As you all remember, the game last season @ OSU was heart wrenching.
With a battered Klein leading a valiant comeback on the road against one of the nation's top teams, the pass at the end of the game fell short, and as you have all read, Klein collapsed on the field and had to be helped to his feet by one of his closest friends and teammates, BJ Finney. "It's just one play, Collin. One pass. This won't define our season." Finney later told GoPowercat.com he had to carry Klein to bed that ngiht.
To add injury to insult, the Cats also lost Tyler Lockett to a kidney injury at the end of the game, losing the top up-and-coming KSU play maker, WR, and nation leading KO return man for the remaining games of the season.
Now, healthier, stronger, and more experienced, Klein has lead the Cats back from that brutal loss and is now leading a team firing on all cylinders. This is a game the team circled on its schedule at the beginning of the year, as well as OU, as a game they wanted the most in 2012 ... and not surprisingly, those were their only two losses of 2011.
With that sort of inspiration, focus, and will to avenge this November what was lost last season in Stillwater, I'm expecting a dominant and inspired effort from KSU tomorrow night in Manhattan ... and would expect the pre-game speech from the Judge to go something like this:
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Here's a great piece from David Ubben about how the 2011 OSU game was the game that started the run at the national title.
"This team put everything we had in that game, and just having the offense inside the 5-yard line with zeros on the clock was the most disappointing thing about that loss. We were so close. You could see it right in front of you but we didn’t go out and get it," Sexton said. "Even though we did lose, it helped us with the confidence in ourselves."
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| #epic flint hills shot. |
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| A preview of kickoff tomorrow night. |
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Here's a question and answer piece written by an OSU blog site (Pistols Firing) answered by BOTC. I took a shot at answering them as well:1) Be honest, how scared are you right now (in general, not about OSU)?
Funny you should ask that.
On a scale of 1-10 (1 kansas - 10 alabama), I'd say I'm at about a 4. We're not scared because OSU hasn't played anyone yet. Their schedule has been light so far, they have no meaningful wins, have not played away from Stillwater but two times, and in the two games that were semi-difficult, they lost.
2) What does Kansas State do better this year than it did last year?
KSU does, well, everything, better than it did last year. The pass rush has been more consistent in producing sacks, our secondary has done a better job at creating TO's, our efficiency in running the ball is higher, Klein is obviously throwing the ball better, and Snyder has this thing purring at a world-class level. The Cats were scrappy in 2011. The Cats are dominant in 2012.
3) Finish this sentence: if OSU ____________ they will upset K-State on Saturday.
... creates magic in special teams and shortens the field, controls the line of scrimmage, forces at least two turnovers, and leads at half-time, they have a 50% chance ... they wil upset K-State on Saturday.
4) Your offense has torched everything in its path (including a statistically-great Tech squad), what can a Big 12 defense do to slow it down?
Simply put, you must control the line of scrimmage and have great playmaking LB's, solid corners, and a great head coach. The reason the OU and ISU games were close, is because they have All-Conference linebackers who are disruptive, fairly decent secondaries, solid DL's, and great head coaches in Stoops and Rhodes who can at least somewhat compete with Snyder.
The problem with KSU, is that even with talent that is likely not as deep, fast, or overall as athletic as many of the teams in the Top 20, they have proven they can control the line with great OLine play (thanks to Coach Dickey), feast on teams without a strong front 7 and are prepared by a coach who promises to outwork, out scheme, and out coach every other opponent he faces, and he expects his assistants to do the same.
This is why, even when Tech looked like they had finally solved the KSU puzzle in the first quarter last Saturday, KSU simply need a few series to find the chinks in the armor, and once they huddled up at half, were able to come out and score 21 in the 3rd, and another 21 in the 4th.
5. More important aspect of the offense: run or pass?
It's the run. With Snyder, it will always be about the run. He is the master of a run-based, pro-style offense that uses a dominating running game to set up the pass to keep balance in the Forc--, offense. Klein has developed his passing skills, and that's certainly been the most improved part of his game and kept him at the top of the Heisman race.
6. K-State runs 63 plays a game but ran 90 (!) last year in Stillwater — which tempo do we see on Saturday?
Last year, KSU had to play to the pace of their competition because we did not have the ability to exert our will. We were consistently playing close, tightly fought games that almost always came down to the last series, or play, winning 8 games last year by a TD or less.
This year, KSU has shown the confidence to play ball control offense, using the play clock, audibling into the correct play, slow the game down, and execute a stifling game of keep away from opposing teams offenses. It would be a win on OSU's part if the Cats are forced to speed up the tempo to keep up with OSU if that's the game they choose to play.
It's more likely KSU will slow down the game, keep Randle off the field, and force OSU to try and strike quickly to make things interesting. No other team on the schedule has been able to do that against the Lynch Mob, OSU doesn't have the horses to be the first.
7. Which unit has been the best on defense this season?
Yes, it's the LB's. Fast, smart, athletic, sure tacklers, and tough.
8. Score prediction time.
45-17 Cats. OSU has a great offense, but too much at-stake for KSU, and at home will prove to have too much energy, defense, and special teams play for the Boys.
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| The BCS National Title trophy currently resides in what appears to be a Manhattan Wal-Mart. Can't wait to see what it look like at BSFS in two months. |
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Here's a great ESPN article on the chaos that likely awaits this weekend should one of the Big IV go down.
In the old days, coaches used the quick kick to flip field position. It turns out that it’s still important. According to ESPN Stats, No. 2 Kansas State and No. 19 Boise State are tied for first in the FBS at plus-13 in field position differential, the margin between where you start a drive and where your opponent starts. Tied for third, at plus-11, are Alabama, No. 9 Florida State and No. 25 Louisiana Tech. The combined record of those five teams: 38-3.
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Ivan Maisel and Gene Wojciechowski on their weekly podcast discuss the Cats. Maisel dropped the Cats down to #4 after beating Tech. Gene has ND at #2 and KSU at #3, Oregon #4. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From the first 10 minutes of the podcast, it would appear these two feel pretty strongly Oregon will get to #2 in the BCS if they win out. I'm not so sure.
They also comment on the Bill Snyder video and his impact on Manhattan filmed by Wojchiechowski and crew that aired last weekend. Gene tells the backstory of how they found that group of older gentlemen dining at Rock-A-Belly, I believe. It's a fantastic piece if you haven't seen it.
He also goes on to share what visiting with Tre Walker and Arthur Brown was like how impressive the entire program has become. Just a great 15-minutes of KSU discussion from the national perspective.
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| Thanks to the rest of the current (and former) Big XII for your support. |
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It appears that Walker may be done of the year with his knee injury, so I'm hopeful KSU can use this as just another reason to put this season into high gear and get the BigXII title wrapped up tomorrow night (for all practical purposes) and continue their historic run. I've read several stories that have mentioned that Cats are even more inspired to get this thing done for Walker -- his play at Miami is what "started it all."
Here's to discussing what 9-0 feels like Sunday night.
Here's to discussing what 9-0 feels like Sunday night.
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