5 Keys to K-State's Bowl Hopes

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – While some teams enter this season viewing it as a potential make or break year, others, like Kansas State are on the other end of the spectrum – seeing this year as a first step toward better days.

Even so, the Wildcats have plenty to play for, including seven wins that would get K-State back to a bowl game for the first time since 2006.  It’s definitely possible, but a lot needs to come together before fans make holiday travel plans.

Here are five things that must happen if Bill Snyder wants the privilege of scheduling extra practice time in the winter.

1)  STAY HEALTHY – Contrary to popular opinion, K-State has decent to good talent at a range of positions, especially at receiver (Brandon Banks) and on each level of the defense (Jeffrey Fitzgerald and Brandon Harold up front, Alex Hrebec at linebacker, and Joshua Moore at corner).  It just doesn’t have enough of it.  What that looks like on the field, potentially, is K-State building an early lead but then watching it melt as its frontline guys tire, get dinged, etc... That doesn’t begin to shine light on guys going down with weight-lifting injuries (Brock Unruh – torn pectoral; out for season) – which opens the door to questioning how far guys still need to go physically in preparation before they are ready to play for Snyder.  Whether it happens on the field or in training, the bottom line is guys are already getting hurt, and even a reasonable amount of injuries will wipe away any bowl aspirations.

Lack of depth is a key reason why I believe the Wildcats will be in multiple close games as Snyder and his co-offensive coordinators, Del Miller and Dana Dimel, do what they can to control time of possession. A large part of that will come down to how well a certain new piece plays – and how soon…

2) DANIEL THOMAS – Look!  It’s a quarterback, it’s a halfback, it’s the Wildcats version of the Wildcat: It’s Daniel Thomas!  Seriously, whatever position Snyder decides to place Thomas in, he’s got to produce early if the Wildcats don’t want to be in a 2-4 hole halfway through the season.

If Thomas takes to K-State’s offense in quick fashion, hello mid-tier bowl.  If Thomas can’t get it figured out, and the Wildcats are forced to situationally mix Carson Coffman and South Florida-transfer Grant Gregory at QB; and Keithen Valentine, Jarrell Childs and Frank Delarue at RB, seven wins is probably out of reach.

Unless something changes in a hurry, I believe Massachusetts will see Thomas as a running back the first time K-State’s offense takes the field.  His numbers as a passer at Northwest (Miss.) Community College suggest a marginal passer, but the six-yard average running the ball (618 yards, 103 carries, 2 TD) says the talent is legit. 

Good talent, however, doesn’t necessarily mean good football player.  Rarely do I believe in so goes a player, so goes a team – especially in football, but that might be the case.

3) VIC DOES HIS THING – If any of the hires Bill Snyder made upon his recall was exciting, landing Vic Koenning as defensive coordinator topped the list.  Koenning’s resume strongly suggests that the K-State situation is right up his ally.  At Clemson, he inherited a group that would eventually produce three high NFL draft picks.  Sound familiar?  Granted, Clemson plays in the ACC, not the Big 12, but the goal in today’s conference is to stop opposing offenses just a few times, not shut them out.  Just a few stops, and the Wildcats will be fine.  In order to accomplish that, Koenning needs…

4) INSTANT IMPACT – Safety Emmanuel Lamur has been a hot topic among teammates in the early going.   The junior college transfer measures at 6-feet-4, and if K-State goes bowl-ing, it means a player or two like Lamur have stepped up/panned out.  Stories have surfaced about Lamur’s ability to hit.  Hopefully, he has the coverage skills and focus to play the position correctly, consistently, because, after all, it is the Big 12, which is Swahili for “best passing conference in the country.”  And, selfishly, as a Kansas City Chiefs follower, I don’t think I can handle having to watch a Saturday version of Bernard Pollard.

5) GET SOME HELP – Lastly, it is a nice thought to think K-State’s season will just take care of itself if the Wildcats did everything right.  But, no matter how much the program would like it to be, this year’s final standing in the North won’t be entirely up to them.  The team isn’t to that level this season.  KSU is going to need help in a game or two…or three.

That, however, is entirely possible.  The division is Nebraska’s to lose, but after that, take your pick.  I have K-State second because Kansas and Missouri will have at least four conference losses (KU - Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Nebraska and Texas; MU – Neb. Okla. St., Texas and KU), Colorado can run but not throw and Iowa St. isn’t capable of winning a title among the Independents this year.

K-State will lose to Texas Tech, OU and Nebraska, but home games against Texas A&M, Colorado, Kansas and Missouri give the Wildcats a reasonable shot to win those games (again, if all else goes right).

Some teams will need to spiral, others need to fail getting out of the blocks clean, but it’s entirely possible for KSU to enter Big 12 play 3-1 (UCLA the lone blemish) before scratching out four wins in conference play as teams beat up on one another.  Now, all of this said, if Kansas proves to be better than its schedule; if Missouri proves that it has become a reload instead of a rebuild; if Colorado effectively bores its opponents into losses; then the Wildcats wins will evaporate.  It is that fine of a line K-State walks this season.

It is a long list, but none of these things is impossible.  If they all happen, K-State returns to the postseason.  If not, they don’t.  


Send your comments to curtiskitchen@810whb.com.