Bowl game streak in jeopardy for Wildcats
Oklahoma was clearly better than Kansas State. The 51-14 shellacking the Sooners administered last Saturday saw them total 702 yards with an offense so superior it averaged three-quarters of a point per snap.
The mismatch looked like something from a different era … when Kansas State built a reputation as the worst program in major-college history. When its continual misfortunes led to the hiring, in 1989, of an Iowa offensive coordinator dedicated to the simple premise of everyone getting just a little better every day.
Improvement this season, however, looks difficult to attain for Bill Snyder, his staff and his players. Coming off an upset win at home over Oklahoma State, the Wildcats had two weeks to prepare for the Sooners but were manhandled in every phase. Kansas State fell to 3-5 overall and 1-4 in the Big 12, their string of eight consecutive bowl bids in severe jeopardy heading into a home game against TCU (3-5, 1-4) on Saturday.
“I am walking off the field knowing I didn’t leave anything out there,” quarterback Skylar Thompson said. “I gave it everything I’ve got. I tried to do my best. I can truly say that.”
He is to be believed. Yet Thompson is only a sophomore and can only do so much with receivers who aren’t explosive and a run game, which came in featuring the Big 12’s top rusher (junior Alex Barnes) contained by an Oklahoma defense that loaded the box and was completely aware of the Wildcats’ shortcomings.
Matchups follow against Big 12 rivals that aren’t ranked in the top 10 like the Sooners, but it is clear Kansas State needs to play with every bit of energy possible to produce the kind of effort needed to win games. Breaking in two first-year coordinators has not helped with any growth, particularly for an offense that has regressed despite the presence of several returning starters.
“I can’t tell you that I have the immediate answer,” said Snyder.
If not, then the Kansas State administration must evaluate whether the veteran coach has lost his touch as one of just three active coaches with 200-plus career victories. At 79, it is a possibility Snyder has lost his ability to relate to players in his program whom he often refers to as “youngsters.”
How young? Well, the loss to the Sooners prompted Snyder to say his defense tackled like kindergartners.
Talent is also an issue, but that is something Snyder and his staff also assemble.
Moving ahead, the Wildcats must somehow make enough corrections defensively to keep from getting steamrolled, while relying on an offense that is best when it methodically moves down the field when providing openings for Barnes.
“We’re kind of a possession team, trying to hold the ball and keep it out of their hands,” Thompson said. “When we weren’t doing that, and they were scoring really quick, it just affects things, and you have to call the game different.”
TCU offers the potential for a bounce-back. The Horned Frogs, playing with a backup quarterback (Michael Collins) and without their top playmaker, KaVontae Turpin, will be coming off a 27-26 loss against perennial Big 12 doormat Kansas.
Still, the Wildcats, who rank last in the Big 12 in total defense and ninth in total offense, must worry about themselves.
“We’re not very good anywhere,” Snyder said.
