Can Bill Snyder Return The Kansas State Wildcats To Glory?

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Speaking of rushing and continuing with the vertically challenged theme, projected starting tailback Keith Valentine is listed at 5’8” and he will be backed up by 5’9” John Hubert. The running game will have to find itself early to help take pressure off the passing game if the Wildcats hope for any offensive success.

As mentioned before, Josh Freeman is gone and to replace him at quarterback, Snyder will most likely tab Carson Coffman as his successor. Coffman won’t make anyone forget Michael Bishop but he is agile and the most experienced signal caller that Snyder has to choose from.

Coffman’s back-ups will be Collin Klein and Joseph Kassanavoid, both of whom can run. Keep an eye on Daniel Thomas, a JUCO transfer who arrives in the fall and possesses the attributes that Snyder craves in a quarterback.

Recent Oregon transfer Chris Harper may wind up as Snyder’s quarterback when all is said and done but he won’t see the field until 2010. Also eligible in 2010, is Grant Gregory who transferred from South Florida.

The offensive line, led by Colton Freeze, is experienced and should be a steadying influence as Coffman and the offense tries to find its way.

Defense:

One of the hallmarks of Kansas State football in the first Bill Snyder era was a staunch defense.

Not recently however. Last year, the Wildcat defense ranked 117 out of 119 division one programs, allowing an average of 35.8 points per game to go along with a horrific average of 479 yards per contest. Snyder cringes at these numbers, so expect this group to be the focus of Snyder’s efforts going into the fall.

The Wildcat defense has been an enigma of late. When their run defense has been good, the pass defense fell apart. Same goes with the pass defense. When it has been tough, the run defense wasn’t. What hasn’t happened with much regularity since Snyder left is a complete defensive effort by all of its units in the same game.

There is talent on defense however, especially at both defensive end spots where Brandon Harold continues to develop as a pass rusher.

At the other end is Virginia transfer Jeffrey Fitzgerald who will wreak terror in Snyder’s newly installed 4-2-5 defense. Look for Fitzgerald to gain national recognition as he feasts on slower defensive tackles, especially in the early going as K-State is served up its annual patsy collection of opponents, such as Tennessee Tech and Massachusetts.

In the defensive secondary, Courtney Herndon, Joshua Moore and Tysyn Hartman offer the best hope for any Wildcat success against the pass. It will be critical for the corners to be effective to keep opposing offenses honest in the running game.

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