Big 12 Countdown - KSU

[Sandhusker]

Kansas State needs a new title for its football loyalty award.

Coach Ron Prince fired the guy it was named for — Jim "Shorty" Kleinau, the equipment manager for 28 years who would bleed purple out his eye sockets if asked to.

Kleinau didn't go out the door alone after Prince's first season.

Four assistant coaches left. Three took other assistant's jobs — defensive coordinator Raheem Morris with the Tampa Bay Bucs, running backs coach Tim Horton with Air Force and wide receivers coach Pat Washington with Mississippi. The contract of tight ends coach James Jones wasn't renewed.

Prince hired a new assistant, Wesley McGriff from Baylor, last winter. He left one month later to go to Miami

Other departures: 14-year strength and conditioning coach Rod Cole to Texas A&M; graduate assistant and de facto secondary coach Scott Frost to Northern Iowa; and director of football administration Abby Boustead to Florida for graduate school.

Before and during last season, some players left, too.

Among the most notable was potential starting quarterback Allan Evridge from Papillion-La Vista, who transferred to Wisconsin after being dropped to No. 3 on the KSU depth chart without explanation.

Does that much change signal turmoil, or is it the normal course of business for a first-year operation?

Prince calls it part of the process of a team being "reborn"
One of the biggest things we've talked to the team about is that every year will stand on its own merits," he said. "Every year, there will be players who graduate from their part of the roster, and there will be coaches who will have the opportunities to advance their careers.

"There will be new players coming in and new coaches coming in. From that standpoint, we're really excited about where we are."

Excited because Kansas State, after two straight seasons of finishing last in the Big 12 North, went 7-6. The Wildcats tied for second in the division, earned a bowl bid and produced a signature win — 45-42 over No. 4 Texas — in Prince's first season.

But the excitement doesn't translate into satisfaction.

"By a long stretch, we didn't feel like we accomplished all of our goals a year ago," he said. "We had a nice season. But we have a lot of things we need to improve on to take that next step."

A buzzword among the Purple People for this season is "versatility."

"That is one of our biggest objectives," Prince said. "We need to become a more versatile team."

With that in mind, Prince switched defenses from a 4-3 to a 3-4, and moved his top defensive player — Ian Campbell — from end to outside linebacker.

"Defensively," Prince said, "we'll take our most veteran players and find a variety of things they can do so we can always have our best players on the field."

Campbell said he's ready.

"I'll go play left tackle if they want," he said. "This will make me more versatile. People won't know if I'm going inside or outside. It's a really attacking defense, and it's a lot of fun to watch."

Because of some missed opportunities last season, Campbell said, the Wildcats are on board with whatever changes Prince installs.

"We could easily have been 9-4 last season," Campbell said. "It's frustrating we couldn't have done better for him. I still feel like he put together a great first year — one of many more to come."

Kansas State at a glance

• Coach: Ron Prince, second year, 7-6.

• Best player: Linebacker Ian Campbell. Not only is Campbell the best player, he might be the best story. He walked on from Cimarron, Kan., (pop. 1,994) three years ago and now is touted as a preseason All-American.

• Best newcomer: Offensive tackle Alesana Alesana. This former rugby player from Western Samoa likely will start at left tackle. In junior college, he blocked for Nebraska quarterback Zac Lee at City College of San Francisco.

• Good news: The offense has playmakers (QB Josh Freeman, TB Leon Patton, WR Jordy Nelson). The special teams, among the nation's best last season, should be good again. And there is some momentum after going to a bowl game in Prince's first season.

• Bad news: The offensive line. The Wildcats played musical chairs with this group a year ago. Now, even more mixing and matching is being done, with three juco recruits involved. Part of the reason Freeman threw 15 interceptions to six touchdowns was he had to run for his life.

• Key game: Nov. 10 at Nebraska. It's not far-fetched to think that K-State could come to Lincoln 4-2 in the league. An upset here could scramble the North title race.

• Camp chatter: Among the newcomers making a splash in fall drills are freshman receiver Lamark Brown, juco linebacker Chris Patterson and juco safety Gary Chandler. . . . The place-kicking job has been thrown open, which gives Josh Cherry from McCook, Neb., a chance. . . . Other Nebraskans on the fall roster: junior running back John McCardle from Millard North; sophomore wide receiver Tony Purvis from McCook; junior guard Brad Rooker from Millard North; and sophomore offensive tackle Derek Meyer from Campbell.

[jigs]

Prince is just weeding out those who are uncommitted to the quest.

[Sandhusker]

[Jake]

I'm a true purple Wildcat fan, and Prince has still got a lot to prove to me before I agree with everything he's doing...

[jigs]

Jake, stop watching all that CCCC soccer! Prince is headed in the right direction. he tolerates no slackers, and will have us back on top before long.....eating huskers and crapping jayhawks!

[Jake]

alright jigs... I'll be a little easier on him. and there is really no reason to go to a soccer game this year, not very many lookers on the women's team.

[Sandhusker]

[jigs]

[loomixguy]

[katrina]

Rumor has it that NU is going to suit up the waterboy as qb just to p*** Freeman off.......
I think K-state will put up a good fight against Auburn (war eagles) jigs....
And may surprise alot of people...........

[Mike]

[jigs]

not really sure what to expect. I do know I never take my KSU news from a Husker!

gets old hearing the "we are Nebraska" BS, ya have not had a decent team in 5 years, but you think you won the national title the past ten!!

I think KSU will win 7 or 8 games, and I am picking NU as one of those wins.......for now.


need to see a few games before I get too pumped. but I am pickling Wake Forest to dump NU next week, if NU pulls out of there with a W, then I may re-assess the Huskers.