SE: K-State Special Teams Continues Tradition of High Level Performance

By Corbin McGuire

Matthew McCrane's leg was worn out. His performance showed it. Yet, despite many misses at a K-State special teams camp years ago, associate head coach/special teams coordinator Sean Snyder saw a young kicker whose technique showed promise.

McCrane's eyes opened to a school that was truly invested in special teams.

"I did not perform very well in front of Sean," McCrane recalled of that camp, which followed many others in a short span, thus the sore leg and errant kicks. "He said, 'Ignore that. I don't care if it goes in. I'm watching your technique.' That's when it kind of stuck out to me that at this place, special teams are of importance."

Special teams are a priority at K-State, evidenced by many stories like McCrane's and performances like last week's 30-20 win at Kansas. K-State's special-teams units were instrumental in securing the Wildcats' ninth-straight win over their in-state rival, accounting for 18 points collectively.

McCrane knocked in all three of his field goal attempts, including a 41-yarder late in the game to go up two scores, along with three more extra points. D.J. Reed scored the Wildcats' first touchdown on a 99-yard kickoff return.

Even more, the average starting field position for K-State was its 49-yard line, while the Jayhawks' was on their own 18.

"D.J. did a great job. Matt was clutch, hit that field goal late to make it a two-possession game," senior punter Nick Walsh said. "It doesn't happen without the whole group of guys. Without the snap, the hold, without the cover guys running down making tackles, without the blocks for D.J., none of that happens."

K-State's dominance in special teams is nothing new, either.

With 189 total return yards against Kansas, Reed earned his second Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honor of this season, K-State's conference-leading 26^th such honor since 2011. McCrane received one of them earlier this season along with the Lou Groza Award "Star of the Week" honor, following a 4-for-4 field goal performance in a 33-20 win against Baylor.

"In my opinion we're the No. 1 special-teams unit in the country, hands down, and that's a tribute to Coach Snyder," said McCrane, one of 20 semifinalists for the 2017 Lou Groza Award. "He takes a lot of time and effort and puts a lot into it, and we practice it probably more than any other team."

Reed's touchdown against Kansas extended K-State's nation-leading streak to 13 years with at least one kickoff return score. Since that streak began in 2005, the Wildcats have returned 24 kickoffs for touchdowns and given up just eight. The last time K-State gave up a kickoff return touchdown was 2013, 58 games and 233 kickoffs ago.

Add in punt-return scores since 2005 and K-State leads the nation with 44 touchdowns off special teams returns, 16 more than the next-closest school.

"Sean Snyder as well as Coach (Bill) Snyder puts a lot of emphasis on it all year-round, 365," said Walsh, whose season average of 43.3 yards per punt ranks sixth in school history and third in the Big 12. "We have that in our heads year-round. It's just something we have to take pride in, something that traditionally K-State's known for being good at, and so it's just something that's always instilled in us to do well at."

Specials teams are also serve as a gateway for offensive and defensive players to earn more time on the field. Year in and year out, starters one season were special-teams standouts the year before.

"They tell you if you're not putting in the effort on special teams then you're not going to get on the field on offense and defense. A lot of guys take that to heart," Walsh said. "If he's not putting it all on the field for special teams, then they're just not going to play him. They're going to bring in another guy that will."

From backup linebackers to kickers like McCrane, this standard has created a successful culture of special teams play. Players look to take advantage of every opportunity they get.

For McCrane, this mindset has allowed him to climb into some elite company at K-State.

He currently ranks first in school history and sixth nationally for career field goal percentage (86.4/51-of-59) and first in school history in extra-point percentage (99.1). With three more made field goals, he will tie Martin Gramatica for most in K-State history at 54. If McCrane makes one more field of 50 yards or longer, he will become K-State's single-season and all-time leader.

"In the end I can't control that," McCrane said, as K-State travels to play Texas Tech on Saturday at 11 a.m. "The only thing I can do is whenever my number's called, I go out there and make it. That is my chance to beat those records. When I get my chance, I can't miss."

Kansas State University Athletics

SE: K-State Special Teams Continues Tradition of High Level Performance

Players Mentioned

Matthew McCrane

D.J. Reed

Nick Walsh

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