Cats Call For Electric Crowd Again This Saturday
Sep 07, 2022 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Kansas State fans showed up in force as the Wildcats shutout South Dakota 34-0 in their season opener this past weekend at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The Wildcat faithful will be particularly enthusiastic as former Big 12 Conference member Missouri visits for a 11 a.m. kickoff Saturday.
The game is a sellout.
"We're excited to play Missouri again," K-State head coach Chris Klieman said at his news conference on Tuesday. "I know it's been a while since K-State and Missouri have hooked up. I know our fans are excited about it and our players are excited. I know the fans will be cranked up.
"We had a great, great crowd last Saturday at The Bill. It was an electric crowd. I know our kids really appreciated the fans coming out, the students, and our band was good as always. It was a great atmosphere. I know our players really appreciated that. I want to thank the fans. I challenge them even this week. It's going to need to be even louder and more electric and I think it will for this great game."
This will mark the first meeting between the two schools since K-State won 24-17 in 2011. This will also mark the 98th meeting in a series that dates to 1909.
Saturday's game will be televised on ESPN2.
K-State has won five of its last seven against non-conference Power 5 opponents since 2016. The Wildcats have won all three meetings against non-conference Power 5 foes under Klieman. The Wildcats beat Mississippi State (31-24) in 2019 before defeating Stanford (24-7) and then LSU (42-20) last year in the Texas Bowl.
Missouri comes off a 52-24 thumping of Louisiana Tech in its opener.
"Anytime we have an SEC team or any team that's prolific, especially in a rivalry against Mizzou, we're always looking forward to it," Preseason All-American Deuce Vaughn said. "They have a really good team, athletic guys who are going to challenge us every single play. We have to prepare our way to go out and play a good game on Saturday."
Vaughn doesn't downplay the importance of the crowd on Saturday.
"(It plays) a big-time factor," Vaughn said. "I already heard it was sold out. Dating back to last week, there were 50,000 strong and we felt every single part of that. Knowing that we have that going into this next game, that's big time."
Quarterback Adrian Martinez added: "It was really special, and I think that truly made a different for our team, and I think it will this Saturday, too."
Players are playing for Taylor Poitier after his season-ending injury
Junior starting right guard Taylor Poitier, who saw his 2021 season end before it began when he tore the anterior-cruciate ligament in his left knee during fall camp, has suffered a devastating blow again. Klieman confirmed that Poitier will miss the rest of the 2022 season after suffering another knee injury during the second quarter against South Dakota.
"It's a cruel thing, man," Klieman said. "He tore a knee again and he'll be out for the season. It's awful. Sometimes the cruelest things happen to the best kids. It was confirmed with us on Sunday afternoon that that was the case. He'll be lost for the season. My heart goes out for him because of all he did to get himself back. He'll get surgery once the swelling goes down."
Poitier's injury is being felt among his teammates.
"To see him go down and to see the magnitude of the injury, I'm heartbroken, I'm sick," Vaughn said. "It's something you hate but because of the game that we play it happens. He's someone we're battling for the entire year, definitely. To have this happen two years in a row, no young man deserves that."
Poitier's start against South Dakota marked his first since starting four games in 2020.
"We love Taylor," K-State center Hayden Gillum said. "We're playing for him. Everyone is upset because Taylor is our friend and he's someone you see him put in a lot of work. We have to step up and do more and play for Taylor and do what we can. We have to step up."
Poitier's absence will likely give 6-foot-4, 300-pound sophomore Hadley Panzer his first-career start against Missouri.
"That's the plan," Klieman said. "We'll move some other guys around to continue to get a rotation but right now Hadley will start at right guard."
K-State offense likely has more in store for Missouri
K-State rolled to a 27-0 lead against South Dakota and then substituted during its first possession of the third quarter. Vaughn and wide receivers Phillip Brooks and Malik Knowles went to the sideline. Then Martinez went to the sideline as the Wildcats' lead swelled to 34-0 heading into the fourth quarter.
"We were going to protect Deuce once we got ahead 27-0," Klieman said. "We were going to protect Phillip Brooks and Malik Knowles. We wanted to do some different things."
Klieman added: "There are a lot, a lot of things that we worked on in fall camp that I know Collin Klein didn't get to on the (play) card because he wanted to hold them."
Vaughn finished with 136 rushing yards, including a 39-yard touchdown, for his seventh consecutive 100-yard rushing performance, which is the second-longest streak in K-State history.
Meanwhile, Martinez completed 11 of 15 passes for 53 yards and added 13 carries for 39 yards and a score for an offense that didn't commit a turnover or a false start penalty under first-year offensive coordinator Collin Klein.
"We think we left some plays out there collectively on offense but as far as the game operation and the management of the game, (Martinez) was really good," Klieman said.
Consider game one just a start.
"Coach Klein and the things that we're going to do offensively, I'm excited about," Martinez said.
Five different players carried the ball, and 10 different players caught a pass in the opener. Knowles' game-opening 75-yard touchdown run, and Vaughn's 39-yard touchdown run might've marked just the beginning in what could be a fun offense this season.
"I'm really, really excited just in the fact that we couldn't get to everything we could, and to have that in our arsenal this game and for the rest of the season is big time," Vaughn said, "because you get to see more guys pop, and see more tight ends and wide receivers and other guys that are going to be able to execute some different things other than just base offense."
Klieman and teammates laud the performance of quarterback Jake Rubley and running back DJ Giddens
Redshirt freshmen Jake Rubley and DJ Giddens both saw their first action against South Dakota. Their efforts were met by rave reviews.
Rubley completed all four of his passing attempts for 42 yards.
"I was really excited for him," Martinez said. "The way he's able to rip the ball is really special. He's a talented kid. He made some good decisions out there. He hasn't played a game for a couple years and for him to go out and experience that was cool for all of us."
The 6-foot-1, 212-pound Giddens had six carries for 57 yards and one touchdown. Although it's still early in his career, Giddens showed a mix of burst and physicality somewhat reminiscent of Daniel Thomas — traits that might only continue to evolve as he gains more experience in the backfield.
"(Giddens) played really well," Vaughn said. "He's going to be somebody who's going to be a really good player for us for a long time. I've seen him for the past year and the way that he runs, the offensive line did an amazing job for him, and his burst and explosion, and the way he finishes every play, every time I see him run, I'm like, 'Yeah, he's going to be a big-time player for us.'"
Klieman was pleased with both performances.
"I was excited Jake Rubley got a chance to play because Jake did some really good things," Klieman said. "DJ Giddens runs hard like he's shown all through camp. The growth that DJ has had from last fall and spring where he was just a football player to now a running back who understands the tracks and where the hole is and where the play is hitting, he ran it really well. I'm excited for DJ."
K-State wasted little time after opting to receive the opening kickoff
Klein's debut as offensive coordinator got off to a whale of a start. First, K-State won the coin toss. Then Klieman chose for the Wildcats to receive the opening kickoff. Then Klein dialed up the first play. Seconds later, it was smooth sailing for Knowles on a highlight touchdown that might've set the tone for this offense in 2022.
"We're really, really explosive on offense and I wanted to take the ball in hopes we could take a 7-0 lead and get the crowd really into it," Klieman said. "On the first play I saw Malik coming right at me and Kade Warner and Deuce made some good blocks and it's 7-0, and I said, 'Boy, that worked out well.' I don't know if that's going to be like that every week."
K-State continues to put "special" into special teams
It didn't take long for K-State to flex its collective muscle on special teams in 2022. On South Dakota's second punt attempt of the contest, Seth Porter screamed through a seam and blocked the football, and Desmond Purnell picked it up and ran 17 yards for a touchdown.
It marked K-State's 127th non-offensive touchdown since 1999, which leads the nation over the past 23 years. Alabama ranks second with 118 non-offensive touchdowns over that stretch.
K-State recorded three non-offensive touchdowns last season, as Knowles returned a kickoff for a touchdown at Oklahoma State and against Oklahoma, and Marvin Martin returned a blocked punt for a score against West Virginia.
"We spend a lot of time on special teams, as you know," Klieman said. "There's a lot of time spent on it, but as we know in this league and in college football in general, you have to have a factor in that phase of the game. When you block a punt and score the likelihood of winning goes through the roof.
"We've been very fortunate well before I arrived here with K-State and special teams. We've tried to hold up our end with our staff to make sure that it still is 'Special Teams U,' as our guys call it."
Khalid Duke sees his first action in nearly a year
The long wait is finally over. Khalid Duke officially made his return to the field against South Dakota.
The 6-foot-4, 246-pound linebacker/defensive end suffered a season-ending injury to his left knee against Nevada last September 18, causing him to redshirt his junior season, and dealing a tough blow to a special talent that Klieman at the time called "one of the best pass rushers we have in the Big 12."
Duke started at strongside linebacker alongside middle linebacker Daniel Green and weakside linebacker Austin Moore.
"(Duke) felt good," Klieman said. "I think Khalid is going to be better as the season goes on and as he gets more and more comfortable playing the outside linebacker spot as his body gets into better and better football shape. He only played that position for about a game last year and then he got hurt in the second or third game when he was playing defensive end.
"It's a little work in progress because he missed spring and fall camp at that new position, but he's explosive and he runs through people."
Kobe Savage "is an energizer bunny" for the defense
Kobe Savage was all smiles after the 5-foot-11, 206-pound junior strong safety played in his first game at K-State. A transfer from Tyler (Texas) Junior College, Savage collected two tackles, including one tackle for a loss, and he was seemingly all over the field delivering big hits in key situations.
"I just wanted to set the tone and let everybody know who we are and what we're going to bring," Savage said after the game. "The mission was definitely to establish myself with the team and show everybody who we are, and I really wanted to let the world know I belong here and I'm going to show out."
Klieman on Tuesday said, "That kid is an energizer bunny."
"Man, does he play hard," Klieman continued. "If you can't tell, he has a lot of fun out there and he loves contact. It's kind of infectious because it got the crowd going, got our defense going, got the sideline going. That's what I've seen from the kid all spring and all fall. He's a football junkie. He's up in that office all the time. He's going to be up there watching film all the time. He wants to be a sponge and learn as much as he can. This is how you learn to be really good. You learn your craft and play extremely fast and trust your eyes and trust your keys."
Martinez can appreciate Savage's enthusiasm.
"He's aggressive," Martinez said. "I think we all kind of saw that in spring ball and fall camp. He'd come downhill really hard. But you never really know until you're out there, and he really showed that's what he's about. He's a great teammate. He has a contagious type of energy."
Cornerbacks Julius Brents and Ekow Boye-Doe to be challenged by Missouri's wide receivers
Although Missouri during its 52-24 win over Louisiana Tech racked up 323 rushing yards — it marked its most rushing yards in a game since 2017 — the Tigers present some dangerous pass catchers, which figure to provide a test for Preseason All-Big 12 cornerback Julius Brents along with Ekow Boye-Doe.
Sophomore quarterback Brady Cook completed 18 of 27 passes for 195 yards and one touchdown and one interception and added 61 rushing yards on seven carries, including a 20-yard touchdown run for the Tigers. Cook completed passes to nine different pass-catchers, including 5-foot-11, 215-pound Luther Burden III, who became the first true freshman to start a season opener at Missouri since Jeremy Maclin in 2007. Burden had three catches for 17 yards and a touchdown and scored on a 17-yard run as well.
Sophomore Dominic Lovett had six catches for 76 yards, and graduate transfer Barrett Banister had three catches for 43 yards. The 6-foot, 195-pound Banister is a sixth-year player who has played in 45 career games and has recorded at least 27 receptions in three straight seasons.
"They have really good guys up front and a number of backs that can sprinkle in and a very dynamic at the wide receiver position," Klieman said. "They have guys who can hit home runs whether it's through the vertical passing game or jet sweeps or just getting the ball out in space."
It should make for some intriguing matchups on Saturday.
"Julius has always been a physical guy," Klieman said. "He and Ekow are going to get challenged and I'm excited for those two guys. I think bookended we have really good corners. We have some good young players behind those two. Julius and Ekow will get challenged this week for sure and I'm sure they're excited about it."
Kansas State fans showed up in force as the Wildcats shutout South Dakota 34-0 in their season opener this past weekend at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The Wildcat faithful will be particularly enthusiastic as former Big 12 Conference member Missouri visits for a 11 a.m. kickoff Saturday.
The game is a sellout.
"We're excited to play Missouri again," K-State head coach Chris Klieman said at his news conference on Tuesday. "I know it's been a while since K-State and Missouri have hooked up. I know our fans are excited about it and our players are excited. I know the fans will be cranked up.
"We had a great, great crowd last Saturday at The Bill. It was an electric crowd. I know our kids really appreciated the fans coming out, the students, and our band was good as always. It was a great atmosphere. I know our players really appreciated that. I want to thank the fans. I challenge them even this week. It's going to need to be even louder and more electric and I think it will for this great game."
This will mark the first meeting between the two schools since K-State won 24-17 in 2011. This will also mark the 98th meeting in a series that dates to 1909.
Saturday's game will be televised on ESPN2.
K-State has won five of its last seven against non-conference Power 5 opponents since 2016. The Wildcats have won all three meetings against non-conference Power 5 foes under Klieman. The Wildcats beat Mississippi State (31-24) in 2019 before defeating Stanford (24-7) and then LSU (42-20) last year in the Texas Bowl.
Missouri comes off a 52-24 thumping of Louisiana Tech in its opener.
"Anytime we have an SEC team or any team that's prolific, especially in a rivalry against Mizzou, we're always looking forward to it," Preseason All-American Deuce Vaughn said. "They have a really good team, athletic guys who are going to challenge us every single play. We have to prepare our way to go out and play a good game on Saturday."
Vaughn doesn't downplay the importance of the crowd on Saturday.
"(It plays) a big-time factor," Vaughn said. "I already heard it was sold out. Dating back to last week, there were 50,000 strong and we felt every single part of that. Knowing that we have that going into this next game, that's big time."
Quarterback Adrian Martinez added: "It was really special, and I think that truly made a different for our team, and I think it will this Saturday, too."
Players are playing for Taylor Poitier after his season-ending injury
Junior starting right guard Taylor Poitier, who saw his 2021 season end before it began when he tore the anterior-cruciate ligament in his left knee during fall camp, has suffered a devastating blow again. Klieman confirmed that Poitier will miss the rest of the 2022 season after suffering another knee injury during the second quarter against South Dakota.
"It's a cruel thing, man," Klieman said. "He tore a knee again and he'll be out for the season. It's awful. Sometimes the cruelest things happen to the best kids. It was confirmed with us on Sunday afternoon that that was the case. He'll be lost for the season. My heart goes out for him because of all he did to get himself back. He'll get surgery once the swelling goes down."
Poitier's injury is being felt among his teammates.
"To see him go down and to see the magnitude of the injury, I'm heartbroken, I'm sick," Vaughn said. "It's something you hate but because of the game that we play it happens. He's someone we're battling for the entire year, definitely. To have this happen two years in a row, no young man deserves that."
Poitier's start against South Dakota marked his first since starting four games in 2020.
"We love Taylor," K-State center Hayden Gillum said. "We're playing for him. Everyone is upset because Taylor is our friend and he's someone you see him put in a lot of work. We have to step up and do more and play for Taylor and do what we can. We have to step up."
Poitier's absence will likely give 6-foot-4, 300-pound sophomore Hadley Panzer his first-career start against Missouri.
"That's the plan," Klieman said. "We'll move some other guys around to continue to get a rotation but right now Hadley will start at right guard."
K-State offense likely has more in store for Missouri
K-State rolled to a 27-0 lead against South Dakota and then substituted during its first possession of the third quarter. Vaughn and wide receivers Phillip Brooks and Malik Knowles went to the sideline. Then Martinez went to the sideline as the Wildcats' lead swelled to 34-0 heading into the fourth quarter.
"We were going to protect Deuce once we got ahead 27-0," Klieman said. "We were going to protect Phillip Brooks and Malik Knowles. We wanted to do some different things."
Klieman added: "There are a lot, a lot of things that we worked on in fall camp that I know Collin Klein didn't get to on the (play) card because he wanted to hold them."
Vaughn finished with 136 rushing yards, including a 39-yard touchdown, for his seventh consecutive 100-yard rushing performance, which is the second-longest streak in K-State history.
Meanwhile, Martinez completed 11 of 15 passes for 53 yards and added 13 carries for 39 yards and a score for an offense that didn't commit a turnover or a false start penalty under first-year offensive coordinator Collin Klein.
"We think we left some plays out there collectively on offense but as far as the game operation and the management of the game, (Martinez) was really good," Klieman said.
Consider game one just a start.
"Coach Klein and the things that we're going to do offensively, I'm excited about," Martinez said.
Five different players carried the ball, and 10 different players caught a pass in the opener. Knowles' game-opening 75-yard touchdown run, and Vaughn's 39-yard touchdown run might've marked just the beginning in what could be a fun offense this season.
"I'm really, really excited just in the fact that we couldn't get to everything we could, and to have that in our arsenal this game and for the rest of the season is big time," Vaughn said, "because you get to see more guys pop, and see more tight ends and wide receivers and other guys that are going to be able to execute some different things other than just base offense."
Klieman and teammates laud the performance of quarterback Jake Rubley and running back DJ Giddens
Redshirt freshmen Jake Rubley and DJ Giddens both saw their first action against South Dakota. Their efforts were met by rave reviews.
Rubley completed all four of his passing attempts for 42 yards.
"I was really excited for him," Martinez said. "The way he's able to rip the ball is really special. He's a talented kid. He made some good decisions out there. He hasn't played a game for a couple years and for him to go out and experience that was cool for all of us."
The 6-foot-1, 212-pound Giddens had six carries for 57 yards and one touchdown. Although it's still early in his career, Giddens showed a mix of burst and physicality somewhat reminiscent of Daniel Thomas — traits that might only continue to evolve as he gains more experience in the backfield.
"(Giddens) played really well," Vaughn said. "He's going to be somebody who's going to be a really good player for us for a long time. I've seen him for the past year and the way that he runs, the offensive line did an amazing job for him, and his burst and explosion, and the way he finishes every play, every time I see him run, I'm like, 'Yeah, he's going to be a big-time player for us.'"
Klieman was pleased with both performances.
"I was excited Jake Rubley got a chance to play because Jake did some really good things," Klieman said. "DJ Giddens runs hard like he's shown all through camp. The growth that DJ has had from last fall and spring where he was just a football player to now a running back who understands the tracks and where the hole is and where the play is hitting, he ran it really well. I'm excited for DJ."
K-State wasted little time after opting to receive the opening kickoff
Klein's debut as offensive coordinator got off to a whale of a start. First, K-State won the coin toss. Then Klieman chose for the Wildcats to receive the opening kickoff. Then Klein dialed up the first play. Seconds later, it was smooth sailing for Knowles on a highlight touchdown that might've set the tone for this offense in 2022.
"We're really, really explosive on offense and I wanted to take the ball in hopes we could take a 7-0 lead and get the crowd really into it," Klieman said. "On the first play I saw Malik coming right at me and Kade Warner and Deuce made some good blocks and it's 7-0, and I said, 'Boy, that worked out well.' I don't know if that's going to be like that every week."
K-State continues to put "special" into special teams
It didn't take long for K-State to flex its collective muscle on special teams in 2022. On South Dakota's second punt attempt of the contest, Seth Porter screamed through a seam and blocked the football, and Desmond Purnell picked it up and ran 17 yards for a touchdown.
It marked K-State's 127th non-offensive touchdown since 1999, which leads the nation over the past 23 years. Alabama ranks second with 118 non-offensive touchdowns over that stretch.
K-State recorded three non-offensive touchdowns last season, as Knowles returned a kickoff for a touchdown at Oklahoma State and against Oklahoma, and Marvin Martin returned a blocked punt for a score against West Virginia.
"We spend a lot of time on special teams, as you know," Klieman said. "There's a lot of time spent on it, but as we know in this league and in college football in general, you have to have a factor in that phase of the game. When you block a punt and score the likelihood of winning goes through the roof.
"We've been very fortunate well before I arrived here with K-State and special teams. We've tried to hold up our end with our staff to make sure that it still is 'Special Teams U,' as our guys call it."
Khalid Duke sees his first action in nearly a year
The long wait is finally over. Khalid Duke officially made his return to the field against South Dakota.
The 6-foot-4, 246-pound linebacker/defensive end suffered a season-ending injury to his left knee against Nevada last September 18, causing him to redshirt his junior season, and dealing a tough blow to a special talent that Klieman at the time called "one of the best pass rushers we have in the Big 12."
Duke started at strongside linebacker alongside middle linebacker Daniel Green and weakside linebacker Austin Moore.
"(Duke) felt good," Klieman said. "I think Khalid is going to be better as the season goes on and as he gets more and more comfortable playing the outside linebacker spot as his body gets into better and better football shape. He only played that position for about a game last year and then he got hurt in the second or third game when he was playing defensive end.
"It's a little work in progress because he missed spring and fall camp at that new position, but he's explosive and he runs through people."
Kobe Savage "is an energizer bunny" for the defense
Kobe Savage was all smiles after the 5-foot-11, 206-pound junior strong safety played in his first game at K-State. A transfer from Tyler (Texas) Junior College, Savage collected two tackles, including one tackle for a loss, and he was seemingly all over the field delivering big hits in key situations.
"I just wanted to set the tone and let everybody know who we are and what we're going to bring," Savage said after the game. "The mission was definitely to establish myself with the team and show everybody who we are, and I really wanted to let the world know I belong here and I'm going to show out."
Klieman on Tuesday said, "That kid is an energizer bunny."
"Man, does he play hard," Klieman continued. "If you can't tell, he has a lot of fun out there and he loves contact. It's kind of infectious because it got the crowd going, got our defense going, got the sideline going. That's what I've seen from the kid all spring and all fall. He's a football junkie. He's up in that office all the time. He's going to be up there watching film all the time. He wants to be a sponge and learn as much as he can. This is how you learn to be really good. You learn your craft and play extremely fast and trust your eyes and trust your keys."
Martinez can appreciate Savage's enthusiasm.
"He's aggressive," Martinez said. "I think we all kind of saw that in spring ball and fall camp. He'd come downhill really hard. But you never really know until you're out there, and he really showed that's what he's about. He's a great teammate. He has a contagious type of energy."
Cornerbacks Julius Brents and Ekow Boye-Doe to be challenged by Missouri's wide receivers
Although Missouri during its 52-24 win over Louisiana Tech racked up 323 rushing yards — it marked its most rushing yards in a game since 2017 — the Tigers present some dangerous pass catchers, which figure to provide a test for Preseason All-Big 12 cornerback Julius Brents along with Ekow Boye-Doe.
Sophomore quarterback Brady Cook completed 18 of 27 passes for 195 yards and one touchdown and one interception and added 61 rushing yards on seven carries, including a 20-yard touchdown run for the Tigers. Cook completed passes to nine different pass-catchers, including 5-foot-11, 215-pound Luther Burden III, who became the first true freshman to start a season opener at Missouri since Jeremy Maclin in 2007. Burden had three catches for 17 yards and a touchdown and scored on a 17-yard run as well.
Sophomore Dominic Lovett had six catches for 76 yards, and graduate transfer Barrett Banister had three catches for 43 yards. The 6-foot, 195-pound Banister is a sixth-year player who has played in 45 career games and has recorded at least 27 receptions in three straight seasons.
"They have really good guys up front and a number of backs that can sprinkle in and a very dynamic at the wide receiver position," Klieman said. "They have guys who can hit home runs whether it's through the vertical passing game or jet sweeps or just getting the ball out in space."
It should make for some intriguing matchups on Saturday.
"Julius has always been a physical guy," Klieman said. "He and Ekow are going to get challenged and I'm excited for those two guys. I think bookended we have really good corners. We have some good young players behind those two. Julius and Ekow will get challenged this week for sure and I'm sure they're excited about it."
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