SE: K-State Looking to Cap 2021, Ring in 2022 with a Win
Jan 04, 2022 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman, a proven winner and the first coach in school history to lead the Wildcats to a bowl game in two of his first three seasons, could guide this 2021 squad to a key milestone on Tuesday night: A bowl victory.
The K-State team that began the season with a victory over Stanford at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, will wrap up its campaign 250 miles south at NRG Stadium in Houston when the Wildcats, 7-5, meet LSU, 6-6, for an 8 p.m. kickoff in the TaxAct Texas Bowl.
Asked at the team's pep rally Monday afternoon if he had a favorite moment of bowl week, Klieman paused.
"Tomorrow at 8:15," he said, "is going to be the favorite."
The first meeting between K-State and LSU in 41 years could be one to remember. A steady stream of purple has filled downtown Houston streets in recent days. Just as K-State nation followed the Wildcats to Memphis two years ago (a 20-17 loss to No. 20 Navy in the 2019 Liberty Bowl), tens of thousands are expected to attend, and hopefully witness, another step for the Wildcats under Klieman, who guided North Dakota State to four FCS national titles in five years.
"It's a big game for the program," Klieman said. "The guys are ready to play."
Thousands of K-State fans spilled into Miller Outdoor Park for the pep rally, occupying an expansive grove while others in the crowd sat shaded by the black bandshell that was adorned by a large purple banner reading, "WELCOME K-STATE FAMILY." Fans cheered on the team and clapped in unison as the Wildcats lined the bandstand and the marching band blared "Wildcat Victory."
"It doesn't surprise me that everybody came out to watch these guys tee it up one more time," Klieman said. "And I know some people are still en route."
Sixth-year senior center Noah Johnson, who was virtually unrecruited out of high school, brought his underdog mentality to the stage when discussing the task ahead.
"It's LSU," he said. "They've got four-star and five-star really good players, but we've got really good players, too. It's not about the size of the dog in the fight, it's about the size of fight in the dog."
K-State is one of just 25 Power 5 conference teams to advance to a bowl game in 10 of the past 12 years — a remarkable achievement. But K-State has likely never entered a bowl game in any year with such an abundance of questions regarding its opponent.
Who will start at quarterback for LSU?
Who will start at running back for LSU?
And what about the LSU defense that will be missing some key cogs due to opt-outs ahead of the NFL Draft?
"It doesn't matter — it's still LSU," Klieman said. "They're two years removed from a national championship. It's going to be a big challenge for us. We've got to prepare for everything. They have some really talented guys. Even if some guys haven't played much, they're chomping at the bit to have an opportunity to play."
Thankfully for the Wildcats, they know who their quarterback will be. That's because sixth-year senior Skylar Thompson is fully recovered from a leg injury on Senior Night and is "as healthy as he's been all year" heading into his 40th career start and the final game of his epic career. Thompson, the only player in K-State history to pass for 6,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards, appeared as fluid as ever during the Wildcats' final practice, and is on target with wide receivers Phillip Brooks, Malik Knowles and Landry Weber.
"I'm looking forward to getting out there and putting it all together one more time," Thompson said. "Guys are locked in. This is the most energy and focused prep that I've been a part of for a bowl game."
LSU must also prepare for one of the most dynamic threats in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Consensus All-American sophomore Deuce Vaughn has 1,258 rushing yards and needs just 98 more to finish with the fourth most rushing yards ever in a single season by a K-State running back. Vaughn is also one of only two players in the nation with 1,000 rushing yards and 400 receiving yards this season.
For as much as the 5-foot-6, 173-pound Vaughn shines with the football in his hands, he looked equally as dapper when he sported a Stetson at the pre-bowl Rodeo Bowl this past Saturday.
"I'm absolutely loving it right now," Vaughn said. "This may go in my hat rotation. I may wear this every Wednesday for the rest of my life."
Standing on stage at the pep rally on Monday, someone threw Vaughn another Stetson — this one with the No. 22 encrusted upon it. Fans cheered as Vaughn donned the hat, and fans chanted "DEUUUUUCE!!!" as he began to speak.
"These are my brothers," Vaughn said, pointing toward his teammates. "When it's time to play for each other, it's a family. We're out here to do one thing and that's to get a big-time W."
Quarterbacks coach Collin Klein donned another hat prior to bowl season when Klieman elevated him to interim offensive coordinator. Klein, the 2012 Heisman Trophy finalist, has been a part of the program for more than a decade, and is a "great, great young coach," in the eyes of Klieman.
"I like the plan and the package we have in offensively," Klieman said. "The guys have come together and have come up with a pretty good game plan. Can we run the football? Do we have to throw it around? It's going to be whatever we have to do to try and find a way to be successful."
Meanwhile, K-State's ability to succeed defensively could hinge on its ability to adjust to anything that the Tigers throw at them.
Reports on Monday suggested that freshman quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is not expected to play in the bowl game. That likely passes the torch to freshman walk-on quarterbacks Tavion Faulk and Matt O'Dowd. Neither has attempted a pass this season.
LSU starting running back Ty Davis-Price announced on Friday that he has opted-out of the bowl game to instead prepare for the NFL Draft. The Tigers will likely lean on freshman Corey Kiner, who has 65 carries for 271 yards and 2 touchdowns while appearing in 10 games. No other available LSU running back has more than 16 carries this season.
LSU star wide receiver Kayshon Boutte suffered a season-ending injury in October. Freshman tight end/wide receiver Jack Bech leads the team with 43 catches for 489 yards and 3 touchdowns.
"You don't know what their identity is going to be," defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman said. "When you're not sure who's going to be the trigger man, that's a big deal. When you're not sure of the running style of the tailback that's a big deal. There are going to be some adjustments we're going to need to make on the fly. We've tried to cast a wide net to be prepared for different scenarios and we'll see how it plays out when we get into the game."
Asked about whether LSU backups were eager for the opportunity to contribute, interim head coach Brad Davis replied, "Absolutely."
"That's why you come to LSU," Davis continued. "This is the epitome of big-time college football. For guys to have opportunities to step into roles and go out and perform in that spotlight is a big deal. We're awfully excited for those guys. You'll see some faces out there that perhaps didn't get as much playing time earlier in the year, but we're going to be prepared.
"We're going to put those guys into a position to succeed and we're going to play well."
K-State has given up the fewest explosive plays in the Big 12 Conference this season and in surrendering just 21.1 points per contest possesses its best scoring defense since 2003 while holding 11 of 12 opponents under their season scoring average. The Wildcats rank third in the Big 12 in giving up just 347.5 total yards per game.
"We love the opportunity to go out and play against an opponent like LSU," linebacker Daniel Green said. "We just don't know who we might get. It's something we'll have to adjust to on the fly and make plays. We call ourselves the Mob, so we want to show we can do it. No matter who we go up against, we keep our mentality the same way against anybody."
A perfect ending to the 2021 season within reach, the Wildcats plan to bring their workmanlike mentality onto the field one more time on Tuesday night.
"It's really important for our football team and important for those seniors to go out on top," Klieman said. "A number of guys were there in 2019 when we got beat in the Liberty Bowl and they want to go out with a win. I know what a win does for the offseason for the younger players and how it catapults those guys.
"We're going to lay it all out there."
And late Tuesday night, the Wildcats intend to stand upon another stage — to accept the Texas Bowl trophy.
Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman, a proven winner and the first coach in school history to lead the Wildcats to a bowl game in two of his first three seasons, could guide this 2021 squad to a key milestone on Tuesday night: A bowl victory.
The K-State team that began the season with a victory over Stanford at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, will wrap up its campaign 250 miles south at NRG Stadium in Houston when the Wildcats, 7-5, meet LSU, 6-6, for an 8 p.m. kickoff in the TaxAct Texas Bowl.
Asked at the team's pep rally Monday afternoon if he had a favorite moment of bowl week, Klieman paused.
"Tomorrow at 8:15," he said, "is going to be the favorite."
The first meeting between K-State and LSU in 41 years could be one to remember. A steady stream of purple has filled downtown Houston streets in recent days. Just as K-State nation followed the Wildcats to Memphis two years ago (a 20-17 loss to No. 20 Navy in the 2019 Liberty Bowl), tens of thousands are expected to attend, and hopefully witness, another step for the Wildcats under Klieman, who guided North Dakota State to four FCS national titles in five years.
"It's a big game for the program," Klieman said. "The guys are ready to play."
Thousands of K-State fans spilled into Miller Outdoor Park for the pep rally, occupying an expansive grove while others in the crowd sat shaded by the black bandshell that was adorned by a large purple banner reading, "WELCOME K-STATE FAMILY." Fans cheered on the team and clapped in unison as the Wildcats lined the bandstand and the marching band blared "Wildcat Victory."
"It doesn't surprise me that everybody came out to watch these guys tee it up one more time," Klieman said. "And I know some people are still en route."
Sixth-year senior center Noah Johnson, who was virtually unrecruited out of high school, brought his underdog mentality to the stage when discussing the task ahead.
"It's LSU," he said. "They've got four-star and five-star really good players, but we've got really good players, too. It's not about the size of the dog in the fight, it's about the size of fight in the dog."
K-State is one of just 25 Power 5 conference teams to advance to a bowl game in 10 of the past 12 years — a remarkable achievement. But K-State has likely never entered a bowl game in any year with such an abundance of questions regarding its opponent.
Who will start at quarterback for LSU?
Who will start at running back for LSU?
And what about the LSU defense that will be missing some key cogs due to opt-outs ahead of the NFL Draft?
"It doesn't matter — it's still LSU," Klieman said. "They're two years removed from a national championship. It's going to be a big challenge for us. We've got to prepare for everything. They have some really talented guys. Even if some guys haven't played much, they're chomping at the bit to have an opportunity to play."
Thankfully for the Wildcats, they know who their quarterback will be. That's because sixth-year senior Skylar Thompson is fully recovered from a leg injury on Senior Night and is "as healthy as he's been all year" heading into his 40th career start and the final game of his epic career. Thompson, the only player in K-State history to pass for 6,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards, appeared as fluid as ever during the Wildcats' final practice, and is on target with wide receivers Phillip Brooks, Malik Knowles and Landry Weber.
"I'm looking forward to getting out there and putting it all together one more time," Thompson said. "Guys are locked in. This is the most energy and focused prep that I've been a part of for a bowl game."
LSU must also prepare for one of the most dynamic threats in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Consensus All-American sophomore Deuce Vaughn has 1,258 rushing yards and needs just 98 more to finish with the fourth most rushing yards ever in a single season by a K-State running back. Vaughn is also one of only two players in the nation with 1,000 rushing yards and 400 receiving yards this season.
For as much as the 5-foot-6, 173-pound Vaughn shines with the football in his hands, he looked equally as dapper when he sported a Stetson at the pre-bowl Rodeo Bowl this past Saturday.
"I'm absolutely loving it right now," Vaughn said. "This may go in my hat rotation. I may wear this every Wednesday for the rest of my life."
Standing on stage at the pep rally on Monday, someone threw Vaughn another Stetson — this one with the No. 22 encrusted upon it. Fans cheered as Vaughn donned the hat, and fans chanted "DEUUUUUCE!!!" as he began to speak.
"These are my brothers," Vaughn said, pointing toward his teammates. "When it's time to play for each other, it's a family. We're out here to do one thing and that's to get a big-time W."
Quarterbacks coach Collin Klein donned another hat prior to bowl season when Klieman elevated him to interim offensive coordinator. Klein, the 2012 Heisman Trophy finalist, has been a part of the program for more than a decade, and is a "great, great young coach," in the eyes of Klieman.
"I like the plan and the package we have in offensively," Klieman said. "The guys have come together and have come up with a pretty good game plan. Can we run the football? Do we have to throw it around? It's going to be whatever we have to do to try and find a way to be successful."
Meanwhile, K-State's ability to succeed defensively could hinge on its ability to adjust to anything that the Tigers throw at them.
Reports on Monday suggested that freshman quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is not expected to play in the bowl game. That likely passes the torch to freshman walk-on quarterbacks Tavion Faulk and Matt O'Dowd. Neither has attempted a pass this season.
LSU starting running back Ty Davis-Price announced on Friday that he has opted-out of the bowl game to instead prepare for the NFL Draft. The Tigers will likely lean on freshman Corey Kiner, who has 65 carries for 271 yards and 2 touchdowns while appearing in 10 games. No other available LSU running back has more than 16 carries this season.
LSU star wide receiver Kayshon Boutte suffered a season-ending injury in October. Freshman tight end/wide receiver Jack Bech leads the team with 43 catches for 489 yards and 3 touchdowns.
"You don't know what their identity is going to be," defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman said. "When you're not sure who's going to be the trigger man, that's a big deal. When you're not sure of the running style of the tailback that's a big deal. There are going to be some adjustments we're going to need to make on the fly. We've tried to cast a wide net to be prepared for different scenarios and we'll see how it plays out when we get into the game."
Asked about whether LSU backups were eager for the opportunity to contribute, interim head coach Brad Davis replied, "Absolutely."
"That's why you come to LSU," Davis continued. "This is the epitome of big-time college football. For guys to have opportunities to step into roles and go out and perform in that spotlight is a big deal. We're awfully excited for those guys. You'll see some faces out there that perhaps didn't get as much playing time earlier in the year, but we're going to be prepared.
"We're going to put those guys into a position to succeed and we're going to play well."
K-State has given up the fewest explosive plays in the Big 12 Conference this season and in surrendering just 21.1 points per contest possesses its best scoring defense since 2003 while holding 11 of 12 opponents under their season scoring average. The Wildcats rank third in the Big 12 in giving up just 347.5 total yards per game.
"We love the opportunity to go out and play against an opponent like LSU," linebacker Daniel Green said. "We just don't know who we might get. It's something we'll have to adjust to on the fly and make plays. We call ourselves the Mob, so we want to show we can do it. No matter who we go up against, we keep our mentality the same way against anybody."
A perfect ending to the 2021 season within reach, the Wildcats plan to bring their workmanlike mentality onto the field one more time on Tuesday night.
"It's really important for our football team and important for those seniors to go out on top," Klieman said. "A number of guys were there in 2019 when we got beat in the Liberty Bowl and they want to go out with a win. I know what a win does for the offseason for the younger players and how it catapults those guys.
"We're going to lay it all out there."
And late Tuesday night, the Wildcats intend to stand upon another stage — to accept the Texas Bowl trophy.
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