Despite just 64 passing yards, the K-State offense scored 31 points in a season opening victory over UCLA. The Wildcats running game saved the day, posting over 300 rushing yards with the combination of Daniel Thomas and William Powell. Thomas ran over and past the Bruins for 234 yards on 28 rushes and two touchdowns. K-State coach Bill Snyder says he wanted the passing game to be more involved, but they went with what was working. Powell gained 72 yards on just 6 carries against the Bruins including a 28-yard touchdown gallop. Snyder says Powell is a nice change of pace in the vein of a Wildcat legend, Darren Sproles.
After building chemistry and continuity throughout 2009, the K-State offensive line lost a starter on the second play of this young season, when right tackle Ethan Douglas went down with an injury against UCLA. Coach Bill Snyder says Douglas won’t play at least this week against Missouri State. Zach Hanson, a backup at left tackle, stepped in for Douglas on the right side. Snyder was pleased with Hanson’s play being called in duty on game day. Hanson says he thought he did pretty well on the fly, and switching sides of the offensive line is tougher than you might think because all of the footwork associated with the position changes.
K-State will host Missouri State this Saturday night at 6:10 pm. Powercat Gameday kicks off our coverage on KMAN at 2:00 on the Big State on the west side of Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Former K-State standout and Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman practiced for the first time since breaking the thumb on his throwing hand and expects to play in the Buccaneers’ season opener against the Cleveland Browns. The second-year pro missed the last two weeks of the preseason after banging his right thumb on the helmet of a pass rusher during an exhibition against the Kansas City Chiefs on Aug. 21. The Bucs were confident all along that he would return before the start of the regular season. Freeman did not wear a bandage or protective splint on the thumb Tuesday.
K-State got it done on Saturday 31-22 over UCLA to open the season 1-0. A career day from Daniel Thomas led the way for the cats as he racked up 234 yards on the ground. Monday, head coach Bill Snyder spoke on the Big 12 coaches teleconference and Snyder says his team took some confidence out of game 1, but wants his team to become more disciplined.
Daniel Thomas racked up a career high 234 yards on Saturday and Snyder says K-State needs that kind of production from their workhorse back. Quarterback Carson Coffman had an up and down game against UCLA. Overall Snyder says it was a solid effort from Coffman.
K-State and Missouri State kick off this Saturday inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium at 6:10 pm.
Kansas State placed 14 former players on NFL rosters as teams were mandated to trim their rosters to 53 active players on Saturday. Of the 14 players, eight are on offense and six are on defense. The longest-tenured former Wildcats include running back Rock Cartwright (ninth season), safety Jon McGraw (ninth season) and cornerback Terrance Newman (eighth season). Two players from the 2009 Wildcats captured spots on active rosters as sixth-round draft pick Joshua Moore remained on the Chicago Bears’ active roster, while wide receiver Brandon Banks made the 53-man roster for the Washington Redskins as an undrafted rookie free agent. The 32 NFL teams will fill out practice squads, which will be announced at a later date. The NFL season kicks off on Thursday, September 9, while a full slate a games are scheduled for Sunday, September 12.
A national television audience will witness K-State’s season opening clash with UCLA on Family Reunion Weekend. The Cats will be looking to even the score with the Bruins, who prevailed 23-9 last season in Los Angeles. K-State coach Bill Snyder says he doesn’t like opening the season with an opponent from a fellow BCS conference like UCLA, and would like to start out with a lesser foe like they did a year ago with UMass. “It would give you the opportunity to let younger people get game experience,” Snyder said. “It preserves the injury potential for your front line players. You know when the conference schedule begins, that it’s going to be eight weeks of very, very, very competitive football.”
The Cats and Bruins collide this Saturday afternoon at 2:30 pm. Powercat Gameday starts our coverage on the Gameday Network at 10:30 am on the Big Stage located on the west side of Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
As expected, K-State coach Bill Snyder named senior Carson Coffman as his starting quarterback for Saturday’s season opener against UCLA. Snyder made the announcement during Monday morning’s Big 12 teleconference. He said that Coffman was more consistent with his control and knowledge of the offense. Snyder says Collin Klein and Sammuel Lamur had their days where they were very good, but were not as fluid as Coffman. The Cats and Bruins collide this Saturday afternoon at 2:30 pm at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Powercat Gameday starts our coverage on the Gameday Network at 10:30 am on the Big Stage on the west side of the stadium.
Hawaii is an island paradise, but it’s also one of the best environments in college volleyball, and K-State will open the season in the Aloha state. The Cats will clash with three ranked teams, #5 Hawaii, #16 UCLA, and #21 San Diego. K-State coach Suzie Fritz says they won’t go to Hawaii for any other reason than to win, and the Cats need to be precise passing and setting in Hawaii. Senior outside hitter Julianne Chisholm says they won’t get any kind of warmup in Hawaii, but they’re ready for the challenge.
Just like the football team, K-State volleyball also will open their season with UCLA Friday night at 10:00 pm in Honolulu. Coverage on KMAN begins at 9:30 with Brian Smoller.
The Sunflower Showdown meant big ratings on the hardwood for ESPN last season, and so it’s no surprise K-State and KU will be back in the national spotlight. The Wildcats and Jayhawks will help celebrate Kansas’ 150th birthday, as the two teams will meet at Allen Field House in Lawrence on Saturday, January 29th on ESPN’s College Gameday. K-State will make 17 national appearances on the ESPN family of networks this season. The Cats will be on Big Monday four times including the battle with KU at Bramlage Coliseum, and will appear on ESPN’s 24 hours of hoops marathon by hosting Virginia Tech. Last season, K-State dropped an overtime heartbreaker to KU on College Gameday, giving ESPN its biggest ratings for college basketball in two years, and the largest Big 12 number in over a decade.
Flying under the radar a year ago, Daniel Thomas will do no more as he received his sixth national preseason honor on Wednesday. Thomas has been nominated for the Doak Walker Award, which goes to the country’s top running back. The reigning Big 12 offensive newcomer of the year was put up for the award at midseason in 2009. Thomas led the conference with 1, 265 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns a year ago. He’s one of nine running backs in the Big 12 tabbed to the Doak Walker Award watch list. The others are Jay Finley of Baylor, Rodney Stewart of Colorado, Alexander Robinson of Iowa State, DeMarco Murray of Oklahoma, Kendall Hunter of Oklahoma State, Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael of Texas A&M, and Baron Batch of Texas Tech.
The K-State volleyball team will make their season debut later this week on the islands of Hawaii against three ranked teams. The Cats are a very young squad with ten freshmen and five sophomores, and are coming off a disappointing 12-18 season in 2009. K-State coach Suzie Fritz says the goals for the Cats don’t change, and that remains a high finish in the Big 12. Fritz says though it’s clear in the early season practices, K-State is more athletic this year, and she’s seen great things from the Wildcat freshmen, but they must be more consistent.
K-State will open the season on Friday night against #16 UCLA at 10:00 pm central time in the Hawaii Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational. Coverage begins at 9:30 on KMAN with Brian Smoller. The Cats will also face #5 Hawaii and #22 San Diego in Honolulu.