Kansas State Wildcats
Overall Rank: #25
#6 Big 12
Kansas State Team Page
Bill Snyder returning to the program in 2009 was literally a second coming. Since his return, Kansas State has been in the conversation in the Big 12. The 2011 season is evidence of that. The Wildcats finished second in the conference and won 10 games. Quarterback Collin Klein was a revelation. He was one of the strongest dual threat quarterbacks in the country and a lot will be expected of him going into 2012. With realignment in the Big 12, Kansas State will face some unfamiliar foes. The big boys in Texas and Oklahoma still stand in their way, but Kansas State showed last year they can hang with anyone. 2012 holds a lot of promise for Bill Snyder’s team.
2011 Record: (10-3)
2011 Bowl: Cotton Bowl (L 29-16)
Coach: Bill Snyder (159-83-1 overall, 159-83-1 at Kansas State)
Offensive Coordinator: Dana Dimel/Del Miller
Defensive Coordinator: Tom Hayes
Returning Leaders:
Rushing: Collin Klein, QB, 1,141 yards
Passing: Collin Klein, QB, 1,918 yards
Receiving: Chris Harper, WR, 547 yards
Tackles: Arthur Brown, LB, 101
Sacks: Meshak Williams, DE, 7
Interceptions: Nigel Malone, DB, 7
Other Key Returnees: RB John Hubert, WR Tyler Lockett, TE Travis Tannahill, LB Tre Walker, S Ty Zimmerman
Key Losses: DB David Garrett, DB/LB Emmanuel Lamur
Strengths:
The biggest asset for this team is quarterback Collin Klein. He was far and away the offensive leader for the Wildcats. Bill Snyder relies on him for just about everything. He is a big reason that the rushing attack averaged 185 yards per game. His ability to limit turnovers also benefitted Kansas State as he only threw six interceptions all year. They made up for any lost fumbles by creating their own turnovers. They had 18 interceptions as a team in 2011, Nigel Malone with seven by himself. Their special teams was also a strength for them. They were best in the conference at returning kickoffs with 25 yards per return.
Weaknesses:
Strangely, Kansas State’s offense was not one of the better ones in football in 2011. They ranked in the bottom 20 in the country at 337 yards of offense per game. The passing game was what held the offense back. Even though Klein played great at quarterback, he only threw for 151 yards per game. Though Klein is a deceptive runner, he was sacked quite a bit. Kansas State gave up over three sacks per game, which was easily the worst mark in the conference. Defensively, the secondary had a problem stopping opponents despite all of the interceptions. They were still susceptible to giving up 263 yards per game in the air.
The Bottom Line:
Kansas State is now one of the better teams competing for the Big 12 after being an afterthought a few seasons ago. It will certainly not be easy for the Wildcats to win the Big 12 with all of the quality teams. But Snyder has a quarterback that can execute a solid rushing offense and make the most of each possession. The defense is good enough to keep the team in games, but teams like Oklahoma State and Texas Tech sling the ball all over the field. They will need to tighten up their secondary. There is no reason to suspect that 10 wins is out of reach for the Wildcats in 2012.
Projected Bowl: Holiday Bowl
2011 Team Stats:
Rushing Offense: 185.46 (29th in nation, 5th in conference)
Passing Offense: 151.54 (108, 10)
Total Offense: 337.0 (101, 9)
Scoring Offense: 31.77 (34, 7)
Rushing Defense: 131.21 (37, 4)
Pass Defense: 263.38 (103, 6)
Total Defense: 394.62 (72, 5)
Scoring Defense: 27.92 (68, 5)
Turnover Margin: .92 (9, 2)
Sacks: 1.62 (84, 6)
Sacks Allowed: 3.31 (115, 10)
Madness 2013 NFL Draft Rankings:
#62 Arthur Brown
