SE: K-State Football Notebook – November 11
Nov 11, 2020 | Football, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
K-State Football doesn't have a game on the schedule this weekend, but that doesn't mean the Wildcats are without an opponent.
"We're down upwards of 20 guys right now – mostly the young guys – so we have to be really creative with what we do this week," Chris Klieman said. "It's just an interesting week of trying to get better."
Like every team in the country, K-State has been working to stay one step ahead in a COVID-19-adjusted season. Part of that comes down to roster depth - on the field and in the locker room.
That's where a guy like Deuce Vaughn, already a force on Saturdays, has stepped up in his first season with the program.
"If I'm told something by a coach, of course I'm going to say, 'Oh, alright, I have to do that,' but then again, when it's your best friend or a close peer…I feel like it's different," Vaughn said. "That's something that I can work on even though I'm the same age as some of them just saying, 'Hey man, that's not what we need to be doing right now.' We have a season to play."
The Road Ahead
With three games left in the 2020 season, the Wildcats still control their destiny in the hunt for the conference title game.
"I told them boys, 'We are going to see you again in the Big 12 Championship,'" Justin Hughes said after the Oklahoma State loss. "That's a good team we just played, and we are a good team. We made a few more mistakes than they did and that's why they came out on top, but we will see them again."
If K-State wins out, the Wildcats are headed to Arlington. It's that simple.
And it would start with defeating No. 17 Iowa State next weekend, no small task, but a win that would put some interesting scenarios on the table.
Here's just one to keep in mind: If No. 18 Oklahoma, No. 21 Texas and K-State all win next weekend, the Big 12 will have a four-way tie in first place - with just two games remaining on the conference schedule.
There's not a more competitive race in college football and the Wildcats are right in the hunt.
Re-Defining Deuce Vaughn
One of the best things about college football is that every player's story unfolds over the course of about 50 games.
Two years ago, Wyatt Hubert was a promising redshirt freshman at defensive end. Now, Big 12 defenses have to scheme up ways to avoid games like Saturday, when Hubert had 2.5 sacks against No. 14 Oklahoma State.
Before the season opener, Deuce Vaughn cracked the depth chart as a backup running back, and now, just seven games later, the true freshman was asked if he was OK running plays as a decoy.
Even in a blink-and-you-miss it sport, that kind of leap shouldn't be possible.
"You get your name called out on some plays whenever you line up out wide, or you're in the backfield you may get pointed at, you'll get, '22, 22!' A little bit more as the season goes along," Vaughn said. "Whenever you get out there and they start keying you, it opens things for the other people in your offense."
Vaughn finished with 40 yards on the ground against Oklahoma State and a five-yard catch. Sure, Vaughn will have bigger games, but he still found a way to make an impact.
On the 69-yard quarterback keeper from Will Howard that set up K-State's first touchdown of the afternoon, Vaughn lined up in the slot before going in motion.
No less than four Cowboys followed him, and all Howard needed to do was start running.
"I'll do that all day if we're popping big gains and other dudes are getting big gains as well," Vaughn said. "I'll be a decoy or do whatever I've got to do to get them out of there."
Will Howard's Evolution
Just four starts into his K-State career, Will Howard has made a living doing two things at once.
He's learning how to be a D1 quarterback while helping K-State battle their way through a Big 12 race. Howard has also flashed his potential as a pocket passer and used his legs to come up with game-breaking plays.
"They told me coming in that running the ball was definitely going to be a big part of the game here," he said. "It's a part of the offense and a lot of it is option game and designed quarterback runs."
Howard rushed for 125 and a touchdown against Oklahoma State, the second-most rushing yards that a true freshman, at any position, has ever racked up in one game at K-State.
He also became the 13th quarterback in school history to rush for at least 125 yards in a game.
That might not be the goal every Saturday as Howard continues to develop as a quarterback, but as a foundation? You could do worse than climbing the K-State rushing records.
"At the end of the day, I just try to look at it as it's just football and it's what I have to do. I really like running the ball," Howard said. "I've enjoyed doing that a little more at this level and just trying to have fun with it and continue to get better at that part of my game."
K-State Football doesn't have a game on the schedule this weekend, but that doesn't mean the Wildcats are without an opponent.
"We're down upwards of 20 guys right now – mostly the young guys – so we have to be really creative with what we do this week," Chris Klieman said. "It's just an interesting week of trying to get better."
Like every team in the country, K-State has been working to stay one step ahead in a COVID-19-adjusted season. Part of that comes down to roster depth - on the field and in the locker room.
That's where a guy like Deuce Vaughn, already a force on Saturdays, has stepped up in his first season with the program.
"If I'm told something by a coach, of course I'm going to say, 'Oh, alright, I have to do that,' but then again, when it's your best friend or a close peer…I feel like it's different," Vaughn said. "That's something that I can work on even though I'm the same age as some of them just saying, 'Hey man, that's not what we need to be doing right now.' We have a season to play."
The Road Ahead
With three games left in the 2020 season, the Wildcats still control their destiny in the hunt for the conference title game.
"I told them boys, 'We are going to see you again in the Big 12 Championship,'" Justin Hughes said after the Oklahoma State loss. "That's a good team we just played, and we are a good team. We made a few more mistakes than they did and that's why they came out on top, but we will see them again."
If K-State wins out, the Wildcats are headed to Arlington. It's that simple.
And it would start with defeating No. 17 Iowa State next weekend, no small task, but a win that would put some interesting scenarios on the table.
Here's just one to keep in mind: If No. 18 Oklahoma, No. 21 Texas and K-State all win next weekend, the Big 12 will have a four-way tie in first place - with just two games remaining on the conference schedule.
There's not a more competitive race in college football and the Wildcats are right in the hunt.
Re-Defining Deuce Vaughn
One of the best things about college football is that every player's story unfolds over the course of about 50 games.
Two years ago, Wyatt Hubert was a promising redshirt freshman at defensive end. Now, Big 12 defenses have to scheme up ways to avoid games like Saturday, when Hubert had 2.5 sacks against No. 14 Oklahoma State.
Before the season opener, Deuce Vaughn cracked the depth chart as a backup running back, and now, just seven games later, the true freshman was asked if he was OK running plays as a decoy.
Even in a blink-and-you-miss it sport, that kind of leap shouldn't be possible.
"You get your name called out on some plays whenever you line up out wide, or you're in the backfield you may get pointed at, you'll get, '22, 22!' A little bit more as the season goes along," Vaughn said. "Whenever you get out there and they start keying you, it opens things for the other people in your offense."
Vaughn finished with 40 yards on the ground against Oklahoma State and a five-yard catch. Sure, Vaughn will have bigger games, but he still found a way to make an impact.
On the 69-yard quarterback keeper from Will Howard that set up K-State's first touchdown of the afternoon, Vaughn lined up in the slot before going in motion.
No less than four Cowboys followed him, and all Howard needed to do was start running.
There goes Will Howard!
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 7, 2020
The @KStateFB QB breaks loose for 69 yards 🙌 pic.twitter.com/AgIanCTB2l
"I'll do that all day if we're popping big gains and other dudes are getting big gains as well," Vaughn said. "I'll be a decoy or do whatever I've got to do to get them out of there."
Will Howard's Evolution
Just four starts into his K-State career, Will Howard has made a living doing two things at once.
He's learning how to be a D1 quarterback while helping K-State battle their way through a Big 12 race. Howard has also flashed his potential as a pocket passer and used his legs to come up with game-breaking plays.
"They told me coming in that running the ball was definitely going to be a big part of the game here," he said. "It's a part of the offense and a lot of it is option game and designed quarterback runs."
Howard rushed for 125 and a touchdown against Oklahoma State, the second-most rushing yards that a true freshman, at any position, has ever racked up in one game at K-State.
He also became the 13th quarterback in school history to rush for at least 125 yards in a game.
That might not be the goal every Saturday as Howard continues to develop as a quarterback, but as a foundation? You could do worse than climbing the K-State rushing records.
"At the end of the day, I just try to look at it as it's just football and it's what I have to do. I really like running the ball," Howard said. "I've enjoyed doing that a little more at this level and just trying to have fun with it and continue to get better at that part of my game."
Players Mentioned
Wednesday, June 03
Tuesday, June 02
Monday, June 01
Thursday, May 28
