SE: Wildcats Eager to Turn the Corner Beginning Saturday
Oct 22, 2021 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Kansas State believes that its best football is ahead and will look to turn around a three-game skid when the Wildcats travel to face Texas Tech on Saturday. K-State spent a week getting back to basics while attempting to put behind the bumps against Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Iowa State to start Big 12 Conference season.
"We've got a great locker room in there," head coach Chris Klieman said. "We have kids who do care about each other, kids who love each other, coaches that believe in these kids, and we can't give up on them."
While K-State's first three Big 12 foes are a combined 17-2 this week — Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are both ranked in the top 10 of the Associated Press Poll — the Wildcats, 3-3 overall and 0-3 in the Big 12, next face four opponents are at or below .500 in league play in Texas Tech (5-2, 2-2), TCU (3-3, 1-2), Kansas (1-5, 0-3) and West Virginia (2-4, 0-3).
There's still plenty of opportunities for the Wildcats.
"I've been pleased with our leadership council to be able to bring guys together," Klieman said. "Guys know we need to take ownership and get this thing righted in the right direction. We've played a pretty good schedule, too, and we've got to take that into consideration. We had an opportunity to win all three games and didn't. Now we have a chance to move forward to the next one.
"You can't trip on what's behind you."
Although K-State kept things close a majority of the time in its defeats at Oklahoma State (31-20), against Oklahoma (37-31) and Iowa State (33-20), various shortcomings on offense and defense — even on special teams against the Cyclones — ultimately prevented the Wildcats from building upon their perfect 3-0 start.
"We're close," Klieman said, "but nobody wants to hear 'close.' We need to get it done."
K-State's strength of schedule ranks No. 2 in the nation in the current Sagarin Ratings heading into Saturday's 11 a.m. kickoff at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas.
The Texas Tech game could be coming at just the right time. K-State has won nine of the last 10 in the series, including each of the last five. The Wildcats last two wins in Lubbock were nail biters with a 42-35 overtime victory in 2017 followed by a 30-27 win in 2019.
"We know we're a good football team," senior quarterback Skylar Thompson said. "We just need to make four or five more plays to win games. I understand it's frustrating and losing isn't fun, but our locker room is full of a lot of competitors who hate to lose."
A 2021 Preseason All-American, sophomore running back Deuce Vaughn found it challenging to amass his typical diet of triple-digit rushing games at the start of the Big 12. After three straight 100-yard rushing games to open the season, including a career-high 127 rushing yards against Nevada, Vaughn appeared to be keyed on against the Cowboys (22 rushing yards), Sooners (51) and Cyclones (99).
"The most talented guy we have is the sixth-year senior quarterback that has to make the decisions of where the ball should go based on the coverage, pressure and look that he sees," Klieman said. "We're confident that he can do that. If that means Deuce is taken out of something for a series or for a quarter and somebody else is making a play, Deuce will be happy about it. We just want to find a way to win."
The 5-foot-6, 173-pound Vaughn ranks fourth among active players nationally with 124.87 all-purpose yards per game, and he needs just 2 yards to become the third player in school history to 2,000 career all-purpose yards prior to the end of his sophomore year. Vaughn would accomplish the feat in 17 games. Tyler Lockett did so in 18 games. Darren Sproles did so in 19.
The offensive line will look to create more holes for Vaughn against a Texas Tech rush defense that ranks 85th nationally in surrendering 161.7 yards per contest. Vaughn has only had one carry go for longer than 20 yards in the last five games.
"It's huge," sophomore left tackle Cooper Beebe said. "The run game opens up so much stuff. If you can run the ball effectively, it sets the tone. If you're able to run over people, it diminishes them, and it's a confidence booster. We have to sustain blocks and finish through blocks, and if we do that, we're able to set up those longer runs."
Meanwhile, Thompson has completed 69% of his passes while throwing for 526 yards with five touchdowns and just one interception over the past two games. He completed passes to eight different targets against Oklahoma and seven against Iowa State.
"I think our passing game has taken a huge step in the right direction over the past couple weeks," Thompson said. "Guys are having confidence understanding the schemes and in understanding the opposing defense and how we're going to attack. We just have to raise the bar even more. We're working and doing everything we can to do that."
K-State seeks improvement particularly coming out of the locker room in the third quarter. The Wildcats have scored just two touchdowns and one field goal in the third quarter this season, and their second half-opening drives have produced just one field goal.
"We have an inability to stay on the field early, and we haven't been third and extra long, we've been third and manageable, but we haven't managed it, and then the other side (the opposing offense) has done a nice job of sustaining a seven- or eight-minute drive," offensive coordinator Courtney Messingham said. "We've got to do a good job, and we haven't, of the first opportunity we have the ball in the second half, put a drive together, because that makes us feel much better as a whole when we do something with the first opportunity."
On defense, the emphasis has been on simplifying the system and getting back to basics. Oklahoma and Iowa State combined to complete 44 of 50 passes against a defense that sorely misses injured Khalid Duke (out for season) and Bronson Massie (week to week) along the defensive line.
Although K-State has been good in eliminating the big play that hindered its performance last season — the Wildcats allowed three plays of 20-plus yards against Oklahoma and three more against Iowa State — opponents have been successful in picking apart the unit and sustaining drives.
Senior cornerback Russ Yeast suggests that there's still work to do.
"A lot of mental mistakes need cleaned up," Yeast said. "It's not things the other team did. We're making self-inflicted wounds. It's super frustrating. Everybody has to be better. Quarterbacks have been pretty good against us in completion percentage, so we need to tighten up coverage and be better when competing for balls.
"Communication, flying around — we just need to play faster as a defense."
They'll be tested by Texas Tech quarterback Henry Colombi, who came off the bench to complete 30 of 42 passes for 244 yards and 2 touchdowns and rushed eight times for 40 yards in his debut performance against K-State last season. Colombi leads the nation's 25th-best scoring offense by completing 79 of 120 passes for 1,066 yards with 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.
Colombi's abilities as a run-pass threat has created ample opportunities for his deep corps of wide receivers. Erik Ezukanma, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound junior, is one of three receivers with at least 15 catches. He has 31 receptions for 505 yards and 1 touchdown. Running back SaRodorick Thompson has 63 carries for 314 yards and six touchdowns.
"Ezukanma might be the best in the league, honestly," defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman said. "He has phenomenal range, he's tough to tackle when he has the ball in his hands and has good speed. He's lights out. As a whole, this may be the best wide receiver room in the conference. It's a talented group."
Oklahoma State (481 total yards), Oklahoma (392) and Iowa State (418) each put up significant yardage against the Wildcats and their new-look 3-3-5 defense.
"We need to continue to simplify so that we are playing faster and more attacking," Klieman said. "If we simplify the plan, simplify the calls, maybe our kids will play it a little bit faster. We've got to take ownership of that as a coaching staff."
Klieman indicated that everyone has looked in the mirror this week.
"Everybody does, and coaches included, and we took ownership on Sunday for some things — we had some mental errors on either side of the ball or on special teams, and you can't put that on the kids," Klieman said. "You've got to look at yourself and put it on yourself as a coach first and say, 'Are we putting these guys in the best position to be successful and are we simplifying it enough so that the kids can understand and play fast?' That's the first thing. As coaches, we need to be better."
Yeast offered a message to fans as the Wildcats prepare for their next important test.
"There's no reason to panic," Yeast said. "We've still got our best football ahead of us. I still think we can run the table. There's no reason we can't go 9-3, so I wouldn't hit the panic button."
Kansas State believes that its best football is ahead and will look to turn around a three-game skid when the Wildcats travel to face Texas Tech on Saturday. K-State spent a week getting back to basics while attempting to put behind the bumps against Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Iowa State to start Big 12 Conference season.
"We've got a great locker room in there," head coach Chris Klieman said. "We have kids who do care about each other, kids who love each other, coaches that believe in these kids, and we can't give up on them."
While K-State's first three Big 12 foes are a combined 17-2 this week — Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are both ranked in the top 10 of the Associated Press Poll — the Wildcats, 3-3 overall and 0-3 in the Big 12, next face four opponents are at or below .500 in league play in Texas Tech (5-2, 2-2), TCU (3-3, 1-2), Kansas (1-5, 0-3) and West Virginia (2-4, 0-3).
There's still plenty of opportunities for the Wildcats.
"I've been pleased with our leadership council to be able to bring guys together," Klieman said. "Guys know we need to take ownership and get this thing righted in the right direction. We've played a pretty good schedule, too, and we've got to take that into consideration. We had an opportunity to win all three games and didn't. Now we have a chance to move forward to the next one.
"You can't trip on what's behind you."
Although K-State kept things close a majority of the time in its defeats at Oklahoma State (31-20), against Oklahoma (37-31) and Iowa State (33-20), various shortcomings on offense and defense — even on special teams against the Cyclones — ultimately prevented the Wildcats from building upon their perfect 3-0 start.
"We're close," Klieman said, "but nobody wants to hear 'close.' We need to get it done."
K-State's strength of schedule ranks No. 2 in the nation in the current Sagarin Ratings heading into Saturday's 11 a.m. kickoff at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas.
The Texas Tech game could be coming at just the right time. K-State has won nine of the last 10 in the series, including each of the last five. The Wildcats last two wins in Lubbock were nail biters with a 42-35 overtime victory in 2017 followed by a 30-27 win in 2019.
"We know we're a good football team," senior quarterback Skylar Thompson said. "We just need to make four or five more plays to win games. I understand it's frustrating and losing isn't fun, but our locker room is full of a lot of competitors who hate to lose."
A 2021 Preseason All-American, sophomore running back Deuce Vaughn found it challenging to amass his typical diet of triple-digit rushing games at the start of the Big 12. After three straight 100-yard rushing games to open the season, including a career-high 127 rushing yards against Nevada, Vaughn appeared to be keyed on against the Cowboys (22 rushing yards), Sooners (51) and Cyclones (99).
"The most talented guy we have is the sixth-year senior quarterback that has to make the decisions of where the ball should go based on the coverage, pressure and look that he sees," Klieman said. "We're confident that he can do that. If that means Deuce is taken out of something for a series or for a quarter and somebody else is making a play, Deuce will be happy about it. We just want to find a way to win."
The 5-foot-6, 173-pound Vaughn ranks fourth among active players nationally with 124.87 all-purpose yards per game, and he needs just 2 yards to become the third player in school history to 2,000 career all-purpose yards prior to the end of his sophomore year. Vaughn would accomplish the feat in 17 games. Tyler Lockett did so in 18 games. Darren Sproles did so in 19.
The offensive line will look to create more holes for Vaughn against a Texas Tech rush defense that ranks 85th nationally in surrendering 161.7 yards per contest. Vaughn has only had one carry go for longer than 20 yards in the last five games.
"It's huge," sophomore left tackle Cooper Beebe said. "The run game opens up so much stuff. If you can run the ball effectively, it sets the tone. If you're able to run over people, it diminishes them, and it's a confidence booster. We have to sustain blocks and finish through blocks, and if we do that, we're able to set up those longer runs."
Meanwhile, Thompson has completed 69% of his passes while throwing for 526 yards with five touchdowns and just one interception over the past two games. He completed passes to eight different targets against Oklahoma and seven against Iowa State.
"I think our passing game has taken a huge step in the right direction over the past couple weeks," Thompson said. "Guys are having confidence understanding the schemes and in understanding the opposing defense and how we're going to attack. We just have to raise the bar even more. We're working and doing everything we can to do that."
K-State seeks improvement particularly coming out of the locker room in the third quarter. The Wildcats have scored just two touchdowns and one field goal in the third quarter this season, and their second half-opening drives have produced just one field goal.
"We have an inability to stay on the field early, and we haven't been third and extra long, we've been third and manageable, but we haven't managed it, and then the other side (the opposing offense) has done a nice job of sustaining a seven- or eight-minute drive," offensive coordinator Courtney Messingham said. "We've got to do a good job, and we haven't, of the first opportunity we have the ball in the second half, put a drive together, because that makes us feel much better as a whole when we do something with the first opportunity."
On defense, the emphasis has been on simplifying the system and getting back to basics. Oklahoma and Iowa State combined to complete 44 of 50 passes against a defense that sorely misses injured Khalid Duke (out for season) and Bronson Massie (week to week) along the defensive line.
Although K-State has been good in eliminating the big play that hindered its performance last season — the Wildcats allowed three plays of 20-plus yards against Oklahoma and three more against Iowa State — opponents have been successful in picking apart the unit and sustaining drives.
Senior cornerback Russ Yeast suggests that there's still work to do.
"A lot of mental mistakes need cleaned up," Yeast said. "It's not things the other team did. We're making self-inflicted wounds. It's super frustrating. Everybody has to be better. Quarterbacks have been pretty good against us in completion percentage, so we need to tighten up coverage and be better when competing for balls.
"Communication, flying around — we just need to play faster as a defense."
They'll be tested by Texas Tech quarterback Henry Colombi, who came off the bench to complete 30 of 42 passes for 244 yards and 2 touchdowns and rushed eight times for 40 yards in his debut performance against K-State last season. Colombi leads the nation's 25th-best scoring offense by completing 79 of 120 passes for 1,066 yards with 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.
Colombi's abilities as a run-pass threat has created ample opportunities for his deep corps of wide receivers. Erik Ezukanma, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound junior, is one of three receivers with at least 15 catches. He has 31 receptions for 505 yards and 1 touchdown. Running back SaRodorick Thompson has 63 carries for 314 yards and six touchdowns.
"Ezukanma might be the best in the league, honestly," defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman said. "He has phenomenal range, he's tough to tackle when he has the ball in his hands and has good speed. He's lights out. As a whole, this may be the best wide receiver room in the conference. It's a talented group."
Oklahoma State (481 total yards), Oklahoma (392) and Iowa State (418) each put up significant yardage against the Wildcats and their new-look 3-3-5 defense.
"We need to continue to simplify so that we are playing faster and more attacking," Klieman said. "If we simplify the plan, simplify the calls, maybe our kids will play it a little bit faster. We've got to take ownership of that as a coaching staff."
Klieman indicated that everyone has looked in the mirror this week.
"Everybody does, and coaches included, and we took ownership on Sunday for some things — we had some mental errors on either side of the ball or on special teams, and you can't put that on the kids," Klieman said. "You've got to look at yourself and put it on yourself as a coach first and say, 'Are we putting these guys in the best position to be successful and are we simplifying it enough so that the kids can understand and play fast?' That's the first thing. As coaches, we need to be better."
Yeast offered a message to fans as the Wildcats prepare for their next important test.
"There's no reason to panic," Yeast said. "We've still got our best football ahead of us. I still think we can run the table. There's no reason we can't go 9-3, so I wouldn't hit the panic button."
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