SE: K-State Football Notebook – Iowa State Week
Nov 18, 2020 | Football, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
Chris Klieman is a players' coach, in that there's nothing he likes talking about more than his players.
Coaching his first K-State game back home in Iowa and a rivalry with the Cyclones?
"I'm not as familiar, probably, with the rivalry just because I've only been a part of it (once)."
Any similarities between his team's results in 2019 and 2020?
"I don't really play much into that at all. You better execute every week and each day get yourself prepared to play on Saturday."
But ask the K-State head coach about one of his players and he's happy to get as specific as anyone in college football.
Looking ahead to Saturday's matchup with Iowa State, Klieman went long on the success of Ekow Boye-Doe.
"I think none of us are surprised because he's probably the fastest guy on the football team," Klieman said. "Look at somebody that has been here for his third year and… all of the sudden he's thrust into it. The biggest thing I would say is when your opportunity does come, make the most of it."
The sophomore cornerback has embodied the "next man up" mentality that K-State has needed in 2020, stepping into the biggest role of his career.
"For us, we're really excited because he's a young player, and I know his best football is in front of him," Klieman said. "It's all about confidence, and he's playing with a lot of confidence right now."
Boye-Doe hits the home stretch of the 2020 season among the top 25 players in the country in passes defended. For Big 12 quarterbacks, throwing his way this season has been a mistake.
"I feel like I prepared for that moment right there out on the practice field every day, whether I know I'm going to play or not," Boye-Doe said. "I think the biggest thing is for sure giving it my all on the practice field and being able to execute on the field when it comes to big plays."
Keeping the Kids Engaged
One impact of a COVID 19-adjusted season for the K-State coaching staff has been a greater emphasis on maintaining a roster full of guys who can step in at a moment's notice.
It's one thing to award practice and scout team players of the week, but keeping those young players engaged is a weekly focus for Klieman.
"We visit every Sunday and go through the 'bottom half' of the roster, the young guys that aren't playing a whole bunch right now and spend a good amount of time on those guys," Klieman said. "We have to continue to talk about the future and have to continue to push guys to be better."
He added that part of that means creating practice reps that intentionally match "young guys vs. young guys" and finding ways to get those players involved on special teams.
For the Wildcats themselves, it means taking on a leadership role that extends beyond Saturday.
"Every year we have a big role in keeping the younger guys in line and mentoring them. It's tough when you get here," Eli Huggins said. "Us older guys definitely have had to take on a new and bigger role of mentoring these guys and trying to be there for them as much as we can."
KliemanBall
Chris Klieman is a sports fan. That much seems obvious after Tuesday's press conference.
How else could he invoke the Tampa Bay Rays, Penn State Nittany Lions and Nick Chubb to make a point about analytics in college football?
Klieman used a range of sports and scenarios to explain how he balances gut instinct with the analytics that are increasingly common throughout his own sport in 2020.
"I get it. There's a second guess world. If I'm the Tampa Bay Rays, why are we taking that guy out?" Klieman said. "Why did the kid go out of bounds at the one-yard line in the NFL? We had a situation this year and Deuce (Vaughn) scored a touchdown against Texas Tech. We were in a 'go down' situation. It's hard."
At K-State, Thursdays and Fridays are spent preparing for those situations where players might need to take the analytics into account. It's also an emphasis throughout preseason camp.
Klieman pointed to the Penn State vs. Indiana game this season as another example, when the Nittany Lions could have ended the game by holding on to the football instead of scoring.
"Everybody has their different analytics and data analysis that tell you when you should go and shouldn't go. It still has to be a gut decision from a coaching staff, and I'm obviously responsible for that," he said. "I sleep well at night knowing that I'm giving our kids the best opportunity to be successful."
Chris Klieman is a players' coach, in that there's nothing he likes talking about more than his players.
Coaching his first K-State game back home in Iowa and a rivalry with the Cyclones?
"I'm not as familiar, probably, with the rivalry just because I've only been a part of it (once)."
Any similarities between his team's results in 2019 and 2020?
"I don't really play much into that at all. You better execute every week and each day get yourself prepared to play on Saturday."
But ask the K-State head coach about one of his players and he's happy to get as specific as anyone in college football.
Looking ahead to Saturday's matchup with Iowa State, Klieman went long on the success of Ekow Boye-Doe.
"I think none of us are surprised because he's probably the fastest guy on the football team," Klieman said. "Look at somebody that has been here for his third year and… all of the sudden he's thrust into it. The biggest thing I would say is when your opportunity does come, make the most of it."
The sophomore cornerback has embodied the "next man up" mentality that K-State has needed in 2020, stepping into the biggest role of his career.
"For us, we're really excited because he's a young player, and I know his best football is in front of him," Klieman said. "It's all about confidence, and he's playing with a lot of confidence right now."
Boye-Doe hits the home stretch of the 2020 season among the top 25 players in the country in passes defended. For Big 12 quarterbacks, throwing his way this season has been a mistake.
"I feel like I prepared for that moment right there out on the practice field every day, whether I know I'm going to play or not," Boye-Doe said. "I think the biggest thing is for sure giving it my all on the practice field and being able to execute on the field when it comes to big plays."
Keeping the Kids Engaged
One impact of a COVID 19-adjusted season for the K-State coaching staff has been a greater emphasis on maintaining a roster full of guys who can step in at a moment's notice.
It's one thing to award practice and scout team players of the week, but keeping those young players engaged is a weekly focus for Klieman.
"We visit every Sunday and go through the 'bottom half' of the roster, the young guys that aren't playing a whole bunch right now and spend a good amount of time on those guys," Klieman said. "We have to continue to talk about the future and have to continue to push guys to be better."
He added that part of that means creating practice reps that intentionally match "young guys vs. young guys" and finding ways to get those players involved on special teams.
For the Wildcats themselves, it means taking on a leadership role that extends beyond Saturday.
"Every year we have a big role in keeping the younger guys in line and mentoring them. It's tough when you get here," Eli Huggins said. "Us older guys definitely have had to take on a new and bigger role of mentoring these guys and trying to be there for them as much as we can."
KliemanBall
Chris Klieman is a sports fan. That much seems obvious after Tuesday's press conference.
How else could he invoke the Tampa Bay Rays, Penn State Nittany Lions and Nick Chubb to make a point about analytics in college football?
Klieman used a range of sports and scenarios to explain how he balances gut instinct with the analytics that are increasingly common throughout his own sport in 2020.
"I get it. There's a second guess world. If I'm the Tampa Bay Rays, why are we taking that guy out?" Klieman said. "Why did the kid go out of bounds at the one-yard line in the NFL? We had a situation this year and Deuce (Vaughn) scored a touchdown against Texas Tech. We were in a 'go down' situation. It's hard."
At K-State, Thursdays and Fridays are spent preparing for those situations where players might need to take the analytics into account. It's also an emphasis throughout preseason camp.
Klieman pointed to the Penn State vs. Indiana game this season as another example, when the Nittany Lions could have ended the game by holding on to the football instead of scoring.
"Everybody has their different analytics and data analysis that tell you when you should go and shouldn't go. It still has to be a gut decision from a coaching staff, and I'm obviously responsible for that," he said. "I sleep well at night knowing that I'm giving our kids the best opportunity to be successful."
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