D
Derek Young
Guest
TACKLING
It didn’t matter if it was on defense or on special teams, Kansas State couldn’t tackle on Saturday in the regular season finale against Texas. They struggled to bring down Bijan Robinson out of the backfield and they even were gouged on kick returns because of their inability to get guys to the ground.
I don’t know what else to say, to be honest. It was that bad. The defense was sliced and diced with ease for much of the day, just like it was in the second half versus Baylor in Waco.
Not to give the defense many excuses, because there is no excuse for it to be as bad as it was of course, but a lot of miscues came from true freshmen in the running game, particularly Tee Denson at cornerback and then also safety Aamaris Brown in the second half.
With Ekow Boye-Doe not available and Lance Robinson opting out, TJ Smith hurt and done for the season, Elijah Sullivan going down with an injury at the beginning of the game and Jahron McPherson not being able to go in the second half, it was quite the mash unit they had to deploy on that side of the field.
On top of that, the horrid kickoff coverage put Texas in good field position for most of the day.
With all that being said, if they can tackle at even an average level, they beat the Longhorns in Manhattan. Instead, it was as bad of a tackling performance as we witnessed from the Wildcats in Norman in 2018, maybe worse.
For perspective, before the third quarter was over, we were looking in the media guide to see the record for points allowed by a K-State team. Recently, it had been 73 versus Nebraska in 2007.
The next two were 75 to Oklahoma in 1971 and 76 versus the Sooners in 1942.
SKILL POSITIONS
After a pretty rough start, Will Howard found some rhythm on offense again, like he did in the fourth quarter in Waco. He was more accurate with the ball and more on time with the ball.
To me, the difference was that he was driving on the ball downfield a bit more. That was a point of emphasis that offensive coordinator Courtney Messingham pointed out on Thursday. It seemed to be a real difference for him.
It didn’t help him avoid the turnover bug. He threw an interception in the first half that was almost returned for a score. In addition, he threw one away in the second half.
Malik Knowles has found some life in the last three games and has showed some promise and potential moving forward. That has always been the case if he can remain healthy. Deuce Vaughn was very effective once again, too.
However, it was all for naught. Unfortunately, it was a year where the offense and defense never wanted to click at the same time.
VERY DISAPPOINTING
Yes, Kansas State lost 69-31 to Texas and it was a performance to forget. Historically, it’ll be a game that gets brought up as one of the worst losses that folks remember. We often hear about 2015 Oklahoma, 2018 Oklahoma and even 2008 Texas Tech. 2020 Texas will join that elite company.
The score notwithstanding, what disappointed me the most was a decision from Chris Klieman in the third quarter and the effort and intensity level of the team at times in the second half.
While trailing 52-31 and on Texas’ side of the field, when the Wildcats were scoring at will and still had no answer for the Longhorns’ offense, who were also scoring on every drive, they punted.
I think it was worse than the decision to kick a field goal in Stillwater in the 2019 season. At least versus Oklahoma State last season, it didn’t feel like the game was still in the balance. They were being dominated by the Cowboys and weren’t moving the ball.
On Saturday in Manhattan, despite trailing by 21, it still felt like the game was within reach. They made a comeback versus Oklahoma in the second half already this season. They were within striking distance and the offense was moving the ball well throughout the game and was in position to continue to do so and make it a two-possession game again.
Texas had showed no signs of being stopped on offense. It was just a puzzling choice. Kansas State wouldn’t score again, and all the energy evaporated.
What also concerned me was that the team shut it down during the game. I don’t think they did on offense, mainly because of Deuce Vaughn’s effort and maturity, but some players on the defense definitely did.
I’m not going to say the entire group mailed it in, but some of them certainly did and that is a scary sign for a team that has already had the roster turnover that it has had this season.
MOVING FORWARD
I have said it before, and I will say it again. This will be the most critical offseason of Klieman’s coaching career. He’s going to have to repair the locker room first and foremost. Some of that may mean more necessary attrition, but they need the right guys in the locker room, and they need the right leaders in front of the room.
I think they had good leaders this year. It is clear that they also had some voices that were followed that shouldn’t have had the influence that they did. They need to repair that and prevent it from happening again.
Whilst doing so, they also need to continue to work on improving the personnel. Recruiting has to take another step in the right direction.
I don’t think they can stand pat as a program, either. When there is a season with as much struggle, adversity and challenges as this one, and when there are losses as bad as the one to West Virginia, Iowa State and Texas, there has to be a self-diagnosis and to identify what the remedies are and make those changes.
I’m not saying there needs to be wholesale changes at all. I am saying that they need to have more tough conversations and to identify better ways to move the program forward, so that it doesn’t happen again. That means finding the problems, the culprits and the sources of the downfalls and addressing them, whatever they may be.
There are some things that are a product of the atmosphere amid a pandemic, but there are some other issues that can't be simply pinned on it. The combination of roster turnover, the lopsided losses to finish the season and overall play and effort, are a bit disconcerting.
It didn’t matter if it was on defense or on special teams, Kansas State couldn’t tackle on Saturday in the regular season finale against Texas. They struggled to bring down Bijan Robinson out of the backfield and they even were gouged on kick returns because of their inability to get guys to the ground.
I don’t know what else to say, to be honest. It was that bad. The defense was sliced and diced with ease for much of the day, just like it was in the second half versus Baylor in Waco.
Not to give the defense many excuses, because there is no excuse for it to be as bad as it was of course, but a lot of miscues came from true freshmen in the running game, particularly Tee Denson at cornerback and then also safety Aamaris Brown in the second half.
With Ekow Boye-Doe not available and Lance Robinson opting out, TJ Smith hurt and done for the season, Elijah Sullivan going down with an injury at the beginning of the game and Jahron McPherson not being able to go in the second half, it was quite the mash unit they had to deploy on that side of the field.
On top of that, the horrid kickoff coverage put Texas in good field position for most of the day.
With all that being said, if they can tackle at even an average level, they beat the Longhorns in Manhattan. Instead, it was as bad of a tackling performance as we witnessed from the Wildcats in Norman in 2018, maybe worse.
For perspective, before the third quarter was over, we were looking in the media guide to see the record for points allowed by a K-State team. Recently, it had been 73 versus Nebraska in 2007.
The next two were 75 to Oklahoma in 1971 and 76 versus the Sooners in 1942.
SKILL POSITIONS
After a pretty rough start, Will Howard found some rhythm on offense again, like he did in the fourth quarter in Waco. He was more accurate with the ball and more on time with the ball.
To me, the difference was that he was driving on the ball downfield a bit more. That was a point of emphasis that offensive coordinator Courtney Messingham pointed out on Thursday. It seemed to be a real difference for him.
It didn’t help him avoid the turnover bug. He threw an interception in the first half that was almost returned for a score. In addition, he threw one away in the second half.
Malik Knowles has found some life in the last three games and has showed some promise and potential moving forward. That has always been the case if he can remain healthy. Deuce Vaughn was very effective once again, too.
However, it was all for naught. Unfortunately, it was a year where the offense and defense never wanted to click at the same time.
VERY DISAPPOINTING
Yes, Kansas State lost 69-31 to Texas and it was a performance to forget. Historically, it’ll be a game that gets brought up as one of the worst losses that folks remember. We often hear about 2015 Oklahoma, 2018 Oklahoma and even 2008 Texas Tech. 2020 Texas will join that elite company.
The score notwithstanding, what disappointed me the most was a decision from Chris Klieman in the third quarter and the effort and intensity level of the team at times in the second half.
While trailing 52-31 and on Texas’ side of the field, when the Wildcats were scoring at will and still had no answer for the Longhorns’ offense, who were also scoring on every drive, they punted.
I think it was worse than the decision to kick a field goal in Stillwater in the 2019 season. At least versus Oklahoma State last season, it didn’t feel like the game was still in the balance. They were being dominated by the Cowboys and weren’t moving the ball.
On Saturday in Manhattan, despite trailing by 21, it still felt like the game was within reach. They made a comeback versus Oklahoma in the second half already this season. They were within striking distance and the offense was moving the ball well throughout the game and was in position to continue to do so and make it a two-possession game again.
Texas had showed no signs of being stopped on offense. It was just a puzzling choice. Kansas State wouldn’t score again, and all the energy evaporated.
What also concerned me was that the team shut it down during the game. I don’t think they did on offense, mainly because of Deuce Vaughn’s effort and maturity, but some players on the defense definitely did.
I’m not going to say the entire group mailed it in, but some of them certainly did and that is a scary sign for a team that has already had the roster turnover that it has had this season.
MOVING FORWARD
I have said it before, and I will say it again. This will be the most critical offseason of Klieman’s coaching career. He’s going to have to repair the locker room first and foremost. Some of that may mean more necessary attrition, but they need the right guys in the locker room, and they need the right leaders in front of the room.
I think they had good leaders this year. It is clear that they also had some voices that were followed that shouldn’t have had the influence that they did. They need to repair that and prevent it from happening again.
Whilst doing so, they also need to continue to work on improving the personnel. Recruiting has to take another step in the right direction.
I don’t think they can stand pat as a program, either. When there is a season with as much struggle, adversity and challenges as this one, and when there are losses as bad as the one to West Virginia, Iowa State and Texas, there has to be a self-diagnosis and to identify what the remedies are and make those changes.
I’m not saying there needs to be wholesale changes at all. I am saying that they need to have more tough conversations and to identify better ways to move the program forward, so that it doesn’t happen again. That means finding the problems, the culprits and the sources of the downfalls and addressing them, whatever they may be.
There are some things that are a product of the atmosphere amid a pandemic, but there are some other issues that can't be simply pinned on it. The combination of roster turnover, the lopsided losses to finish the season and overall play and effort, are a bit disconcerting.
