To finish off this week prior to the big game, we have to start (and could probably end) with the Mask making maybe his best video yet. (If this isn't syncing or viewable in the email blast, it's worth a visit to the site to check this one out:
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Ok, school newspapers are notoriously bad and the journalism is often questionable at best (not KSU however. My aunt Gloria runs a tight ship at the AQ Miller School of Journalism over there in Kedzie Hall).
However, I'm not sure anyone can excuse this pro-K-State cover that graced, not the KSU student newspaper, but the University Daily Kansan. The following cover story regarding the jayhawks covered nothing more than Weis changing up his practices in order to get the hawks ready, so the illustration is wildly mis-leading.
Nonetheless, how thrilled was Weis with the cover illustration? Not thrilled, and he said so via Twitter:
Here's a great little story via @AshleyDunkak (current sportwriter for the AP and senior at KSU) at Sport Illustrated.com regarding our success through the air this season.
I don't have a caption for this other than to say I like #7 KSU QB's.
This is a really, really, great site: SBNation.com 'Bring on the Cats'. I signed up today and man, it's going to be really hard for me not to steal material from them (see picture above and cheerleader picture at the top). If I could write about KSU for living, I'd be either working for GoPowercat or writing a full-time blog for SB Nation. Maybe someday.
These guys are good.
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Here's a nice feature on Tuggle with highlights from Kstatesports.
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It appears for all practical purposes KSU stands to again take ku to the woodshed for yet another year. KState has more talent. KState has more speed. KState has superior coaching. KState has the best player on offense and defense. Although ku fans have been saying this week that KSU winning in Norman proves that upsets can happen, the analogies between kansas winning in Manhattan and the Cats winning in Oklahoma are few and far between.
I do expect the hawks to put up a fight, though, and I think they will be able to sustain some drives against this defense. However, superior special teams, field position, and dominating OLine will pave the way for a big day for Hubert as Snyder plays it close to the vest and let's Klein drive the bus to another big Wildcat victory over Kansas. In the end, the Governors Cup will stay in Manhattan, where it's been since 2009, as the Cats pull away with a dominating 3rd quarter.
If images and videos are not coming through via the emails, and as I understand it from feedback from a few of you, they often don't, please always remember you can click on the title of that day's post and it will link you directly to the website, which is far better viewing and formatting for the blog in general. I would recommend not even reading the emails but going right to the site ... it's easier reading and there aren't as many formatting issues.
As a card carrying Purple Koolaid member, you should now be able to leave comments (I adjusted a setting so members can leave comments, not just administrators). I logged in with our family email (freelandfamily5@gmail.com) and tested it and was able to post a comment. I have the ability to review and moderate all the comments, but once approved, the comment will be posted for all to see. If someone, anyone, can try it out and test it for me within this entry, just click Comments at the bottom of the blog and it will help me make sure that function is working for everyone.
Remember this blog is forward friendly. Please continue to forward this on to your friends and family who enjoy reading about KSU Football and encourage them to sign up.
Now, on with the show.
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#epic shot.
taken by @albinopepper / posted on twitter
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Here is kstatefans official highlight package from the OU game: #13 Expect to Win.
I believe I posted this to everyone at the beginning of the year, PB, (pre-blog), but I have to post it again. Yes, you're seeing this right. This is the kansas football team practicing how to celebrate after a game winning field goal kick. In practice. This is something I would expect out of Ron Prince, not the #legendary Charlie Weis.
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CBSSports has some decent stuff this week.
First, there's this story where Weis says he wants to model his progam after the Cats.
"I don't want to get our fans mad, but it's a pretty good role model, you know? Everyone wants to look at it differently than that, but from my perspective, they're doing everything right." Weis said Tuesday. "Let's try to get to that level first. If we can get to that level in the not-too-distant future that would be a good place to go."
Secondly, this offers a quick statistical analysis which illustrates we lead KU in every statistical category except, of course, Passing Offense, and Passing Defense. The most telling stat to me? We are #15 in the country in Rushing Defense, giving up only 93.3 yards per game.
Not to get ahead of ourselves here, but:
The Wildcats have also won 12 straight home games over unranked opponents by an average of 17.8 points, while the Jayhawks have lost 14 consecutive road games. Kansas has been outscored 141-51 in its three contests against ranked opponents over this stretch.
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In case you didn't have it all figured out yet and unraveled the mysteries of a Bill Snyder coached football team, allow this aspiring journalist to unveil his 5 simple strategies to beat Kansas State (followed by my comments):
1. Run the football: The Jayhawks have a great trio of backs. James Sims, Tony Pierson and Taylor Cox, can all break a play open at any time. With a stacked running game in play, it would lessen quarterback Dayne Crist chances of forcing something and help make him better.
In the most general of terms, that's exactly how you won't beat KState. By allowing only 93.3 yards per game on the ground, including the ridiculous yardage given up to North Texas as they ran through our D-Line like sieve several weeks ago, trying to power up a running game against The Predator, Tuggle, Walker, and the ever-closing Zimmerman is proving to be fairly difficult this year. And our DB's are no longer whiffing on open field tackles, making yards after contact even more difficult. Strike one, sir.
2. Slow Collin Klein down: Easier said then done. Nobody was able to shut down the Wildcats quarterback last season and so far this year. Klein has passed for 758 yards and five touchdowns so far this year, and rushed for 289 yards. Putting pressure on Klein could help.
That's been every teams primary defensive goal since the Miami game last year, and so far, no one has done it save Arkansas and their elite defense last year. When #optimus wants to move the ball, he will. Hoping it gets done with defensive pressure won't be enough. He's likely to throw over the top of your pressure or just as likely, run through it.
3. Force turnovers: Kansas shut down TCU’s offense, forced three turnovers, and kept them at 20 points. The defense shut down Horned Frogs quarterback Casey Pachall. It can be done again, though defensive coordinator Dave Campo and crew are going to have to shut down Klein.
Wow, a Dave Campo reference. Never thought I'd see this after watching Dallas suffer through his coaching prowess in the last decade. Unbelievably, Dave Campo has had 18 COACHING STOPS in 40 years of coaching. That's a new job every 2.3 years. That's got to tell you something. #goodhireku
Either way, this falls under the category of "stopping Klein", and sure, it's the ultimate equalizer when the talent is glaringly unequal. Are we 5 points better than OU? Maybe not. But those three TO's sure helped even out the talent/speed gap they may hold over us, and limiting those has been one of our specialties this year. We won't turn the ball over at home since we all know, and Snyder for sure knows, it's just about the only thing that will make this game close. Next.
4. Use the Wildcat formation: Kansas used this to perfection in their loss to Northern Illinois. Casey Matthews ran the formation and it was an welcome sight for the team. Northern Illinois couldn’t stop it. Run this again, and show it more often.
Look at the cute little jayhawks run a tricky formation "to perfection" in their wi--, no, their loss, to Northern Illinois. And obviously, if Northern Illinois can't sop it, I'm sure Snyder will be dumbfounded. (Northern Illinois is an outstanding 98th in the country in rush defense.)
5. Hope for a miracle: Kansas needs all the help they can get in this game with Kansas State. Anything can happen.
• Weis said "absolutely" when asked if his team had a chance to win Saturday. You can't go to a game, saying, "We're 1-3, and they're 4-0. Let's try to keep it close. The fanbase will be happy." Weis said he'd rather lose 100-0.
