2011 Kansas State Wildcats Football Season Preview

Head coach Bill Snyder was already a legend when he retired back in 2003. Kansas State even named their stadium after him (“Bill Snyder Family Stadium). But when the legend came back two years ago, some wondered how his second tenure would pan out.

The Wildcats went 6-6 in 2009, and despite not going to a bowl game that season, they followed up in 2010 by "going bowling" with a 7-5 record before losing in heartbreaking fashion to Syracuse.

Quarterback Quandry?

This season, the Wildcats must get more production from their quarterback position since former star quarterback Josh Freeman is no longer in Manhattan. They finished last season ranked no. 92 in the nation when they averaged only 179 passing yards per game—a stat that is laughable in Big 12 territory.

Whether it is junior college transfer and former Boston College quarterback Justin Tuggle, senior Sammuel Lamur (same guy who knocked off Texas) or junior Collin Klein at the helm, there needs to be an improvement or else Snyder will have no chance in hell at reaching .500 for a third consecutive season. Klein seems to be the guy at the moment for Snyder, but time will tell how long that will last.

They are both big and tall signal callers who have decent arms and solid experience under center. The true telling is how accurate they are because that has been a problem for both. Another issue for these Wildcats is that they have nobody to throw the ball to downfield. 

Former Duck Leading the Way?

The receiving corps struggled a season ago due to some injuries. The expected star who struggled with the case of drops was tight end Travis Tannahill. A year ago, his numbers were down a bit. His seven catches for 103 yards and only one touchdown in 2010 are far from impressive.

Wide receiver Chris Harper, a 6’1” and 225 pound junior, is a former Oregon Duck who transferred to Kansas State two years ago. He has a nice yards per catch average (13.2), but if that does not improve it will only mean less success for an awful passing attack. The loss of Adrian Hilburn (salute penalty) should not be too difficult to overcome. Guys like Brodrick Smith, Tramaine Thompson, and tight end Andre McDonald when healthy are a talented group that could make this one of the better units on the team.

Reloading at Tailback

Luckily, the ground game was great for nearly the entire season last year. Former running back Daniel Thomas, who was drafted in the second round by the Miami Dolphins this past April, was among the top rushers in the entire nation last season. He was the sole reason why the ‘Cats made a bowl game last year.  This year, Thomas is gone, and sophomore Bryce Brown is now the expected starter. He is competing with four others including DeMarcus Robinson and John Hubert.

Brown, a transfer from Tennessee, has a boatload of potential and talent, demonstrated by the fact the he was once the top recruited back in the entire nation two years ago. He rushed for just 460 yards in 12 games with the Volunteers two seasons ago, but Brown (6’0”, 220 lbs) is quite the explosive player. He can shed tacklers and keep the chains moving with ease. And he will see a ton of eight and nine man fronts, so he better be able to take the pounding with his 220 pound frame. 

Drama's Forecast

The Wildcats is still atrocious, struggling against both the run and the pass. They have seven starters returning from last season which is headlined by junior defensive end Brandon Harold and sophomore strong safety Ty Zimmerman.

Zimmerman is a true playmaker at safety, as he was named a Second Team All-Big 12 performer last year. Harold is one of those highly touted players that fans in Manhattan have been patiently waited to emerge. It is now or never for Zimmerman, as his ‘Cats were ranked nearly dead last in the nation last season (119th), giving up 231 yards per game.

The Wildcats schedule is pretty brutal this season. So unless they can pull off a few huge upsets against Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, or Texas A&M, then a non-bowl season will most likely occur. This team should find a way to win four, possibly five games. However, anything more would make Snyder a finalist for Big 12 Coach of the Year.

Predicted Finish: 4-8, 2-7 in the Big 12

Predicted Bowl: None 

Predicted order of finish in Big 12: Eigth