Daily Archives: Jan. 3, 2012

Deleted scene from Oklahoma State game

Jan. 3, 20124:49 p.m.

You know how directors throw deleted scenes into their movies when they release them on DVD, and you can find out what the film could have looked like by watching them in the special features section?

Kansas State co-offensive coordinator Dana Dimel did something very similar to that on Tuesday.

When a reporter asked him to relive the final moments of the Wildcats’ 52-45 loss at Oklahoma State, which came down to the final play of the game, he said K-State would have sent the game to overtime or won on a two-point conversion … If only it had enough to time to audible into its desired play.

The way Dimel tells it, after looking at Oklahoma State’s defense quarterback Collin Klein was supposed to check off to a run instead of the pass he sent just over the outstretched arms of Tramaine Thompson in the end zone. But the play clock got in the way.
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By Kellis Robinett | Filed under Football | Comments Off

Cotton Bowl Countdown: K-State coaches already looking for the next Collin Klein

Jan. 3, 20123:32 p.m.

As this season has taught us, there is only one Collin Klein. So don’t mistake my headline as meaning Kansas State coach Bill Snyder and his staff are out on the recruiting trail trying to discover his younger clone.

What I mean is that the Wildcats have discovered how nice it can be to have a talented, dependable quarterback under center on a weekly basis. The position battles of the past two seasons are long behind them and the wildcat formation is no longer a necessity to keep the offense moving.

Klein has brought great stability to the huddle, and that has translated into success on the field. K-State coaches want that to continue for years to come, but he only has one more season of eligibility.

The Wildcats need to establish his backup for next season as quickly as possible and start grooming a quarterback for the future. When Klein leaves, they want to have the next guy in line to be ready to play well immediately.

So who will that quarterback be?

Right now it looks like Daniel Sams, a dual-threat player out of Louisiana who has spent his first year in Manhattan with a redshirt. But don’t count out incoming high school senior Tavarius Bender, who K-State co-offensive coordinator Dana Dimel said today will come in next semester and practice with team during the spring, or Justin Tuggle.
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By Kellis Robinett | Filed under Cotton Bowl Countdown, Football | Comments Off

All about Arkansas

Jan. 3, 20128:50 a.m.

Joe Adams (3) and Tyler Wilson (8)

I’ve been in Texas since Saturday and have been spending most of my time focused on Arkansas and it’s been a lot of fun getting to know some of these players and coaches. They’re a confident bunch, as they should be, and they attribute most of that to the rigors of going through a season in the SEC and coming out 10-2. If you didn’t know by now, the Razorbacks’ two losses were both blowouts at the hands of the two teams in the BCS title game – fellow SEC teams Alabama and LSU – and they feel like had they managed to win one of those games they’d be in the BCS title game. Here’s five thoughts about the Hogs as we gear up for Gameday:

1. They feel like K-State is coming into their house – The Razorbacks are 3-0 at Cowboys Stadium, with all of their wins coming over Texas A&M in the Southwest Classic. That, and Arkansas alumnus Jerry Jones owning the stadium make them feel like it’s one of 3 places they have home-field advantage, along with Reynolds Stadium in Fayetteville and War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. Several players I talked to said they feel like K-State playing here for the first time also will factor in and it’s hard to disagree. Try getting on that field and not being a little bit in awe. But, as Arthur Brown told me, “We’re going to get all of our stares out of the way in practice so we’re not looking around during the game.”

2. Look up for offense – Arkansas QB Tyler Wilson pointed out, twice, that K-State’s secondary gives up a lot of big plays. And he’s got playmakers all around. Wilson’s eyes had to light up when he saw the passing totals put up against the Wildcats by QBs like Oklahoma’s Landry Jones (520 yards), Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden (502), Texas Tech’s Seth Doege (461) and Baylor’s Robert Griffin III (346). Wilson will test the KSU defensive backs early and often.

3. NFL material – Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino has done a great job of recruiting in almost four seasons in Fayetteville, specifically in bringing in NFL-caliber talent. A lot of the Razorbacks’ starters on both sides of the ball are guys you will see playing on Sundays, and if you want an example…

4. Try Alvin – Arkansas redshirt sophomore guard Alvin Bailey is already one of the best offensive linemen in the SEC and is only getting better. The 6-foot-5, 320-pounder from Broken Arrow, Okla., is the No. 1-rated guard in the 2014 NFL Draft class according to NFLdraftscout.com and of all the people I’ve talked to this week about who is ready for The League on the Arkansas roster, he’s the name that always comes up. Also, not a Cowboys fan. “It doesn’t matter how many times we play (at Cowboys Stadium),” Bailey told me. “I’ll always love the Ravens.”

5. Friday’s Eagle will be off the hook – This is the shameless, self-promoting part of this blog post. Check Friday’s Eagle for our special Cotton Bowl section.

I’m out.

TA

By Tony Adame | Tags: , , Filed under Football | Comments Off