KState NEWS

Semi Ojeleye creates buzz after scoring 50 points in a game

If you didn't know Semi Ojeleye scored 50 points in a high school basketball game earlier this week, you need to pay closer attention. Seriously, it was all over the Internet.

But if this is the first you're hearing about it, here's the skinny: Ojeleye, a 6-foot-6 junior small forward out of Ottawa who is the brother of Kansas State senior Victor Ojeleye, hit eight three-pointers, made all 10 of his free throws and scored a career-high 50 points during a 103-70 win over Spring Hill.

"I started off the game making my first three or four shots," Ojeleye said. "My teammates did a good job of finding me. We moved the ball really well. I got into a good rhythm and everything just came together for me."

Missouri basketball coach Frank Haith was reportedly in attendance for Ojeleye's big game, but college coaches everywhere heard about it. They were already paying attention. Ojeleye says he has scholarship offers from K-State, Wisconsin, UCLA, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, Nebraska, Marquette and Missouri.

With more 50-point efforts, that list will surely grow. But he's trying not to think about that at the moment.

"A lot of people have been telling me, 'Good game' lately," Ojeleye said. "I'm just trying to stay humble, be positive and stay thankful."

Ojeleye will try to maintain that easy-going attitude throughout the recruiting process. That might be difficult, considering he is in no rush to make a commitment. He says he plans on waiting until the early signing period (for the class of 2013) to make a decision.

When asked if he has a current favorite, he replied: "I can't really say right now. I don't really have a timetable for committing, so I don't have a favorite."

Three colleges appear to stick out, though. Wisconsin was the first to offer him last summer, and he has visited the Badgers' campus. Missouri has shown lots of interest, and he was in attendance for the Tigers' win over Texas Tech on Saturday. And he has visited K-State plenty of times to watch his brother play.

"I've been able to be around the guys and spend time with them at Kansas State," Ojeleye said. "The relationship is there. We're definitely pretty close."

But his brother isn't pushing him to follow in his footsteps. If that's what he wants to do, great. But Victor was so lightly recruited out of high school that he attended prep school for a year before former K-State assistant Dalonte Hill took notice and invited him to join the Wildcats as a walk-on.

Ojeleye is in a totally different position. He is becoming a heavily recruited, four-star player.

He is good at several things, but describes his game in this way: "I try to get to the bucket and use my strength to get past people. A lot of big men have trouble staying with me on the perimeter. Then they'll send guards at me and I just try to get past them with some quickness and some speed. Probably my biggest strength is my catch-and-shoot shot when somebody gets me a pass."

Victor wants him to continue working on his game (he helps him by playing one-on-one every now and then) and to enjoy the recruiting process. He has been there to offer advice when needed.

"He's told me just to stay humble and not let it go to my head and know where it's all coming from," Ojeleye said. "It's coming from God. Victor is really guiding me through the mental aspect of it. As for the calls and stuff, I have to take those myself and I have to speak for myself, but he tells me how to handle it and what to say.

"Both of us, we want each other to succeed and we succeed together. I wouldn't have gotten this far without him."

By all accounts, it seems like Ojeleye will make an informed decision whenever he gets around to choosing where he wants to play basketball at the next level.

If he has any more 50-point games, he will have no shortage of choices.

K-State signings | Meet the 2012 class

Four stars

Marquez Clark, WR, 6-0, 180, Texarkana, Texas (Navarro JC) — Rivals’ No. 16 JC player. All-conference receiver, set NJCAA single-season records for catches (98) and yardage (1,639). Had more than 100 receiving yards in each of final 10 games.

Three stars

Tavarius Bender, QB, 6-3, 208, Lincoln, Neb. (Southwest) — No. 20 dual-threat QB by Rivals, No. 1 overall player in Nebraska. Graduated high school early, already enrolled at K-State. Threw for 1,025 yards, rushed for 699 and had 20 touchdowns last season.

Travis Britz, DT, 6-4, 287, Harrisonville, Mo. — Rivals’ No. 20 player in Missouri had 70 tackles and seven sacks last season. All-Missouri pick by coaches association.

Morgan Burns, DB, 5-11, 195, Wichita (Trinity Academy) — Attended K-State (not on scholarship) in fall. Rivals’ No. 14 Kansas player in 2010. Rushed for more than 2,700 yards and 36 TDs in last two years. State champion in three sprints, and basketball.

Deante Burton, WR, 6-2, 200, Manhattan — 20 catches for 327 yards and five touchdowns. Had two interceptions on defense. All-Centennial League, helped Manhattan to 11-1 record.
Ellwood Clement, OL, 6-5, 310, Deptford, N.J. (E. Arizona CC) — All-conference, All-America as sophomore. Eastern Arizona led JCs in rushing last two years.

Hunter Davis, DE, 6-3, 246, Choctaw, Okla. — Attended K-State (not on scholarship) in fall. 59 tackles as senior (2010) with three sacks. Invited to Under Armour and U.S. Army All-America combines.

Will Davis, LB, 6-1, 213, Southlake, Texas (Carroll) — Had 176 tackles with 10 sacks in helping Carroll to undefeated state title. Texas 5A defensive player of the year by Texas Sports Writers Association. All-area by Dallas Morning News.

Aderius Epps, OL, 6-2, 295, Cedar Hill, Texas — Old Coach’s No. 87 Texas player. Averaged five pancake blocks.

Kent Gainous, S, 6-1, 190, Orlando, Fla. (Trinity Valley CC) — Had 35 tackles and interception last season, all-conference selection.

Samuel Harvill, DT, 6-1, 255, Springdale, Ark. (Shiloh Christian) — Attended K-State (not on scholarship) in fall. 71 tackles and 10 sacks as senior. Shiloh won three state titles. Had state-record 48.5 sacks, AP All-Arkansas team. Will be 20 next month.

Wesley Hollingshed, DL, 6-2, 300, Atlanta (Trinity Valley CC) — Rivals’ No. 47 JC player, had 21 tackles in eight 2010 games.

Demonte Hood, DT, 6-0, 295, Arlington, Texas (Bowie) — Had 60 tackles and two sacks last season. All-district selection.

Judah Jones, WR, 6-1, 180, Shreveport, La. (Evangel Christian) — Had 43 catches for 728 yards and six TDs as a senior, plus 24-yard average on kick returns. Plays drums in family’s Christian gospel band.

Jarvis Leverett, RB, 5-11, 200, Katy, Texas (Cypress Lakes) — Houston Chronicle’s No. 8 Texas RB. Had 500 rushing yards and five TDs in three-game stretch.

Mike Moore, LB, 6-1, 213, Dallas (Skyline) — Attended K-State (not on scholarship) in fall. Top 100 Texas prior to senior year (2010). Teammate of current Cat Marquiel Bryant.

Chaquil Reed, DL, 6-3, 290, Wichita (East/Butler CC) — 43 tackles, five sacks last season. All-Jayhawk selection. High school teammate of Arthur Brown, cousin of Oakland Raider Kamerion Wimbley.

Tavon Rooks, OL, 6-6, 270, Randallstown, Md. (Navarro JC) — Rivals’ No. 23 JC player. Pass-blocking specialist, Navarro had JC’s No. 5 passing offense last season.

Cody Small, TE, 6-4, 237, Cypress, Texas (Cypress Woods) — Top 75 prospect in northern Houston area by Vype. All-Houston area as senior.

Vernon Vaughn, WR, 6-2, 190, Kansas City, Kan. (Sumner) — All-league pick had 58 catches for 865 yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior. Member of two state basketball championship teams.

Two stars

Dante Barnett, athlete, 6-1, 175, Tulsa (Washington) — Attended K-State (not on scholarship) in fall. Had 100 tackles and nine interceptions in 2010. Caught 10 TD passes. Washington was 13-1 and won state championship. High school teammate of Cats Tyler Lockett and Keenan Taylor.

Glenn Gronkowski, FB, 6-3, 235, Amherst, N.Y. (Williamsville North) — Attended K-State (not on scholarship) in fall. Brother of three NFL players, including Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski. Caught 53 balls sfor 762 yards and 11 TDs as senior in 2010.

Charles Jones, RB, 5-11, 180, Mandeville, La. — Three-year starter, rushed for 1,767 yards and 22 TDs as a senior. Caught 31 passes for 321 yards.

Matt Seiwert, athlete, 6-3, 260, Conway Springs — Eagle Top 11 selection, two-way All-Central Plains pick, co-Defensive MVP of league. Conway won 3A title last season.

Donnie Starks, DB, 5-11, 180, Crosby, Texas — All-district CB as senior with 233 tackles and six interceptions.

Steven West, WR, 6-1, 190, Keller, Texas (Fossil Ridge) — Attended K-State (not on scholarship) in fall. 52 catches for 852 yards and 10 TDs as senior. 1,003 receiving yards as junior.

Ratings by Rivals.com; biographical information courtesy K-State.

K-State's new defensive coordinator may come from within current staff

Kansas State football coach Bill Snyder has not made a final decision on how to fill the Wildcats’ open defensive coordinator position, but he is currently leaning toward promoting from within his staff, according to two sources with knowledge of the hiring process.

Sources said the current front runner for the job is Tom Hayes, a veteran with 30 years of coaching experience who joined K-State last season as the team’s secondary coach.

Hayes helped the unit make several big plays, including 18 interceptions, but it often struggled against potent passing attacks and allowed 263.3 passing yards per game.

Hayes knows how to handle a larger workload. He has worked at both the collegiate and NFL levels, including stints as defensive coordinator with Stanford, UCLA, Oklahoma and Kansas.

“It won’t be a wow hire, but it will be a good move,” said one source. “It will stay consistent with how Kansas State has handled openings in the past. That staff came a long way and accomplished a lot this season. The chemistry won’t change.”

A K-State spokesperson said there is no timetable for Snyder to announce a new hire. University policy is not to comment on personnel procedures.

Sources said Snyder has examined several options on how to replace former defensive coordinator Chris Cosh, who left for South Florida last week, including making an outside hire.

A source said Snyder formally discussed the job with Matt Wallerstedt, a former linebacker and coach at K-State who currently serves as the defensive coordinator at Air Force, but it doesn’t appear he is prepared to leave the Falcons at this time.

An Air Force spokesperson had no comment when asked about Wallerstedt, but said he remains a member of the coaching staff there.

If Hayes, indeed, moves up to defensive coordinator, a source said two other defensive coaches will be reassigned to fill out the staff. The most likely scenario, a source said, will have Joe Bob Clements move from defensive ends to linebackers and defensive graduate assistant Blake Seiler become the defensive ends coach.

Chris Cosh expected to leave KSU for USF

Though not yet official, it appears Kansas State defensive coordinator Chris Cosh is headed to South Florida, where he will hold the same position under head coach Skip Holtz.

A source close to the situation said the deal is all but done, and expects South Florida to announce his hiring at some point today. Neither South Florida nor K-State have confirmed the move. A spokesperson for the K-State football team said there was nothing to report on Cosh at this time.

The Tampa Bay Times reported late last night that Cosh had traveled to Tampa to interview for the South Florida job and was close to accepting an offer.

Cosh will leave behind a defense he helped dramatically improve this past season. Two years ago, the Wildcats allowed more than 230 rushing yards per game and were one of the worst ranked units in the Big 12. But with the help of transfers Arthur Brown and Nigel Malone, K-State's defense was good enough to help the Wildcats win 10 games and reach the Cotton Bowl.

K-State's defense allowed an average of 27.8 points and 398.8 yards per game this season.

Cosh has served as K-State's defensive coordinator for each of the past three seasons. He was the Wildcats' linebackers coach from 2004-05 before that.

Frank Martin talks Jeremy Jones, crushes former Detroit QB Scott Mitchell in process

Kansas State basketball coach Frank Martin had an interesting response to a question about junior guard Jeremy Jones on Thursday.

Jones, a junior college transfer who was considered to be one of the best around at Seward last year, is averaging 3.2 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.8 assists for the Wildcats in a backup role. He has had his moments, such as a 10-point game against Howard and two good efforts in the Diamond Head Classic. But he has had several forgettable nights, too.

Anyway, when Martin was asked about his progress, he talked a little about Jones but also went on an amusing tangent about former Detroit Lions quarterback Scott Mitchell. Here it is:

“Jeremy is a good player,” Martin said. “Jeremy is still not as comfortable as he needs to be. The problem for him right now is that there are other guys on the team and those other guys are doing things a little bit better than him.

“I understand everyone always loves a guy who doesn’t play. I remember being a kid, I always loved the Dolphins’ backups. There was a guy named Scott Mitchell, and I always said, ‘God, he’s good.’ Every time they put him in, the game was over, he would complete five passes and everyone would say, ‘God is he good.’

“Detroit went out and signed him for a gazillion dollars and if he completed 10 passes for the Detroit Lions it was one too many. Everybody always loves a guy who doesn’t play. I understand that. I’ve been a fan, too. I understand how it works.

“Jeremy is a great kid. He’s trying his tail off. He’s still not at the same level as those other guys from an understanding standpoint, from a defensive or offensive standpoint. Our season is a long way from being over. If you saw the games where he was engaged a little bit, you saw that he can really help us. We need him to get engaged so he can help us a little bit.”

I like to think Mitchell has a Google alert set up for his name. Won’t he be surprised when he sees this?

I looked up Mitchell, and to his credit he performed slightly better with the Lions than Martin gave him credit for. He completed 1,049 passes during five seasons. Though he is best known as the guy who handed the ball off to Barry Sanders in the 90s, he had one mega year in 1995. That season he threw for 4,338 yards and 32 touchdowns while helping the Lions reach the playoffs.

As for Jones, it’s been a while since I’ve talked to him. But after he scored eight points against Southern Illinois last month in Hawaii, he told me he initially struggled a bit to adjust to K-State’s offensive style but that those struggles were behind him.

“I know I’m going to get an opportunity,” Jones said then, “and when I do I’ve just got to make the best of it.”

KU-KState postgame

Postgame thoughts on Kansas’ 67-49 victory over Kansas State…

As much credit as Travis Releford deserved for his scoring and rebounding (16 and 11), not enough was given to his first-half defense against Rodney McGruder, K-State’s most skilled perimeter scorer. Releford’s blanket defense not only kept McGruder from getting many open looks but also from catching the ball and allowing the Wildcats to run offense.

* Loved what Bill Self had to say about Releford on his radio post game: “He has the best old man’s game of anybody I’ve seen for a young guy. Just think about the when he’s over 40 and playing, he’s going to dominate. He drives in there and reverse pivots and does things that look awkward.”

They may look awkward to younger folks, but Releford’s game reminds me of a player from the 1970s, more fundamentally sound and less flashy. Releford isn’t wildly athletic, but his game as developed nicely in four years and he’s become an important part of the lineup.

* Tyshawn Taylor can be careless with the ball is the understatement of the year. But Martavious Irving played excellent defense and bothered Taylor like no other defender I’ve seen this season. I thought Irving was the Wildcats’ best player in the game.

* A twitter comment on the atmosphere at Allen Fieldhouse last brought several responses from those who believed the old barn should be filled even with students on holiday break with its proximity to KC/Johnson County/Topeka. Agreed.

But Bramlage should be filled or close to it for Saturday’s Missouri game, even with thousands of fans at the Cotton Bowl the previous night.

* Folks wondered how Kansas’ RPI could have dropped from the low 30s to the mid-50s by beating Howard and North Dakota. Plenty about the RPI remains a mystery to me, but generally it rewards success against good schedules, and it’s why KU jumped from 55 to 35 by beating K-State, and the Wildcats didn’t drop much at all (33 from 28) with the loss.

* Solid victory by Iowa State over Texas, and Coach Fred Hoiberg (@ISUMayor32) tweeted this: “Great team victory tonight over Texas. We took a big step forward as a team tonight! Thanks Fans for bringing the magic!!”

J’Covan Brown, who entered the game leading the Big 12 in scoring, rolled his ankle and missed most of the second half. Texas had erased all of a 14-point halftime deficit, but without Brown, the Cyclones pulled away.

It was Iowa State’s first conference opening victory in five years.

* Assuming Baylor, Missouri, Kansas and Kansas State are the league’s top four teams, who is No. 5? By RPI, it’s Oklahoma (No. 41). But the Sooners were battered at Missouri on Tuesday. We’ll know more about Oklahoma when it plays host to Kansas on Saturday.

No classes no attendance problem at KU

No students? No problem with the atmosphere at Kansas for Wednesday’s league opener against Kansas State.

Playing the Jayhawks presents three major challenges, Wildcats coach Frank Martin said: Counterpart Bill Self and his staff, the players “and the culture they’ve built and the 16,000 in the stands. They don’t let you communicate with your players.”

Classes at Kansas are out until Jan. 17. With the Big 12 schedule starting earlier than ever with the 18-game league slate, many students will miss early action throughout the conference.

But Martin had just broken down film of Kansas’ victory over North Dakota on Saturday.

“I didn’t see an empty seat,” he said.

There wasn’t one. Tickets made available to that game and one against Howard two days earlier were quickly snapped up.

And there are plenty of students in the student sections behind the baskets and the Kansas bench. You wouldn’t have known classes weren’t in session.

Martin and K-State have been in this position recently. The KU-K-State game in Lawrence opened the 2008-09 conference schedule.

Self knows what good thing he has. Allen Field House has been sold out for every home game in his tenure of eight-plus years. The last time Kansas fell short of a sellout was in 2001 and Wednesday’s game will mark the 172nd straight capacity crowd.

“Our atmosphere is pretty good,” Self said. “When our building is good it’s as good as any place anywhere, and I think this will be one of those times.”

AROUND THE BIG 12

THREE IMPACTFUL INJURIES

*Texas A&M’s Khris Middleton has returned from the knee injury that forced him out of the team’s first seven games, but he’s not 100 percent. “There’s swelling and we’ve had to pull him out of practices,” Aggies Coach Billy Kennedy said of his preseason all-league selection.

*Oklahoma State junior wing Jean-Paul Olukemi torn an ACL in Saturday’s home loss to Virginia Tech. He’s the Cowboys’ third leading scorer (9.4) and rebounder (4.8).

*Texas Tech freshman guard Toddrick Gotcher reinjured an ankle last week and is expected to miss action, Red Raiders Coach Billy Gillispie said. Gotcher started Tech’s first eight games and was averaging 7.3 points.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
(Player)
Thomas Robinson, Kansas. The league's sixth 30-point, 20-rebound performance helped Robinson earn his third award this season. Robinson had 30 points and 21 rebounds against North Dakota on Saturday.

(Rookie)
Jordan Tolbert, Texas Tech. Tolbert averaged 19 points and made 15 of 19 field goals in victories over Cal State Bakersfield and Southwestern Louisiana.

BIG 12 POWER RANKING

1.Baylor
2. Missouri
3. Kansas
4. Kansas State
5. Oklahoma
6. Texas A&M
7. Texas
8. Iowa State
9. Oklahoma State
10. Texas Tech

K-State basketball improving on offense

Before heading home from Hawaii, Kansas State basketball coach Frank Martin was asked about his team's improving ball movement and scoring output.

Both helped the Wildcats on their way to a Diamond Head Classic championship, and Martin was proud of the way they scored 77 or more points in all three of their wins. But he wasn't surprised by the offensive production.

He thinks K-State has been good in that department for a while now.

"I get a kick when I read people saying we play bad offense and we’re averaging almost 80 points a game," Martin said. "If we play good offense, how much would we score?

"I think we play pretty good offense. I mean, we’re not a well-polished machine. We’re not awesome. We spend a lot of team on defense in the preseason and then our offense gets better. It happens every year."

While it's true K-State's offensive production was up from its average in Hawaii, it wasn't up by much. The Wildcats are scoring 76.7 points per game, and scored 79.3 points per game at the Stan Sheriff Center.

The Wildcats are led by four players (Rodney McGruder, Jamar Samuels, Will Spradling, Thomas Gipson) who are averaging 10 or more points per game. But they are a dynamic team because two bench players (Jordan Henriquez and Angel Rodriguez) are contributing more with each game. Henriquez is now averaging 8.1 points and Rodriguez 7.0 points.

Perhaps even more impressively, four K-State players are averaging two or more assists per game. Shane Southwell, Martavious Irving, Rodriguez and Spradling are all passing the ball well.

Since a 71-point effort against Alabama, one of the best defensive teams in the nation, the Wildcats have jelled on offense and have put together four quality offensive showings in a row.

Will they keep scoring when Big 12 play begins next week? We'll soon find out. But its out-of-conference numbers stack up well with everyone except Missouri. The Wildcats, who rank 6th in the conference in scoring, are bunched closely with Texas, Oklahoma, Baylor, Iowa State and Kansas. All six teams average between 74 and 79 points per game.

McGruder wins Big 12 weekly award

Kansas State junior guard Rodney McGruder was named Big 12 player of the week after his performance in the Wildcats’ Diamond Head Classic championship.

McGruder scored a career high 28 points in the championship game victory over Long Beach State on Sunday and averaged 15 points and six rebounds for the event.

Baylor sophomore guard Brady Heslip was named the league’s rookie of the week after averaging 14 points in three games, including two in the Las Vegas Classic. He scored 19 in the Bears’ overtime victory over West Virginia and has helped Baylor get off to the best start (12-0) in school history.

K-State comes together, grows in winning Diamond Head Classic

HONOLULU – Jamar Samuels walked off the Stan Sheriff Center floor for the final time Sunday with a lei around his neck, a commemorative oar in his hand and a gigantic grin on his face.

The senior forward had just scored 11 points and grabbed eight rebounds to help the Kansas State basketball team beat Long Beach State 77-60 and win the Diamond Head Classic, the program’s first tournament championship in five years.

He was jubilant and talkative. At 10-1, the Wildcats are headed into Big 12 play with plenty of momentum and are in line to break into the Top 25. Even if they are snubbed this week, they finally have some hardware to point to as a tangible sign of success.

If only Samuels knew what to do with his.

“I’ve never gotten anything like this before,” said Samuels of his unusual all-tournament team trophy. “I guess I’m going to put it in my room until it’s time to go home and give it to my mom, or something. Tell her to put it on the wall or frame it. Honestly, I don’t know what to do with it. But it’s pretty cool.”

A few feet behind him, Rodney McGruder was taking in the moment in similar fashion. The junior forward had just scored a career-high 28 points on his way to tournament MVP honors.

“This is so great,” McGruder said. “You can’t ask for a better Christmas present on Christmas Day. It’s what you work for in the summers – to win championships.”

After a week of talking about just how important championships – any and all championships – are to a basketball team, K-State coach Frank Martin complimented his players for their achievement the best way he could think of.

“I’m having the time of my life coaching these kids,” Martin said.

K-State players and coaches were excited late Sunday night for good reason. They feel like this trip, combined with a statement victory over Alabama last week, helped them come together and grow. They are starting to resemble the team they think they can be.

Against the 49ers, the Wildcats proved that by showing off several different elements of their game.

McGruder and Will Spradling (who scored 17 points) lived up to their preseason billing as team leaders, Samuels was strong for the fourth-straight game and K-State played team-oriented basketball by dishing out 14 assists and sinking wide-open shots.

“That’s the best we have moved the basketball in a little while,” McGruder said. “We were moving the ball and looking for the open man. That’s our style of basketball. That’s when we’re at our best.”

Thing is, Samuels doesn’t think K-State was at its best in the Diamond Head Classic.

“You should see us in practice,” Samuels said. “In practice, we do it a lot better than that. When we get to that point it’s going to be crazy.”

How far away is K-State from getting to that point in games?

“Not even close,” Samuels said. “Not even close. Sometimes we move the ball so fast in practice that the coaches get excited and they all get amped up and it shows what kind of team we have.”

Without getting the chance to see practice, let’s say the Wildcats are at the least on their way to showing what kind of team they can be.

For much of the early season, people doubted their ability to score. But that no longer seems to be an issue.

“We’re proving doubters wrong,” Samuels said. “They say we’re not an offensive team. Well, we were playing a very good defensive team tonight, and we put on a clinic.”

That may be going a little far. Long Beach State, though a solid mid-major program and a proven giant-killer this year, is no defensive juggernaut. And the die-hard doubters will remain. In order to win this tournament, K-State needed to beat Southern Illinois, Texas-El Paso and a team that calls itself The Beach.

Though all three – especially UTEP and Long Beach -- are quality wins, not everyone will be impressed looking at the box scores. It will take wins in Big 12 play for K-State to truly validate its early success.

But K-State players aren’t all that worried about that. When asked if they thought they should be ranked this week, both McGruder and Samuels shrugged. Martin laughed.

“We were No. 3 in the preseason last year and in January everybody said we stunk,” Martin said. “So, as long as at the end of the year we’re where we want to be …”

If K-State players continue playing the way they did in the Diamond Head Classic, it will like where it ends up.

Not only did it score the ball well, it ran with Long Beach State, and turned up the defensive pressure as the game went along. The Wildcats used their bench early and often, too. Though no one stepped up huge the way Angel Rodriguez did in the first two games here, they all delivered valuable minutes.

A good example of how versatile K-State can be: It won two games in Hawaii with Rodriguez as the team’s leading scorer and another when he didn’t score a point.

Now that’s how you win a tournament.

“You don’t win a championship with a hero,” Martin said. “You win a championship with a team. We need all hands on deck. That’s who we are.”

Cotton Bowl Countdown: How Paul Haynes could change Arkansas on defense

A few days ago, Paul Haynes was hired as the new defensive coordinator at Arkansas. In a few weeks, he will lead the Razorbacks’ defense in the Cotton Bowl.

Haynes faces a quick turnaround, and there is no telling how much he will be able to change in that short time. Most new coaches get an entire offseason to train players and install a new system.

But the Razorbacks will look different, to some degree, on defense against the Wildcats. We can be sure of that much. Before coming to Arkansas, Haynes spent the past seven seasons as a co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State. While there, he helped the Buckeyes go 66-11 and beat the team he will coach in the Cotton Bowl in last year’s Sugar Bowl.

ESPN’s SEC blogger Chris Low caught up with Haynes in a Q&A he posted yesterday. A few of his answers reveal what he hopes Arkansas will do defensively on Jan. 6.

What was (coach Bobby) Petrino’s mandate to you in taking over this defense?

"To make sure we keep improving and make sure our guys know exactly what they’re doing and make sure our guys do a good job with fundamentals and technique. Again, I don’t think that it was something he was disappointed with before. I just think he wanted to make a change and make sure this defense takes it to the next level. If we’re sound with our fundamentals and technique and give great effort, we can get it to the next level."

What is your stamp defensively?

"The first thing about defense is that you’ve got to stop the run, and that’s going to be the first thing that we focus on. I know there are a lot of so-called pass-happy teams out there, but even with those types of teams, if they can run the football, they become harder to defend because you’ve got to defend two things. We’ve got to make teams one-dimensional and then we’ve got to mix it up and be multiple and affect the quarterback. We’ve got to do a good job of making that quarterback think every play. That’s not just pressuring him every play, either, but our coverage guys have to do a good job of moving around and not being stiff and making him think every down."

Are you a 4-3 or 3-4 guy, or will you play combinations of both?

"I think you’ve got to mix it up. In this day and age of college football, I don’t think you can sit in one thing. I do like the four-man front, but we will be a multiple-style defense. That’s one of the things that Coach Petrino wants. There’s only so many things you can do, just learning the terminology and changing the terminology and making sure that your kids understand it and making sure that your kids play fast. The verbiage will be different, but there won’t be that much change as far as what we do from what they did here previously."

What’s paramount these next few weeks as you get ready for the Cotton Bowl?

"The big thing for me is learning the terminology because we’re not going to change anything and try to learn my stuff in this short period of time. I don’t think it’s fair for the seniors. I don’t think it’s fair for this football team right now. So I need to learn the defense as much as possible and make it as simple as possible and get to know the kids. That’s why I wanted to be here now and not wait until after the bowl game. I want to get to know these kids, and I want them to get to know me. That’s going to be my main focus."

Arkansas ranked ninth in the SEC in total defense this past season. The Razorbacks allowed 22.8 points and 371.4 yards per game. On the year, they allowed 2,365 passing yards and 2,092 rushing yards.

Haynes replaces Willy Robinson, who served as the Razorbacks’ defensive coordinator for the past four seasons.

Editor’s Note: In 23 days, the Kansas State football team will face Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl. With that in mind, I began counting down to the big game in Cowboys Stadium on Dec. 6 with 31 blog posts in 31 days. I use the word “attempting” because I can only think of so many blog ideas at the moment. I’m confident that I can go 31 for 31, but your help is appreciated. Feel free to send a blog idea (or two) my way at krobinett@kcstar.com.

Short on cash? Want to go to the Cotton Bowl anyway? This is the deal for you

You know those old, sappy TV commercials where a disembodied voice asks a question like "are you down on your luck?" You know how in those old, sappy TV commercials some slob is always at his couch eager to say "YES!" And you know how in those old, sappy TV commercials the slob fixes all his problems by purchasing the advertised product?

Well, if the only thing keeping you from the Cotton Bowl next month is a lack of money, you might as well be in one of those old, sappy TV commercials as you read this blog.

Because the K-State Federal Credit Union has the answer to all your problems. It is currently offering a low-rate loan to anyone who needs some extra cash to get to the Cotton Bowl.

Angie Reed, a marketing manager at K-State Federal Credit Union, told me today her company is handing out loans up to $5,000 with 2.99 percent interest rates. To qualify for the loan, you need to be a member of the credit union (to be a member Reed says you need to live, work, study or worship in the counties of Riley, Geary and Pottawatomie) and have good enough credit to qualify for the loan.

No loan amount is too small. If all you need is $250 for some gas and a ticket, you can get $250.

"We're such a tightly knitted group," Reed said. "We love the university and the Cats. We're so excited they're going to the Cotton Bowl, and we want to make sure everyone who wants to go to see them in the bowl game can do so."

Reed said the K-State Federal Credit Union got the idea to offer this loan in a brainstorming meeting that involved several employees.

"We try to be different and do things that are going to be noticed," Reed said. "It's not everyday you see a deal like this."

No, it isn't. This is the first time I've ever heard of a bank or credit union handing out loans for the sole purpose of going to a football game.

With the game being sold out and tickets going for high prices on secondary markets, you've got to figure some folks out there could take advantage of this offer.

So far, though, there haven't been many takers.

"It's not going as well as it could," Reed said. "I mean, 2.99 percent, that's so low. But we have had some bites."

The loan has only been lightly advertised, though. When I called Reed to talk about it, the first thing she said was, "Can I ask how you heard about our loan?" (Jesse Piper, a student intern in K-State's sports information office tipped me off about it last week. Thanks to him, by the way.)

Reed said the K-State credit union has put a commercial on three local radio stations, and purchased an ad spot in the Manhattan and Junction City newspapers. Today, a link went up to the loan special on the credit union's website.

Hopefully, that will bring more attention to the deal.

It should. Like those old, sappy TV commercials used to claim, this could be the answer to all your problems.

Cotton Bowl Countdown: T-shirt ideas

When fans go to bowl games, they tend to like buying T-shirts that commemorate the experience. With that in mind I asked my 2,000-plus Twitter followers today what slogan they would slap on a T-shirt to wear to the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 6.

Plenty of folks (who follow both Arkansas and Kansas State) responded. Below are the best of the bunch. See something you like? Feel free to throw it on a T-shirt. Just remember where you saw it first!

Note: Big thanks to a reader who e-mailed me under the name Lee this week and provided me with this idea. I said I needed blog suggestions to keep this going, and this T-shirt slogan contest was one of them. Please, keep them coming!

Rout the Snout from @Eric95R

It’s ar-Kansas from @ColoKSUfan

2012 Cotton Bowl sponsored by AARP from @rich33ksu

Honey Badger eats pigs too from @rich33ksu

Arkansas: Better than Kansas by two letters from @brittneydeanne

#6 Razorbacks vs. #8 Wildcats We’re sitting in high cotton from @Jordanjones1551

Bobby Petrino Does’t Give a (flip) what you think from @RazorbackScott

Who needs the BCS when you have the Cotton Bowl? from @cackheads23

Cotton > Sugar from an old-fashioned e-mailer named Fred.

Third home of the Razorbacks from @cackheads 23

Better than BCS from @nick_hendren

Swine flu and Little Miss Piggy from e-mailer Lee

I dare you to try to buy tickets from @TMilly

This Cotton sure feels like Sugar from @AllaboutdaHOGS

We own Texas from several fans

Optimus Klein from e-mailer Keith

Editor’s Note: In 28 days, the Kansas State football team will face Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl. With that in mind, I began counting down to the big game in Cowboys Stadium on Dec. 6 with 31 blog posts in 31 days. I use the word “attempting” because I can only currently think of about 20 blog ideas. I’m confident that I can go 31 for 31, but your help is appreciated. Feel free to send a blog idea (or two) my way at krobinett@kcstar.com.

Cotton Bowl Countdown: Realignment redux

Arkansas and Kansas State have been on opposite ends of the conference realignment shuffle.

Over the past two years, Arkansas fans have kicked back and laughed as schools across the country scrambled to find the best possible place for their athletic departments. When the Big 12 reportedly reached out to the Razorbacks a few months ago and asked if they had any interest in leaving the SEC, the answer was a simple “Thanks, but no thanks.”

K-State fans, meanwhile, have sweated out the departures of four teams from the Big 12. First Nebraska and Colorado. Then Texas A&M and Missouri. Everything seems to be stable in Big 12 country now that the conference has added West Virginia and TCU. Texas and Oklahoma have agreed to equal revenue sharing, and the league had a fabulous football season. But there were some tense times in there.

Why were their experiences so different? Arkansas decided to get in on conference realignment 20 years early.

In 1990, the SEC was looking for new teams. After shopping all over the region, it added the Razorbacks and South Carolina. The move allowed the SEC to play its first conference championship game in football.

Up to that point, Arkansas was a long-time member of the Southwest Conference. Its biggest rival was Texas, and its basketball team (under Nolan Richardson) was better than its football team. Don’t believe me? Arkansas lost its first game as a full SEC member in 1992 to … wait for it … The Citadel.

The coach at the time resigned the following day.

The Razorbacks endured some bumps and bruises during the transition, but they are clearly a strong football team now under Bobby Petrino. Arkansas went to the Sugar Bowl last year, and only lost to LSU and Alabama this season. If you live under a rock, those are the two teams that will play in the BCS title game.

A lot has changed since Arkansas switched conferences. The SWC went on for a few more years with Texas-only members, but was eventually broken up by the old Big Eight. Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Baylor helped create the Big 12, and that worked out well until two summers ago.

One thing that could have made the Big Eight/SWC semi-merger workout better: Adding Arkansas, too. As Oklahoma columnist Berry Tramel pointed out several months ago, the Razorbacks would have been a power in the Big 12 and helped the league keep all its members during trying times.

Arkansas is a better geographic fit with the Big 12 than it is the SEC, and it could have benefited from the move, too. But unless something crazy happens in the next decade, the Razorbacks appear happy in the SEC. So happy that they won’t listen to other conferences that call.

There is a good reason why. They were ahead of the game and switched conferences before switching conferences was all the rage.

A few minutes with ... Kuulei Kabalis

When the Kansas State volleyball team shocked No. 2 Nebraska in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last week, everyone who supports Wildcats athletics took notice.

It’s rare that the Cornhuskers, a national power in volleyball, lose before the Sweet 16. But K-State was able to send them early. It was arguably the program’s biggest win – ever.

Coaches and players celebrated the victory in typical fashion, and enjoyed receiving positive notes and messages through social networking sites on the bus ride home. But one player was overwhelmed by it all.

By defeating Nebraska, junior libero Kuulei Kabalis earned a rare trip home to Hawaii.

On Friday, the Wildcats will try pull off another upset against on No. 15 Pepperdine in Hawaii. And for the first time since high school, Kabalis will get to play volleyball in front of family and friends.

She talked about all that and more before leaving Manhattan earlier this week.

What does it mean to you to be headed home for the Sweet 16?

I’m really excited. Getting the chance to play at home, it just brings tears to my eyes, because I never get an opportunity like this living on the main land so far away. It makes me so excited to know that my family will be there and people I know will be watching me play and doing something I love.
<!--more-->
I hear it’s a big deal over there when college athletes return for games. Your coach just told me you might have 900 friends and family in attendance. Is that true?

I think she is exaggerating, but I will have close to 200. I’m not sure on an exact number. We’ll see.

That's still a lot of people.

I know a lot of people. A lot of the people that I know will be bringing people they know to watch. It will be fun. I don’t know of anyone personally who has come back like this, but when they do come home it’s a huge deal for everyone. Everyone wants to come out and watch you play.

How did you end up at K-State?

This was the second place that I visited. When I first came here I just felt the excitement and that I wanted to be here. I didn’t feel that any other place I visited.

Ever give any thought to staying home and attending Hawaii?

When I was home in the summer I did visit the University of Hawaii, just to see if I wanted to go there, but I knew that I wanted to continue my success somewhere else. That’s a good experience to get the chance to play somewhere else away from the island

How often do you get back to Hawaii?

Christmas or summer. But not often. That's what makes this unique. I’m so excited. I know I’m the only Hawaiian on the team. It is just so exciting to be able to bring my team with me and show them my home land.

What was the craziest thing about beating Nebraska?

It was the celebration afterward, and just knowing that we were able to pull off a win at Nebraska. It sets the tone for the entire tournament, even though it was just the second round. It was really exciting that I knew I would get the chance to play at home, too.

That probably motivated you to play well, didn't it?

I was really focusing on Nebraska, so I didn’t have that in my mind. But afterward I switched gears and started thinking about going home. It was really a fantastic win, and it’s just a huge accomplishment for us. We’ve been working so hard all season, and it’s great to have this big win.

I'm sure you're thinking about getting another big win or two now. How do you make that happen?

I think we can bring -- since we are considered the underdogs -- something new to the game and show that anything is possible. We have confidence in ourselves and our game. We’re good to go.

How K-State vs. West Virginia became reality and what is next for the series

When the Kansas State basketball team announced it would play West Virginia this season, many circled Thursday’s game at Intrust Bank Arena as the most-appealing nonconference game on the schedule.

Frank Martin vs. his mentor. Former coach Bob Huggins returning to Kansas to face the team he left after one season. The Wildcats in Wichita.

It was, and is, a very intriguing game. With West Virginia set to join the Big 12, it could be the start of an exciting rivalry.

Funny thing is, when Martin and Huggins began talking about playing each other they envisioned something totally different.

“It started out we were going to play in Kansas City,” Huggins told me today by phone. “We had an idea to do what some other people just started to do a couple years ago, which is Frank, Andy Kennedy (Mississippi coach) myself and somebody else go to a neutral site and play double headers, then go someplace else the next season and play a different team. You know, make it a three-year cycle. We just never really got that off the ground.”

But Martin and Huggins continued to talk and decided to play against each other in Wichita.

They are scheduled to meet again in Charleston, W. Va. next season. If West Virginia is allowed to join the Big 12 next season as a full member, the Wildcats and Mountaineers will also meet two times as conference opponents. That has led some to believe K-State and West Virginia will work to remove their neutral-court meeting from the schedule.

That is still a possibility. K-State sources have indicated that they would prefer not to play West Virginia three times in the regular season. But Huggins thinks the nonconference game will happen.

“We might as well just play,” Huggins said. “We might as well do that, play each other in the conference tournament and again in the NCAA Tournament. No one has ever played five times. Let’s set the record. That would be a good deal, wouldn’t it?”

K-State headed to Cotton Bowl

The Kansas State football team didn't get the at-large bid to a BCS bowl it was hoping for, and while fans will no doubt be disappointed about that the Wildcats are still going to a prestigious bowl game.

As expected, following a series of leaked Twitter reports that revealed Virginia Tech and Michigan were going to the Sugar Bowl instead of K-State, the Wildcats officially learned they will play in the Cotton Bowl a few minutes ago. The game will be played on Jan. 6 against Arkansas at new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The Wildcats, who finished the regular season 10-2 and second in the Big 12 standings, will make their first trip to the conference’s top non BCS bowl since 2001 when they defeated Tennessee 35-21 on New Year’s Day. They also played there in 1997, dropping a close game 19-15 to BYU.

After defeating Iowa State on Saturday, K-State players hoped they could land an at-large spot in a BCS bowl. But it wasn’t to be. Virginia Tech (11) and Michigan (13), despite being ranked behind K-State (8) in the final BCS standings, were chosen instead.

Why were the Wildcats snubbed? It's a tough question to answer. After the BCS title game, the other BCS bowl games don't have to pick the highest ranked teams. They are free to take anyone in the top 14 they choose.

The Sugar Bowl simply wanted Virginia Tech and Michigan more. Michigan probably because of its tradition and lack of recent success. The Wolverines should be a big TV draw. Why Virginia Tech? Not sure on that one.

K-State and Boise State both had better seasons but are on the outside of the BCS looking in.

Whatever the case, K-State will now turn its attention to the Cotton Bowl, where it play Arkansas, of the SEC, which went 10-2 and was considered to be one of the nation's best teams all season.

Should be a good one.

Sunday Rewind: K-State 30, Iowa State 23

Overall Assessment:
Coming into Saturday’s game against Iowa State, the Kansas State football team wanted to win the final game of the regular season for several reasons. Players viewed a 10-win season as a great accomplishment, and wanted to put themselves within reach of a BCS bowl.

But they also wanted to send the seniors out on top. After beating the Cyclones 30-23, it sounded like players were motivated by that more than anything else.

“We just wanted to win the game for them,” sophomore linebacker Tre Walker said. “It wasn’t about Iowa State. It wasn’t about getting a three-way tie for the Big 12 championship. We just wanted to win it for them because we love them so much.”

Throughout the week, seniors and upperclassmen were allowed to give speeches to the rest of the team. Some of the most emotional came on Friday night at the team hotel.

Senior cornerback David Garrett said he was the first to speak to the whole team on Wednesday, and that after hearing everyone’s take on the season he thought the team was fired up to play.

“Our team, we care a about each other a lot,” Garrett said. “We are always together. Everything we do, even if it has nothing to do with football we do it together. Us stepping up like that and showing that we care and expressing ourselves, it gets to people and makes us go hard.”

Well, K-State’s seniors went out in style. They finished the season 10-2 and finished second to only Oklahoma State in the final Big 12 standings. Now it will wait to find out if it makes a BCS bowl.

If the Cowboys play in the BCS title game, the Wildcats could head to the Fiesta Bowl. If Alabama heads to the BCS title game, K-State may go to the Sugar Bowl. Or maybe K-State will end up in the Cotton Bowl. It will definitely be one of those three. We’ll know for sure in a few hours.

Here's a look at all that and more in this week's Sunday Rewind:

Player Evaluations

Five that were good:

1. John Hubert
The running back had his best game in weeks by rushing for 120 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. He also grabbed two passes for 28 yards. Both aspects gave the Wildcats a big boost on offense. He took much-needed pressure off of Collin Klein and picked up important yards when he had to.

He wanted the ball on every play, and continually used his hands to motion to the sideline and let his teammates know he was hungry for more. If he can continue to play with that attitude, K-State will be well off in its bowl game.

Many of his yards came after first contact, and his 26-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter was the highlight of the game.

“I knew I was close to the sideline and close to scoring a touchdown,” Hubert said. “I knew we needed to score to win. I thought about it and got in the end zone.”

2. Arthur Brown
K-State’s top linebacker had a big day and made 12 tackles. Two of them came in the backfield but many others came up field at the end of plays. In some ways, those tackles were more impressive considering the ground he had to cover to make them. The Miami transfer ended his first active season in Manhattan in strong fashion.

3. Emmanuel Lamur
Another linebacker who made a team-high 12 tackles. Lamur had a big day on senior day. He swarmed to the ball, made a tackle for loss and forced a fumble on Iowa State’s final play from scrimmage. Lamur and Brown make a great team in the middle.

“They are outstanding football players,” linebacker Tre Walker said. “If you get outside of one of them, the other one is coming to get you. That is so important, because sometimes you need someone to have your back. You are not always going to be 100 percent on every play, so it is nice to have someone have your back just in case you mess up. That is very important and that is what we do well.”

4. Tramaine Thompson
Thompson could be the most improved player K-State has on offense. He started the season near the bottom of the team’s receiver rotation and ended up on top with Chris Harper. Thompson caught two passes for 87 yards and a touchdown. The biggest came on a 68-yard bomb across the middle, where he beat his defender across the middle and Klein floated a well-thrown pass to him.

5. Raphael Guidry.
What a senior day for Guidry. The defensive tackle started on the defensive line, blocked an extra point and made an interception on a tipped pass near the line of scrimmage. He has been good for a big play per game lately.

“He’s got a knack for some of the things that he does,” Snyder said.

Five that were bad:
1. Clyde Aufner
The Wildcats’ right tackle had a rough day. When Iowa State broke into the backfield, it was often on the right side. And his inability to keep defensive ends away from Klein affected his scrambling ability. Aufner has been one of K-State’s best offensive linemen all season. But he didn’t have the best of days Saturday.

2. Vai Lutui
Lutui has dropped off a bit since his early season successes. Some of that has to do with the rise of Guidry, but he split time on Saturday and made two tackles.

3. Chris Harper
The junior wide receiver didn’t catch a pass for the first time this season and was unable to shake Iowa State cornerback Jeremy Reeves when he was targeted. A rare down day for the Wildcats’ top receiver.

4. David Garrett
Garrett had two hands on Iowa State’s punter on a fake run, and was unable to tackle him. Kirby Van Der Kamp broke loose and jogged past the first down marker to keep a drive alive in the fourth quarter. Despite making eight tackles and breaking up a pass, he will regret that play for a while.

5. Tysyn Hartman
Made five tackles, but often allowed linebackers to make tackles up field he was in better shape to make. He also committed a pretty bad pass interference penalty on Iowa State’s first drive. He did well defending the deep ball, though.

Coaching critique
As soon as Saturday’s game was over, K-State athletic director John Currie began telling the media that Bill Snyder deserves to be the national coach of the year. No arguments here. Snyder took a team that many figured would struggle to make a bowl game to 10 wins.

Fandemonium
A decent crowd turned out at Snyder Family Stadium after bad weather delayed the game for 90 minutes. The stands were maybe ¾ full, and K-State had a nice home-field advantage.

Key play you may have overlooked
Iowa State’s first touchdown of the game, on a flea-flicker, was a successful 30-yard pass from Jared Barnett to Darius Darks. But Barnett will be scolded for the pass during film study this week. Darks made the catch while being covered by Nigel Malone, but another receiver was WIDE open on the other side of the end zone. So much so that Snyder said he could have sat on the ground and caught any pass thrown his way.

Statistically speaking
K-State finished the season 10-2 and won eight games decided by a touchdown or less. The Wildcats were fantastic in close games all year and once again were on Saturday.

Quote to note
“This has been a long ride, a great rollercoaster, and today we ended out on top.” – Tre Walker

Live Blog: Iowa State 23, K-State 30

FINAL
John Hubert scored on a jaw-dropping 26-yard touchdown run and K-State held Iowa State on its final drive to win 30-23.

6:12 Fourth Quarter
Iowa State converted two fourth downs to get within field goal range and then sent one through the up-rights to tie the score at 23-23.

13:37 Fourth Quarter
K-State was unable to score a touchdown after getting the near goal line and had to settle for a field goal. The Wildcats lead 23-20.

4:25 Third Quarter
Jeff Woody just bounced off one of his own blockers and ran in a 13-yard touchdown to tie things up at 20-20. The Farmageddon rivalry is close heading toward the fourth quarter once again.

8:48 Third Quarter
Anthony Cantele connected on a 47-yard field goal to put K-State ahead 20-13. Raphael Guidry set up the long kick by intercepting a tipped pass on Iowa State's last drive.

HALF
Collin Klein ran in a one-yard touchdown to put K-State ahead 17-13 at halftime.

10:13 Second Quarter
Anthony Cantele hit a 37-yard field goal to make the score 13-10 in favor of Iowa State.

11 seconds First Quarter
The quick scores keep on coming. Duran Hollis took a run 44 yards to the one-yard line and then Jeff Woody punched in a touchdown at the goal line. Iowa State leads 13-7.

1:46 First Quarter
After a whole bunch of punts, both teams have scored on long pass plays are tied at 7-7.

With 2:01 remaining in the first quarter, Jared Barnett connected with Darius Darks for a 30-yard score after a flea-flicker.

Then K-State scored on the next play when Collin Klein hit Tramaine Thompson deep for a 68-yard touchdown pass.

Pregame
We're about 10 minutes from kickoff. Not the greatest of weather conditions, and the Bill Snyder Family Stadium is maybe half full. A pretty good crowd considering the elements.

Update
Heavy rain and lightning has delayed the start of Kansas State's football game against Iowa State, which was scheduled to kick off at 11:30 a.m., until 1 p.m.

The Wildcats, 9-2, can clinch a share of the Big 12 championship with a victory and an Oklahoma victory over Oklahoma State tonight.

Sunday Rewind: K-State 17, Texas 13

Overall Assessment:
Anyone who manages a fantasy football team can appreciate Kansas State’s 17-13 win over Texas on Saturday at Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

It wasn’t the prettiest of victories, and the Wildcats put up nothing close to the offensive numbers they have in recent weeks. But thanks to a strong defensive effort, zero turnovers and a few key plays they were able to win.

In fantasy football world, it was like one of those weeks when your team scores fewer points than normal but is matched up against another struggling opponent. Maybe you don’t see the 120 points you normally do, but the 90 you got was all you needed.

K-State coach Bill Snyder didn’t see things quite that positively. He was hot after the game, and had some choice words for his offense. Texas kept Collin Klein in check all night, John Hubert couldn’t get much going out of the backfield, the offensive line struggled and every first down was hard to come by.

The defense, which was able to go back to its preferred 4-3 look, looked great, though. Emmanuel Lamur and Ty Zimmerman both helped the offense by making key interceptions. Tre Walker and Nigel Malone made several important tackles.

Put it all together, and it was an important win for K-State. It has now won four straight over Texas. And with Oklahoma losing to Baylor, K-State can finish in a three-way tie for the Big 12 championship if it beats Iowa State and the Sooners beat Oklahoma State. Depending on how things go, it could also have an edge over Oklahoma for a BCS bowl invitation or a spot in the Cotton Bowl.

Here's a look at all that and more in this week's Sunday Rewind:

Player Evaluations

Five that were good:

1. Tre Walker. No one was happier to find himself in a defensive battle Saturday night than Walker. The sophomore linebacker has been taken off the field for extended periods of time in recent games so K-State could use its nickel formation. But with Texas focusing on running the ball, Snyder asked him to play more or less the whole way.

Walker took advantage of the opportunity. He made a team-high nine tackles, and gave the Wildcats’ defense a big boost just like he did at Miami early in the season.

When asked about his lack of playing time lately, he smiled and said Emmanuel Lamur had simply been the best man for the job. Walker always has a good attitude, and he is developing into more of a leader every day.

2. Chris Harper. His 16-yard touchdown catch at the end of the second quarter was arguably the biggest offensive play of the day for K-State. The score came in the left corner of the end zone, when he broke off a go route and found separation from his defender. Klein lofted him a pass, and suddenly the Wildcats led 10-3 at the end of a brutal first half that featured few big plays on both sides.

He caught another important pass for 11 yards that gave K-State a first down. Considering K-State only got eight of them all night, that was a big play, too.

3. Ty Zimmerman. The sophomore safety intercepted David Ash across the middle of the field and returned it 23 yards into Texas territory. It was a huge defensive play that set K-State up with field position it would use to score its only touchdown of the second half. He also made six tackles and limited the Longhorns’ downfield most of the way.

4. Adam Davis. The defensive end only had two tackles, but they were both important. His sack of Case McCoy on a fourth-and-long late in the fourth quarter went a long way toward helping K-State hold off Texas for the win. The Wildcats haven’t put any pressure on opposing quarterbacks lately. But Davis found a way to do it with the game on the line.

5. Ryan Doerr. Before leaving the stadium, I asked a few of my media peers who I should put in the paper as K-State’s player of the game. A few of them suggested Doerr. Not a bad suggestion at all. In a game of field position, the Wildcats’ punter played an important role. Doerr kicked 10 punts for 427 yards and pinned Texas within the 20 two times.

Five that were bad:
1. Collin Klein. He was flustered by a constant mixture of disguised and delayed blitzes from the Texas defense and was never able to find his groove. The junior quarterback completed 9 of 17 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown and was held to four rushing yards and a touchdown on 26 carries.

Obviously, those are nowhere close to his normal numbers. Sure, he was hurt (so hurt that Snyder said he has been withheld from practice for two straight weeks and Klein said he has been taking “mental reps”) and he did enough to win. But when the Longhorns took away his ability to break loose from the pocket and pick up first downs with his feet out of passing plays, he seemed shaken.

He missed Sheldon Smith deep when he was open for a touchdown, and was stuffed two times on quarterback sneaks. It would have been nice to see him get creative, and maybe use the short passing game to his advantage in the face of all that pressure. He will probably have to get creative in K-State’s final game and bowl. When opposing coaches see the blitzes Texas used, there is a good chance they copy the strategy.

But Klein might be better able to do that. No one deserves a bye week more Klein. A week off should allow him to get healthy. When I asked if he was looking forward to the down time, he enthusiastically said, “Yes, I am.”

2. John Hubert. K-State used Hubert more than it has the past few weeks, and he didn’t take advantage of the opportunity as well as he could have. The running back rushed for 32 yards on 12 carries and caught three passes for 23 yards. With Texas blitzing so much, it would have been nice to see him and Klein connect in the flats for some positive yardage.

3. Offensive line. The Wildcats looked bad up front. Granted, they were dealing with a lot. Texas has a good defensive line, and came at them with extra linebackers and defensive backs on just about every play. But Klein often had little time to react. Anytime an offense runs for 38 total rushing yards, the offensive line didn’t play well.

4. Jordan Voelker. The defensive end had chances to make several key tackles, but only ended up with one. He didn’t have the greatest of games against Texas.

5. Braden Wilson/Travis Tannahill. Both saw action on Saturday, but didn’t look good blocking for Klein. That’s not exclusively their fault. Klein/K-State’s coaches might not have aligned them in the best positions to block. But when the defense is throwing blitz after blitz you, the full back and tight end need to step up and offer protection when they are in the backfield.

Coaching critique
Snyder was furious with his offense after the game, and he had a right to be considering it mustered eight first downs and 121 total yards. But coaching played a part in that poor play. K-State had no adjustments for Texas and its aggressive style of defense. K-State’s defense, though, looked good. Inserting Walker into the game gave the Wildcats a nice return to their 4-3 look.

One coaching decision that was interesting came on K-State’s final drive. The Wildcats faced a fourth-and-short at midfield. A successful sneak with Klein would have put the game away, but Snyder opted to punt and let his defense win the game. I asked him if he put any thought into going for it in that situation, and he said no. Never entered his mind. He was confident in his defense.

Fandemonium
Love or hate Texas football fans, they showed great dedication to booing the officials on Saturday. When they flagged Texas for interfering with Tramaine Thompson’s ability to catch a punt in the second quarter (and replays showed the call was bad) UT fans booed after every play going into halftime. Then, for good measure, they booed after halftime, too.

Key play you may have overlooked
This will sound a lot like last week’s key play you may have overlooked, but Nigel Malone’s downfield tackle of Cody Johnson in the fourth quarter was very important. Johnson broke away for a 55-yard run on the play, but Malone ran him down and tackled him short of the end zone. K-State’s defense then held Texas to a field goal, and went on to win 17-13. If he scores there, the game would have been tied.

Statistically speaking
K-State gained 121 yards of total offense (nearly 200 fewer than what Texas managed) and still won the game. The Wildcats have overcome some crazy stats to win this season. That may be the craziest.

Quote to note
“They (the defense) played awesome for us the whole way. We were able to get barely enough points to win.” – Klein.