play.
While the Wildcats have allowed the most yards in the league against conference opponents only, they still rank fourth in the Big 12 in scoring defense (30.1 PPG). Their ability to close the gap from 10th to fourth in these two categories is significant and certainly not lost on head coach Bill Snyder.
"Obviously, at the end of the day, the most significant statistic is points on the board and we've been relatively good in that respect," Snyder said. "There are some other things that become significant for us as well."
Namely, turnovers and red zone defense.
This season, K-State has forced 20 turnovers to rank second in the Big 12 and 19th in the country. The Wildcats are also one of only 10 FBS teams with double-digit fumble recoveries (10) and interceptions (10).
Last week against West Virginia, K-State forced four turnovers that included a pair of fumble recoveries and interceptions. Junior defensive back D.J. Reed accounted for one of each, including a fumble recovery in which he did all the work. On the play, Reed shed a block on a short pass to the boundary, tackled the ball carrier, forced the fumble and then recovered it.
"That was a major, major play for us," said Snyder, whose team travels to play Oklahoma State on Saturday at 2:30 p.m., on ESPN2.
In the red zone, K-State has allowed opponents to score only 73 percent of the time to rank 11th nationally and second in the Big 12. It's not by accident the Wildcats have been so effective inside their 20, either.
"It's something that we've always really focused on. We really keyed on it in the offseason, fall camp and even throughout the season it's something we really try to focus on," senior safety Brogan Barry said. "It's all about guys knowing how to make adjustments down there, how to change your techniques and really know what they're going to send your way."
Against Oklahoma, an impressive interception by Denzel Goolsby in the end zone and a fourth-down stop at K-State's 19-yard line were instrumental in the Wildcats' upset attempt.
Two weeks later against Texas Tech, a late stop by K-State inside its 20 set up a missed field goal, which allowed the Wildcats to tie the game and eventually win it with a goal-line stand in overtime.
"We've been pretty successful at it," Barry said of the team's red zone defense. "It's always just a mentality when you go out there that we know we're trying to hold them to a field goal and just make sure they're not going to come away with six."
More often than not, K-State's opponents also walk off the field with fewer points than they are accustomed to scoring. This season, K-State has held six of its seven Big 12 opponents either right at or under their scoring average entering the game. Texas was the exception, and it took the Longhorns two overtimes to exceed their season average by 5.5 points.
Most recently, K-State held West Virginia nearly 15 points under its season scoring average that included shutting out the Mountaineers in the second half.
Snyder said the defense simply played better in the second half, especially when it came to limiting sizable plays. The Wildcats only allowed three plays of 15 yards or longer in the final two quarters.
"I think we just played better and did a better job adjusting to some of the defense that they got us on earlier," he said, as his team prepares to face an Oklahoma State attack that averages 45.7 points a game. "The capacity is there. It's just a matter of when we do it and when we don't do it."
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