Official K-State Wildcat Football Thread

[jetrazor74]

As predicted it was a tough game. And despite CU's recent lack of scoring on offense they put up enough to win.

'Cats Fall Short at Colorado, 14-13
Released 10/18/2008 by Kansas State University

BOULDER, Colo. (AP)—The Colorado Buffaloes found an answer to their quarterback troubles, turning to freshman Tyler Hansen, who sparked them to a 14-13 win over Kansas State on Saturday night.

Hansen, whose photo wasn’t even included in Colorado’s media guide and who was planning to redshirt this season, made a surprise appearance in the first quarter and energized the Buffs (4-3, 1-2 Big 12) while confusing the Wildcats (4-3, 1-2).

It’s not like Cody Hawkins, the son of Buffs coach Dan Hawkins, was benched, though.

He continued to split series—and even snaps within some series—with Hansen, and it was Hawkins who came in with 5:17 left and the Buffs clinging to a 1-point lead.

Although Hawkins mostly handed off to Rodney Stewart (29 carries for 141 yards), he also hit J.R. Smith for 22 yards on third-and-15 from his own 29 on the drive.

His fourth-and-4 pass to Smith, however, fell incomplete and Kansas State took over at its own 31 with 59 seconds remaining.

Josh Freeman’s fourth-down desperation heave to Brandon Banks at the Buffs’ 20-yard line was broken up by free safety Ryan Walters on the last play of the game.

Hansen finished a modest 7-of-14 for 71 yards with one TD and one interception, but he also ran 19 times for 86 yards, bringing a dimension that Hawkins doesn’t have. Hawkins was 6-of-11 for 35 yards.

Trailing 6-0 and in need of a spark to break out of their monthlong slump, Hansen entered the game and promptly fumbled his first snap out of bounds. But on third-and-12 from his 28, Hansen gained 13 yards on a draw play and suddenly the Buffs, who snapped a three-game skid, had the momentum.

He drove them to the Kansas State 4, where Hawkins re-entered and handed off to Stewart, who ran into the end zone to give Colorado a 7-6 lead.

The next time Hansen drove the Buffs downfield, Hawkins stayed on the sideline and Hansen hit Scotty McKnight with a 21-yard touchdown pass down the left sideline for a 14-6 lead.

When Hansen returned to the sideline, he was greeted by both the younger Hawkins and his father, coach Dan Hawkins.

Cody Hawkins had given way to redshirt freshman Matt Ballenger in the Buffaloes’ last two games, losses to Texas and Kansas, and when asked midweek if Hansen might get a shot under center, Dan Hawkins played the poker face.

Brooks Rossman kicked field goals of 37 and 53 yards but was wide right from 47 yards and wide left from 42 in the first half.

The Wildcats pulled to 14-13 when Freeman scored untouched on 17-yard keeper early in the third quarter.

Colorado had a chance to pad its slim lead but Aric Goodman’s 47-yard field goal try sailed wide right at the last moment. Goodman’s 48-yard attempt in the first half was blocked by Ian Campbell, Kansas State’s seventh block in seven games, best in the nation.

The Buffs still haven’t found a way out of their scoring funk—they haven’t scored more than 21 points since Sept. 6 against Eastern Washington, but they did find a way to win.

http://www.kstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3065&SPID=212&DB_OEM_ID=400&ATCLID=1606832

[str8jacket]

yes.... winning by 1 point truely proves both of those points...



Yup... we'll lose to OU, and MU is gonna be tough but we might be able to win that one. But you can use your rock chalk to put a mark in the gayhawk "L" column. By the way, you're aware that rock chalk crumbles when you put the least bit of pressure on it, right?



EVERY team has thugs on it.....

I have yet to see a hit as blatant as that this year of all the games I've been to. I've been to every CU game so far.

[jetrazor74]

I have yet to see a hit as blatant as that this year of all the games I've been to. I've been to every CU game so far.

I'm not saying it wasn't a dirty hit. I'm saying that every team has thugs, and sometimes thugs play like thugs, but at the same time, there are plenty of "clean cut" guys that play like thugs, and there are also thugs who play clean. Calling a guy thug because he made a dirty hit is like calling a guy driving a pickup a redneck. You have no idea who the guy is or what he's really like.

Now if you had called him a dirty player, that'd be a different story.

[str8jacket]

I'm not saying it wasn't a dirty hit. I'm saying that every team has thugs, and sometimes thugs play like thugs, but at the same time, there are plenty of "clean cut" guys that play like thugs, and there are also thugs who play clean. Calling a guy thug because he made a dirty hit is like calling a guy driving a pickup a redneck. You have no idea who the guy is or what he's really like.

Now if you had called him a dirty player, that'd be a different story.

He got up and flexed his muscles after the hit! And Prince didn't do a damn thing, just patted him on the helmet.

I've seen alot of K-State football over the years, and I love your fans (easily some of the best in the Big XII) but this really.....changed my opinion of K-State. If I were the coach I wouldve sat his ass down for the game.

Then again, I won't ever be a coach. So whatever.

[JayhawkBronco]

:



Yup... we'll lose to OU, and MU is gonna be tough but we might be able to win that one. But you can use your rock chalk to put a mark in the gayhawk "L" column. By the way, you're aware that rock chalk crumbles when you put the least bit of pressure on it, right?



:

Well that was even easier than I thought it would be. Freeman's has now thrown 13 int's vs. 1 td against the Hawks. And it's gonna get even uglier for you next week. Hell, Mangino could run through the holes in your D.

[jetrazor74]

Alright, after a couple of big time ass kickings by OU and the gayhawks, I've got some catching up to do!!

Wildcats Drop Shootout to Sooners, 58-35

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP)—DeMarco Murray racked up 167 total yards and four touchdowns, and No. 4 Oklahoma sustained a 21-point Kansas State rally in the highest-scoring first half in school history to beat the Wildcats 58-35 on Saturday.

Sam Bradford added three touchdown passes in a wild first half in which the Sooners (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) give up a 28-7 lead before taking control with 27 consecutive points of their own.

The capper was a 68-yard punt return touchdown by redshirt freshman Ryan Broyles that gave the Sooners a 55-28 halftime lead. That total matched the school record for points in a half, set in the second half of Oklahoma’s 76-0 shutout of the Wildcats in 1942.

Josh Freeman threw for a career-high 478 yards for K-State, with all three of his touchdown passes coming as the Wildcats charged back to tie it at 28.

But with 8 minutes left in the half, the Sooners found time to score four touchdowns.

Murray caught a tiebreaking 10-yard pass from Bradford and also had a 4-yard touchdown run before Broyles’ return.

Murray ended up running for 104 yards on 17 carries and making four catches for 63 yards, with two touchdowns each way. Chris Brown ran 20 times for 142 yards and one touchdown.

Bradford, who came in completing 71 percent of his passes, went only 13-for-32 for 255 yards. The 40 percent completion rate was the lowest of his career and only the second time more than half of his passes were incomplete.

Oklahoma looked as if it might cruise after snuffing out K-State’s deceptive onside kick attempt after its first touchdown. After tailback Logan Dold threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Deon Murphy on a trick play, kicker Brooks Rossman took a designed fall on his approach to the tee and backup Jared Parker kicked the ball instead.

The ball squirted loose momentarily before Jermaine Gresham pounced on it for the Sooners. Murray caught a 15-yard touchdown pass two plays later to make it 21-7, and Brown’s 11-yard run stretched the lead to 21.

Freeman rallied K-State back with touchdown passes on three straight drives — a 77-yarder to Brandon Banks, a 29-yarder to Jeron Mastrud and a 9-yarder to Murphy—to tie it up.

Freeman’s second touchdown pass pushed him past Ell Roberson’s school record for TDs in a career. Freeman now has 38 career touchdown passes and his passing total ranked only behind Chad May’s 489 yards against Nebraska in 1993.

He also had two interceptions and nearly had a third on a fourth-and-goal pass from the 1-yard line in the fourth quarter that instead fell out of Oklahoma linebacker Keenan Clayton’s hands.

Oklahoma played without receiver Manuel Johnson, who dislocated his left elbow last week and wore a sling on the sidelines against Kansas State.

Wildcats Drop Sunflower Showdown

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP)—Lamark Brown rushed for three scores but Jake Sharp had 257 total yards and tied a school record with four touchdowns, as Kansas defeated rival Kansas State 52-21 on Saturday.

Kansas (6-3, 3-2 Big 12) was reeling after giving up more than 1,200 yards in losses to Oklahoma and Texas Tech the previous two weeks. The Jayhawks bounced back quickly, defeating Kansas State (4-5, 1-4) in the 106th meeting between the instate rivals.

Kansas ran for six touchdowns—one short of the school record—and harassed Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman into four turnovers, giving him 14 during Kansas’ first three-game winning streak in the Sunflower Showdown since 1988-90.

Brown was the only bright spot for Kansas State, scoring on runs of 4, 11 and 1 yards, though all three came after the game was out of reach.

Sharp had 118 yards on nine carries and scored on runs of 4, 20 and 47 yards in the first quarter to put Kansas up 21-0. Sharp added a 2-yard touchdown run in the third to put Kansas up 45-7 and finished with a career-best 181 yards rushing. He also caught five passes for 76 yards.

On the other side of the ball, Kansas gave Freeman fits—again.

The junior had five interceptions and four fumbles his first two games against Kansas, and had given the ball away three more times before the first half was over in this one.

Freeman threw an interception on his third pass attempt of the game, the ball fluttering into the hands of Kansas’ Russel Brorsen at the Jayhawks’ 42 after he was hit from behind by defensive end Jake Laptad. Sharp scored 70 seconds later, bursting off right tackle on a 20-yard run.

Freeman finally got the Wildcats going late in the second quarter, converting a pair of fourth downs to get the Wildcats to the 1-yard line, only to lose the ball while trying to reach over the goal line. Kansas recovered and methodically marched 80 yards for a 15-yard touchdown run by quarterback Todd Reesing to go up 31-0.

Freeman’s third turnover of the first half came on a Hail Mary pass in the end zone after Kansas State knocked down Jacob Branstetter’s 33-yard field goal try, it’s nation-best eighth blocked kick of the season. Freeman also fumbled in the third quarter—Kansas State recovered—and threw his third interception in the fourth.

[jetrazor74]

I wish they'd save these firing announcements until after the season. I think it only hurts the team for the rest of the season. If only we had a stinkin defense. :doh:

K-State falls to No. 13 Missouri, 41-24
Released 11/08/2008 by Kansas State University

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP)—Jeremy Maclin scored three touchdowns and totaled 278 all-purpose yards, helping No. 13 Missouri shake off a slow start in its home finale and beat Kansas State 41-24 Saturday night to grab first place in the Big 12 North.

Missouri (8-2, 4-2 Big 12) took control with 17 points in the final 5:46 of the half, including a pair of touchdown passes from Chase Daniel to Maclin. Maclin had eight receptions for 118 yards and two TDs, four carries for 84 yards and a third TD on a 56-yard jaunt on a direct snap.

Kansas State (4-6, 1-5) has lost five of six under head coach Ron Prince, the latest setback coming only three days after Prince was fired effective at the end of the season.

It was a familiar feeling of helplessness for the Kansas State defense, burned by Maclin as a freshman last year for three touchdowns and a school-record 360 yards total offense in Manhattan, Kan. Maclin entered the game averaging 189.67 all-purpose yards, second in the nation.

The Tigers got a strong effort from their lightly regarded defense to beat Kansas State for the third straight time after losing 13 in a row to the Wildcats.

Kansas State scored twice—Brandon Banks’ 93-yard run and a 3-yard touchdown pass from Carson Coffman to Banks—in the final 1:11 to make the final appear respectable.

It was an emotional senior day for the Tigers. The father of linebacker Aaron O’Neal, who died after a voluntary summer workout in 2005 and never played for Missouri, led a procession of 23 seniors who have combined for 35 wins over four seasons in a pre-game ceremony.

Missouri is 11-2 against the North the last three seasons and can clinch its second straight Big 12 championship game berth next week with a victory at Iowa State combined with a Kansas loss at home against No. 5 Texas.

Missouri tight end Chase Coffman, averaging 10 catches the last four games, missed the game with a sprained big toe. The offense seemed out-of-sync early without Daniel’s most consistent pass-catcher, running only seven plays on its first two possessions.

Blair Irvin’s interception ended Missouri’s first possession after only two plays, and the second drive netted one first down.

Two big plays from Maclin helped the Tigers open things up. He won a foot race on a simple swing pass on a 42-yard score, one play after Will Ebner’s blocked punt, and caught a 16-yard touchdown pass on one leg in the back of the end zone.

Kansas State trailed 24-3 at the half and barely avoided getting shut out in the first 30 minutes for the second straight game, getting a 43-yard field goal from Brooks Rossman on the final play.

http://www.kstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3065&SPID=212&DB_OEM_ID=400&ATCLID=1621261

[Bronco Axe]

I think there is a serious rumle in store for KSU today in MANHATTAN!!!

[jetrazor74]

Apparently the 'Cats must've just given up after ass kickings by good teams. There's not really any other explaination to losing to Nebraska...

[B]K-State drops 56-28 decision to Nebraska
Released 11/15/2008 by Kansas State University

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP)—Junior Brandon Banks tallied 167 yards in kick returns, including a 98-yard touchdown jaunt, as Kansas State dropped a 56-28 decision to Nebraska on Saturday afternoon at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

Nebraska senior quarterback Joe Ganz accounted for 365 total yards and four touchdowns and the Cornhuskers (7-4, 4-3 Big 12) dropped Kansas State for the second straight year.

The Huskers did it with a balanced attack this time, punishing the Wildcats (4-7, 1-6) at the line of scrimmage for 340 yards and four touchdowns rushing. They complemented it with Ganz’s arm to finish with 610 total yards.

Nebraska established the running game early. Roy Helu Jr. scored on runs of 1 and 24 yards, and Quentin Castille had a 37-yarder on a fourth-and-1 late in the first quarter.

That set up Ganz, who had 270 yards and two touchdowns on 16-of-25 passing after his first attempt of the game was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. He also had 95 yards rushing on 11 carries, scoring on runs of 25 and 14 yards in the fourth quarter.

Nebraska’s defense wasn’t bad, either.

The Cornhuskers finally earned the coveted Blackshirts in practice this week and responded by harassing Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman from the opening snap and completely squashing the Wildcats’ running game.

Freeman, the nation’s 13th-ranked passer at 292 yards per game, faced constant pressure and was sacked five times. He had to hurry or throw off his back foot on several other throws, going 7-for-18 for 114 yards before being replaced by Carson Coffman midway through the third quarter.

Kansas State’s running game certainly didn’t help, managing a dismal 59 yards on 32 carries.

The result was another disappointing finish for the Wildcats, who had hoped for a little revenge after Nebraska piled it on last year in Lincoln and to maybe pull out two wins to send coach Ron Prince to a bowl in his final season in the Little Apple.

Kansas State at least seemed to have a chance early.

Courtney Herndon intercepted Ganz’s first pass of the afternoon and returned it 57 yards for a touchdown, then Freeman answered two Nebraska TDs by hitting Ernie Pierce on a 63-yard scoring pass to tie it at 14-all.

The momentum carried over to the defense, which held Nebraska to three plays and a punt.

Then Deon Murphy fumbled the punt at his own 30. Momentum gone.

Helu scored two plays later on a 24-yard run. Ganz hit Todd Peterson for a 5-yard touchdown pass on the next possession, then found Mike McNeill for an 18-yard score to put Nebraska up 35-14.

Kansas State had a chance to pull closer in the closing seconds of the first half, but Nebraska pressured Freeman into an incompletion after Prince decided to go for a touchdown instead of a field goal.

http://www.kstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3065&SPID=212&DB_OEM_ID=400&ATCLID=1625891

[jetrazor74]

At least we went out with a win!

K-State Drops Cyclones in Finale
Released 11/22/2008 by Kansas State University

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) - Josh Freeman threw four touchdown passes and Kansas State sent Ron Prince out a winner, beating Iowa State 38-30 Saturday three weeks after the Wildcats fired their embattled coach.

Prince, hired three seasons ago without any previous head coaching experience, leaves with a record of 17-20. The victory enabled the Wildcats (5-7, 2-6 Big 12) to squeeze past Iowa State (2-10, 0-8) and escape last place in the Big 12 North.

Kansas State has not yet hired a replacement for Prince, although athletic director Bob Krause said when announcing the firing that he wanted to pick a successor before the end of the season. Among those whose names have been mentioned are TCU coach Gary Patterson and former Kansas State coach Bill Snyder, who retired after the 2005 season and was followed by Prince.

Prince's Big 12 record got progressively worse, going from 4-4 in 2006 to 3-5 last year and 2-6 in 2008. Given a contract extension before this season, he was rewarded with a buyout of almost $1.3 million when he was fired but asked to stay for the three final games. The Wildcats got blown out by Missouri and Nebraska in their first two games with a lame duck coach.

The future could become similarly perilous for Gene Chizik, who is 5-19 in two seasons as Iowa State head coach. After winning their first two games, the Cyclones ended the season on a 10-game losing streak.

Austen Arnaud was 31-for-45 for 440 yards and three touchdowns for Iowa State, which lost its 17th straight on the road and has given up 226 points in its last five games.

Brandon Banks had seven catches for 116 yards for Kansas State, including a 20-yard touchdown, and became the sixth receiver in school history to go over 1,000 yards in a season.

It might also have been the last game at Kansas State for Freeman, the 6-foot-6 junior quarterback who holds career school records for attempts, completions, yards, touchdowns and total offense. Freeman, whose four TD passes tied a school record, has said he intends to come back for his senior season. But an early entry into the NFL might be tempting if he's assured of first-round draft status.

The most highly sought recruit Prince signed at Kansas State, Freeman was 17-for-30 for 279 yards and four TDs against Iowa State's weak defense. The four touchdown passes had been accomplished 12 other times.

Freeman showed on several throws why NFL scouts have been at every game. His first scoring pass was a beauty of a 44-yard strike to Deon Murphy, who was double-covered but caught the ball perfectly in stride. He also snapped off a 5-yard TD pass to Murphy that made it 35-17 in the third quarter and connected with Ernie Pierce on a 19-yard strike after Josh Moore interception.

Lamark Brown's 1-yard run gave Kansas State a 7-0 lead in the first quarter after Ian Campbell blocked his third field goal of the year, a Kansas State record.

Arnaud threw TD passes of 19 and 5 yards to R.J. Sumrall and 28 to Marquis Hamilton. His 5-yarder to Sumrall came as the final seconds of the season ticked off.

http://www.kstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3065&SPID=212&DB_OEM_ID=400&ATCLID=3621421

[str8jacket]

How do you feel about Snyder coming back?

[jetrazor74]

How do you feel about Snyder coming back?

What K-State fan isn't stoked, if the rumor turns out to be true? I just hope it isn't a Joe Gibbs thing. I mean, the man single handedly resurrected the football program from the grave, turning the losingest program in Div 1 history into a 11 straight bowl team and in 2003 they won their 1st conference title since 1934.

Ron Prince had started to run the thing back down, and you want to know how I feel? I feel as giddy as a love struck school girl!! :thumb:

[Straz1999]

I think the re-hire is going to be a mistake. There's a reason that Snyder stepped down in the first place. I remember 10 years ago when people were hoping OU would re-hire Switzer after Blake was fired, just to get some prestige back. I wasn't sure what to think, and when I heard that we hired a defensive coordinator from Florida instead of John Cooper or Gary Barnett, I was kind of shocked.

However, it turned out to be the right hire, I guess.

[Overtime]

What K-State fan isn't stoked, if the rumor turns out to be true? I just hope it isn't a Joe Gibbs thing. I mean, the man single handedly resurrected the football program from the grave, turning the losingest program in Div 1 history into a 11 straight bowl team and in 2003 they won their 1st conference title since 1934.

Ron Prince had started to run the thing back down, and you want to know how I feel? I feel as giddy as a love struck school girl!! :thumb:

i don't think firing Ron Prince in the middle of his 3rd season was the right thing to do. Seems to me, the K-Stater's want success and victory right this very minute, when in reality, it's something that has to be built.

I think the re-hire is going to be a mistake. There's a reason that Snyder stepped down in the first place. I remember 10 years ago when people were hoping OU would re-hire Switzer after Blake was fired, just to get some prestige back. I wasn't sure what to think, and when I heard that we hired a defensive coordinator from Florida instead of John Cooper or Gary Barnett, I was kind of shocked.

However, it turned out to be the right hire, I guess.

I couldn't agree with you more. There are plenty of candidates out there, but what happens in 5 or 6 more years when Snyder wants to step down again? So they trade 3 years of struggle, for 3 years of success with Snyder, then go right back in the tank? that doesn't make a lot of sense.

bad call in my opinion on K-State's part. I could understand if they were bringing in Snyder as a consultant (like Nebraska did with Tom Osborne) but seriously, this is not the way K-State fan wants to go in the long run. It'll be a shame to see a man like Snyder tarnish the legacy he worked so hard to build.

[JayhawkBronco]

If Freeman comes back next year I don't think KSU will struggle in 2009. They have a very favorable schedule. After that they will go back to playing 4 cupcakes in the non con(yes, they have Miami and UCLA scheduled but Snyder is already trying to get out of those...what a surprise.)
KSU was on the downhill slide when Snyder left the first time. It's not like Prince had some stacked team to inherit. Prince was terrible and I have no problem with him being fired but I can't believe they could not get someone else to take the job.

Now, I would love for Reesing and the Jayhawks to go to Manhattan next year and kick the absolute crap out of the old mans team. And I think they just might.