Closing In On 7-0

I'm sure most of you have already visited KState's Collin Klein Heisman page, but if not, make sure you check it out.

"If there was such a thing as a Most Valuable Player award for college football, it might go to Kansas State senior quarterback Collin Klein. 

No player has better defined his team and its success over the past couple of seasons than Klein, whose rapid improvement has coincided with Kansas State's return to national prominence."

Chris Huston, Heisman Pundit

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Ok, stop what you're doing.  Go get a snack.  Turn off your phone.  Shut your office door. Turn off your montitor (after you click the link) ... and listen to this.

This is the College Football Podcast with Ivan Maisel.  Maisel interviews both David Ubben regarding the West Virginia game and visits with Mitch Sherman about the unique program and culture at KSU.

The 15-minutes of Mitch Sherman is pretty much the best commentary on KSU I've heard outside of Manhattan in a long time.  An absolute must listen.

"There is something clean and pure about this team. They are the ivory soap of college football." 

2)  And this is Mitch's very impressive read regarding Snyder's secret to recruiting success. A ton of great information and was well researched.  Well done Mr. Sherman (previously of the Omaha-World Herald).

Since 1990, he has won more games than every active Football Bowl Subdivision coach not named Mack Brown, Frank Beamer or Steve Spurrier. And Snyder took three years off before returning to the sideline in 2009.

This guy is my new favorite ESPN writer.  And here's my tweet to him about it.

3)  Mark Schlabach picks KSU as the "road dog" to upset West Virginia this week.  And, while the Mountaineers are a 2.5-point favorite, I have a hard time seeing this as a true upset.  KSU is the higher ranked team, with more impressive wins on it's resume and no losses.  But, no complaints. He's picking a KSU win and predicting Klein to jump to the front of the Heisman race.

4) Todd McShay picks KSU/WV as the 3rd biggest game of the weekend behind Florida / South Carolina and Alabama / Tennessee in his Drive to the National Championship for this week. (If the link just goes back to the video above, just wait a few moments after that video stops, and this one will play.)

He goes with West Virginia to "exploit KSU's secondary" and "get back in the national title hunt."  I don't think he'll be exploiting anything -- they may rack up some yards, but this defense has proven they are stingy in the red zone.

 I liked Mr. McShay better when he had Klein leading the
Heisman race and not picking us to lose.

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Thanks Eric Stonestreet -- this never ... gets ... old.  

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The Wichita Eagle chimes in on the Heisman implications of this week's game.

The senior dual-threat quarterback cares less about his stats than an offensive lineman. He values team success over individual achievements and relies on toughness, patience and his leadership to win games. Though he has thrown for 1,047 yards and seven touchdowns and rushed for 510 yards and 10 touchdowns, that’s not why voters like him.

He appeals to them as the “best player on the best team.” Many national experts have said no single player means more to his team than Klein, and they might be right. He isn’t flashy and he never says anything controversial, but he is always running for tough yards and making plays with the game on the line. 

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So let's make this the last post before Saturday's historic and season-making game of the year.

No score predictions, but I do have a good feeling that KSU has something special this season and just like Klein and Knott last week, and Landry and Stiles in Norman, one or two players is not enough to beat this team. Geno is good, and he will make some plays, but this is a bend, but don't break defense, and I think we're going to get the first INT of the year on Smith.

They will test the secondary early, and if Smith is hitting on all cylinders as he did against Baylor, we're in for a very difficult game. But if we can rattle him a bit early, create some defensive confusion, come out strong with some early touchdowns, and take the crowd of it, the Mountaineers in the face of oppostion at home will likely be in a state of shock (see OU), causing them to press even more, and create even more opportunities for our defense.

On paper, they flat out have not shown they have a defense that can stop KSU, and the two teams in the Big XII most likely to do it, ISU and OU, couldn't do it when it mattered in the 4th.  When Klein and Co. need to convert a third down, they have proven this year they have the players and execution to get the job done.

The pattern continues on Saturday.

Heisman Battle

This story and photo will only be relevant ... for three more days.

I owe you a Mid-Season Wildcat Report.

At 6-0, there are so many different angles, story lines, and analysis I'd like to get into I'm not sure I have the time to cover them all:  

• Ranking All Six wins In Order Of Importance
• The Top 5 Players Midway Through the Season (Not Named Klein)
• The Top 10 Highlights of the Year
• The 7 and 1/2 Reasons Why We Are 6-0.
• The Biggest Moments of 2012 (so far).

But, writing up that mid-season report is going to take some work. I'm sure this blog looks like it just magically comes together throughout the week, but man is it ever time consuming.  So, rather than write all that up now, perhaps I'll wait until after the Biggest Regular Season Game in the Last 10 Years is over and do a Mid-Season +1 Report after West Virginia.  Fair?

After all, it IS the game in which this entire season now rests upon, is it not?  Win and the Cats are poised for the National Title and a possible Heisman.  Lose, and the best we can hope for is a conference title and the BCS.  

Ah, how far we've come in seven weeks.  

And besides, there are too many other good things going on, so all mid-season stuff will just have to come when I've got a chance to take a breath.  

The local, regional, and national purple induced frenzy has hit fever pitch ... the Koolaid stops for no one.

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That West Virginia #3 Passing Offense is ridiculous.
Too bad Klein won't let them on the field long enough to use it.

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D. Scott is reason alone to have a Twitter account.

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Any time KSU makes it into the New York Post, I figure we must be doing something right.  Or horribly wrong.  Lee Robbins dives into why the Wildcats are title contenders.  

Consider this very possible scenario: While Alabama and Florida knock heads in the SEC title game, Oregon and USC short out the scoreboard in the Pac 12 title game. K-State can go window shopping in the Little Apple, as they call their Manhattan. 

“There is no situation in which a one-loss team would finish ahead of them,’’ BCS expert Jerry Palm told The Post. “An unbeaten team from the nation’s second-best conference would be treated as such.’’ 

The team with the hardest road to the title game also is the nation’s best team. Alabama, seeking to repeat and win a third title in four years, still has games remaining at Tennessee, vs. undefeated Mississippi State, at LSU, vs. Texas A&M. Then comes the blood war game vs. Auburn and the SEC title game.

So many possibilities.  With a win this weekend, of course.
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David Ubben of ESPN.com breaks down The Race between Klein and Smith.

Klein's 515 yards are fourth in the Big 12, and he's averaging 5.26 yards a carry, up from just 3.6 a year ago, and he leads the Big 12 with 10 rushing touchdowns. 

He's also completing 67 percent of his passes, up from 57 percent in 2011.

You can't take too much of what ol' David has to say seriously, however.

He did, after all, Pick Texas To Win the Big XII ... on Sept. 28th.

We'll learn more about the Texas offensive line as the year goes along, but the defensive line doesn't have to do much more to have me sold. I saw enough last year and already this season to believe, especially the depth at defensive tackle and high-end talent at end in Alex Okafor and Jackson Jeffcoat.

His two other reasons? David Ash's development and the defense as a whole.

Good call there, Dave.
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Bring On The Cats also did their Week 7 Klein Heisman update.

The importance of K-State becoming the Big 12 favorites (among rational, unbiased observers) simply cannot be overstated in Collin Klein's quest for the Heisman Trophy. It certainly doesn't hurt that at least his next two games are going to be broadcast nationally on FOX. FACT: Gus + Kansas State = Awesome.

Baylor, Texas and Texas Tech can confirm that West Virginia has basically nothing even resembling a pass defense, so perhaps this will be the time for Klein to truly show off his improved arm. Maybe this will be the day he'll surpass 300 yards for the first time, and Tyler Lockett will finally have that breakout game we've all been waiting for in which he truly looks like his dad and his uncle at the wideout position.

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I liked all the Snyder love from Gene Wojciechowski's video highlights for the midway mark of the season.  The Cats are definitely ... IN.

Was a little disappointed #Optimus did not get mentioned in the "Nicknames" section.  Definitely better than A and M's 'Johnny Football.'

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Have you all listened to these guys yet?  

Pretty salty stuff from two guys sitting around talking about KState.  It's not Stan Weber level analysis here, but it's analysis and discussion nonetheless about the football team and I can appreciate that because deep down I want my own podcast someday.  

Great audio entertainment for the insatiable Wildcat fans among us.

"He sees not only where there is a hole, but where there is going to be a hole.  I can't imagine we've ever had a smarter player playing for Kansas State.  "

"Iowa State could very well have the best front seven in the Big XII."

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Random Video of the Week:

Need a recruiting video for friends and family considering KState?  I'd start with this one.  Somehow, I don't remember KState being ... that ... incredible from 93-98.  

Or was it?

I should count how many times the narrator says "KState," though.  It must be 50+ in 7 min. and 25 sec.  

If I wasn't sold out for KSU before, I for sure am after that.  Wow.

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This is a great read about an Iowa State fan who met, dated, and married a KState fan, and his thoughts having to play KState, and lose to KState, every year:

We had been together for over a year prior to that, but on this day I saw something change in the woman across the table from me. There was a fire and a passion in her beautiful brown eyes that I had not seen before. 

She was in a primal state, screaming at the purple and silver clad warriors on the screen to pull off just one more down, one more big stop. And I am falling in love with her all over again. 

I refill our glasses from the pitcher in front of us. As bubbles rise through the amber liquid, Iowa State scores a touchdown with a little over a minute left on the game clock. The extra point will tie the game and likely send it to overtime. 

Instead, the kick is blocked, and Kansas State sneaks out of Arrowhead with a one point victory. The wizard has worked his black magic, and weaved in a complimentary love spell to boot.

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 I won't oversell this KState Mask video because words can't really do it justice.

"We beat the Bears, we beat the 'Canes, we turned the Mean Green blue,

Stomped the hawks, killed the clones, dominated OU.

Well we when win when we're at home and we win when we're away,

West Virginia, we're coming for you... This coming Saturday.

There's a place out East, with a first name West,

They claim that they're great but they're just like the rest.

West Virginia, why don't you understand?

You're playing the K-State Wildcats, we're the best team in the land.

Now Arthur Brown, he's a mean ol' dude, and Klein's as tough as nails.

Hubert loves his cookies and Tuggle, he impales.

Bill's as wise as Father Time and Lockett's fast as hell.

If you think you're gonna beat us, get outta here.

Your coach has got a girl's name, we think that's kind of sweet,

Geno Smith, he throws a lot but we know he can be beat.

Tavon Austin, he may be fast but he ain't no Tremaine.

Andrew Buie. Brown will track you down, laser set to "maim."

You're missing teeth and you're breath smells bad,

Mama married your brother and now he's your dad.

West Virginia, why don't you understand?

You're playing the K-State Wildcats, we're the best team in the land."

And if you want to see some real internet tough guys, look at the venom in the Comments section of that video.  Wow.  Some VERY upset WV fans.  

Well done, Mask. Well done.

<< KState girl in office today: "I went to a party at that barn!" >>

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Finally, in case you thought it was all positive, don't forget there's always guys like Stephen A. Smith just waiting to make a headline.  I'd expect this from Whitlock, but from a basketball guy?  Come on.

#bulletinboard