Program optics. What does the world of CBB think of K-State? For the people who don't believe in Bruce (myself included), the optics of the program have been what is the most frustrating. We used to be tagged for 2-3 Big Monday games a year when program momentum built with Frank. Now we only get on for the KU game and I'm not completely convinced it isn't because of the hostile crowd being must see TV.
Please forgive me (or don't) for using Frank as the example, but he and Weber are the only modern K-state coaches with any form of success. Since I think it is completely fair to also examine what it looks like when your team is made up of the majority of the previous coaches players, I also listed their appearance percentage without the first year for Bruce and without the year of Beas/Walker for Frank since one could argue those were Huggs players.
Weeks ranked in AP poll
Frank - 38% (38 out of 100)
Bruce - 14% (16 out of 113)
Frank w/o Huggs players - 37.5% (30 out of 80 weeks)
Bruce w/o Franks players - 3.2% (3 out of 93 weeks)
Quite the difference however you slice it. We are an afterthought on the national stage. We are the new version of Texas Tech in the Big 12. Perennial bubble team, that never makes it past the first round if they make it at all. Frank helped light and carry the torch. Bruce keeps burning himself with it.
Please forgive me (or don't) for using Frank as the example, but he and Weber are the only modern K-state coaches with any form of success. Since I think it is completely fair to also examine what it looks like when your team is made up of the majority of the previous coaches players, I also listed their appearance percentage without the first year for Bruce and without the year of Beas/Walker for Frank since one could argue those were Huggs players.
Weeks ranked in AP poll
Frank - 38% (38 out of 100)
Bruce - 14% (16 out of 113)
Frank w/o Huggs players - 37.5% (30 out of 80 weeks)
Bruce w/o Franks players - 3.2% (3 out of 93 weeks)
Quite the difference however you slice it. We are an afterthought on the national stage. We are the new version of Texas Tech in the Big 12. Perennial bubble team, that never makes it past the first round if they make it at all. Frank helped light and carry the torch. Bruce keeps burning himself with it.
