CFB Week 14
- Thread starter Timh
- Start date
bloodhound
Sniffing out wins
I think U have a winner my friend
TheGarfather
Pretty much a regular
GL tim
Timh
CTG Psychiatrist - Dr. Tim
Thanks fellas, GL this week.
Elbutre - As a fan who grew up on ACC basketball, I loved the rivalries and games with all the Tobacco road teams over the years going back to when Lefty came to MD. There were legendary coaches Dean Smith, Norm Sloan, Terry Holland and later Coach K. All of those were formative for me in my love of college basketball, and I will always remember the excitement when Lefty came to MD and proclaimed he was going to make us the UCLA of the East. I really will miss the ACC matchups and think it is a real shame that a part of history and a plank owner school is leaving the ACC. I don't really think it will hurt the basketball recruiting at all, because MD has a national brand and I think Turgeon will continue to get good players. I consider MD to be a Top 15 job in all of CBB with their facilities, legacy and ability to draw top talent. The effect on football should probably be a positive thing as I think the Big 10 is a much stronger league than the ACC. I would think overall it should help the recruiting, but there are those that think because of the more extensive travel to the midwest etc. that it will be a downfall in recruiting local kids. I am not a big Edsall fan overall, but I think he has made some good moves bringing back Locksley which definitely has helped the recruiting and getting rid of Crowton as OC who was a disaster last year and bringing in a new DC who did a good job this year. MD will really have to step it up in football to compete at a high level in the Big 10. Your question about Lacrosse is a good one, and I don't really have an answer there as the Big 10 doesn't really have the nucleus for a viable lacrosse conference. I think this will potentially hurt MD as they will lose Strength of Sched if they don't have the ACC teams on their schedule and will also pose problems continuing traditional lax rivalries with Syr, VA, Johns Hopkins.
Overall, I understand the fiscal reasons for this move to the Big 10 and unfortunately MD has mismanaged to get themselves in this position and had to cancel 7 or 8 sports. They think that this will provide the financial stability they need for the future and the Big 10 obviously liked the appeal of MD to get the Wash/Balt market involvement. As a fan though it really kind of sucks to do away with all the tradition against the other charter ACC teams. I will really miss that and it will never be the same.
Elbutre - As a fan who grew up on ACC basketball, I loved the rivalries and games with all the Tobacco road teams over the years going back to when Lefty came to MD. There were legendary coaches Dean Smith, Norm Sloan, Terry Holland and later Coach K. All of those were formative for me in my love of college basketball, and I will always remember the excitement when Lefty came to MD and proclaimed he was going to make us the UCLA of the East. I really will miss the ACC matchups and think it is a real shame that a part of history and a plank owner school is leaving the ACC. I don't really think it will hurt the basketball recruiting at all, because MD has a national brand and I think Turgeon will continue to get good players. I consider MD to be a Top 15 job in all of CBB with their facilities, legacy and ability to draw top talent. The effect on football should probably be a positive thing as I think the Big 10 is a much stronger league than the ACC. I would think overall it should help the recruiting, but there are those that think because of the more extensive travel to the midwest etc. that it will be a downfall in recruiting local kids. I am not a big Edsall fan overall, but I think he has made some good moves bringing back Locksley which definitely has helped the recruiting and getting rid of Crowton as OC who was a disaster last year and bringing in a new DC who did a good job this year. MD will really have to step it up in football to compete at a high level in the Big 10. Your question about Lacrosse is a good one, and I don't really have an answer there as the Big 10 doesn't really have the nucleus for a viable lacrosse conference. I think this will potentially hurt MD as they will lose Strength of Sched if they don't have the ACC teams on their schedule and will also pose problems continuing traditional lax rivalries with Syr, VA, Johns Hopkins.
Overall, I understand the fiscal reasons for this move to the Big 10 and unfortunately MD has mismanaged to get themselves in this position and had to cancel 7 or 8 sports. They think that this will provide the financial stability they need for the future and the Big 10 obviously liked the appeal of MD to get the Wash/Balt market involvement. As a fan though it really kind of sucks to do away with all the tradition against the other charter ACC teams. I will really miss that and it will never be the same.
Elbutre88
Pretty much a regular
Very interesting to see if MD can tap into IN, Chicago, and OH in a more significant way with their recruiting, while also retaining local talent. I'm talking about basketball and football. I've got a good friend in baltimore that is a die-hard terp, so they've always been a team I followed. Thanks for the insight Dr.
w/you on tulsa and bama. let's get it.
Timh
CTG Psychiatrist - Dr. Tim
Kansas St.<!--*-->
INSIDE SLANT<!--*-->
Rare conference title still within grasp<!--*-->
The opportunity to capture a Big 12 championship is not lost on Kansas State.
Enough reminders exist in enough forms that the Wildcats realize there is still a title to be salvaged after their brief run atop the BCS standings was wrecked by a lopsided defeat at Baylor.
"They weren't born yesterday," Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said of his players. "They're young guys that understand what's at stake for this ballgame. How much do I put in front of them? We've met and I certainly shared that with them, but it's certainly not something I have to go around and beat the drums about every day."
Kansas State has captured just two conference titles in its history. The first was in 1934, a 5-0 run through the Big Six under Pappy Waldorf, the only season the Hall of Fame coach spent with the Wildcats. The second was in 2003, when Kansas State claimed the North Division and went on to upset top-ranked Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game.
The Wildcats carry a 7-1 conference mark into a Dec. 1 game against Texas. Kansas State, 10-1 overall and now sixth in the BCS standings, has won four straight in the series and stands 6-2 against Texas since the formation of the Big 12.
As much as that history interests some, it is not anything Snyder will dwell on as he tries to get his team to rebound from the devastating loss in Waco on Nov. 17. An extra week to prepare for the Longhorns' visit was probably advantageous considering the Wildcats could use the time to heal, though mainstays such as safety Ty Zimmerman and linebacker Tre Walker remain out of the lineup.
How the Wildcats respond in terms of their mindset is another question altogether given all that was riding on the performance at Baylor and the difficulty they had coping with that while committing an uncharacteristic three turnovers and giving up more than 300 yards on the ground.
"I'd feel as though they'd be highly motivated," Snyder said.
Definitely so considering 27 seniors will make their farewell appearances at home against the Longhorns, including quarterback Collin Klein and linebacker Arthur Brown, two influential leaders on each side of the football.
"We have a substantial number of seniors in the program," said Snyder, "so even those that aren't captains or player representatives, many of them still accepted some leadership responsibilities. It seemingly has gone the right way."
Nonetheless, Kansas State must recharge an offense that struggled to move the football in a Nov. 10 win at TCU and then was mistake-prone in the Baylor loss. The offensive line was unable to provide the same kind of push it had earlier in the season, receivers struggled to make breaks and catch passes, and Klein was not as sharp with his reads and passes.
While Texas is coming off an upset defeat it suffered at home on Thanksgiving against TCU, the Longhorns go into the Kansas State clash knowing they let an opportunity to beat the Wildcats slip away a year ago when they allowed just 121 yards while sacking Klein five times.
NOTES, QUOTES<!--*-->
--Texas is so familiar with Collin Klein that it remembers when the Kansas State quarterback was a complete unknown rather than a Heisman Trophy hopeful. In a 2010 matchup, Klein drew a surprising start. He attempted just four passes, yet rushed for 127 yards to lead the Wildcats to a 39-14 win against the Longhorns. "He gained about 200 yards rushing when I'd never heard his name before as a backup quarterback the first time I saw him," Texas coach Mack Brown recalled. Texas then bottled up Klein a year ago, limiting him to four yards rushing while generating five sacks, yet the Wildcats still won 17-13 despite just 121 yards of total offense.
--Kansas State coach Bill Snyder was not a proponent of the round-robin schedule the Big 12 adopted after contracting to 10 teams. The grind of a nine-game schedule makes it difficult for the conference to contend for a berth in the BCS title game, something the Wildcats were in line to obtain before their undefeated run ended when they were routed by Baylor on Nov. 17. "You see the conference kind of fall out of the national spotlight gradually over the season," said Snyder, "but at the end of the day it's because you were playing a number of talented football teams week in and week out. Having a nine-game schedule like that is quite difficult." To guard against the rigors of conference play, the 2013 schedule Kansas State announced includes nonconference home dates against North Dakota State, Louisiana-Lafayette and Massachusetts.
SERIES HISTORY: Kansas State leads Texas 7-5 (last meeting, 2011, 17-13 Kansas State).
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: The need exists for Kansas State to again generate the kind of balance that made its offense unpredictable during a hot start this season. Not only does QB Collin Klein need to overcome the three interceptions he threw in the loss at Baylor, but the Kansas State attack must try to generate more consistency on the ground and get RB John Hubert jump-started again. Injuries are affecting the Wildcats and probably contributed to poorer efforts along the offensive front against both Baylor and TCU. Receivers need to help too after an uneven performance at Baylor.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: After playing brilliantly against TCU, a team that was blanked until midway through the fourth quarter, the Wildcats were absolutely shredded by Baylor. Granted, the Bears are the second-best offense in the country, yet the 300-plus yards the Wildcats surrendered on the ground was inexcusable. The defense looked unmotivated and poorly prepared, which was incredible given Kansas State entered the game in first place in the BCS standings. The pressure attached to that rating certainly contributed to the Wildcats' poor performance, though the big plays by the Bears create concerns moving forward.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "He's played well. In the Baylor ballgame, the numbers (for QB Collin Klein) were bad. He had three interceptions, but you go back and look at how those happened and those don't rest solely on his shoulders. It's a collective effort and I don't think he was playing as poorly as you might suggest." -- Kansas State coach Bill Snyder.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL<!--*-->
THIS WEEK'S GAME: Texas at Kansas State, Dec. 1 -- The series with Kansas State has been nightmarish for Texas coach Mack Brown, who stands 2-6 against the Wildcats, with four straight losses, including two when Kansas State was coached by Ron Prince. What's really bad for Brown is this: the Longhorns' recruiting classes are typically ranked among the best in the Big 12, while the Wildcats' recruiting classes are typically ranked among the worst. Texas should be motivated after a lackluster performance in which it suffered a 20-13 loss at home to TCU on Thanksgiving. Interestingly, Brown and Snyder are good friends who speak regularly during the course of a football season.
KEYS TO THE GAME: An injury David Ash suffered in the TCU defeat will prompt Texas to start Case McCoy as it shuffles quarterbacks yet another time. While problems with offensive execution have often generated the most headlines, the Longhorns are particularly suspect on defense. They rank last in the Big 12 against the rush, allowing 201.5 yards on average after leading the league in total defense a year ago. Injuries have contributed to the Longhorns' defensive failures. Still, this looms as an opportunity for Kansas State to jump-start its offense after QB Collin Klein and Co. struggled in the last two games.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
FS Dante Barnett -- Making his first career start as a replacement for injured Ty Zimmerman, Barnett got burned on a deep pass early in the Baylor loss, then recorded a team-high 14 tackles, though some were made as he tracked down long gains.
WR Chris Harper -- Snagged 11 receptions against Baylor to boost his season total to 47 catches for 727 yards.
DE Meshak Williams -- With 8.5 sacks, Williams ranks second in the Big 12, while also creating opportunities for DE Adam Davis, who ranks fourth in the league with 6.5 sacks. The two have combined for 22.5 tackles for loss.
ROSTER REPORT
--OG Nick Puetz missed the game at TCU and likely will miss the Texas game with an undisclosed injury. Puetz missed time earlier in the season while dealing with an ankle injury.
--FS Ty Zimmerman missed the TCU game with a foot/ankle injury and could be doubtful for the remainder of the season. He was on crutches at TCU while wearing a protective boot.
--DE Meshak Williams, DE Adam Davis and LB Jarell Childs were all players who missed part of the TCU game after hobbling off, though each returned.
INSIDE SLANT<!--*-->
Rare conference title still within grasp<!--*-->
The opportunity to capture a Big 12 championship is not lost on Kansas State.
Enough reminders exist in enough forms that the Wildcats realize there is still a title to be salvaged after their brief run atop the BCS standings was wrecked by a lopsided defeat at Baylor.
"They weren't born yesterday," Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said of his players. "They're young guys that understand what's at stake for this ballgame. How much do I put in front of them? We've met and I certainly shared that with them, but it's certainly not something I have to go around and beat the drums about every day."
Kansas State has captured just two conference titles in its history. The first was in 1934, a 5-0 run through the Big Six under Pappy Waldorf, the only season the Hall of Fame coach spent with the Wildcats. The second was in 2003, when Kansas State claimed the North Division and went on to upset top-ranked Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game.
The Wildcats carry a 7-1 conference mark into a Dec. 1 game against Texas. Kansas State, 10-1 overall and now sixth in the BCS standings, has won four straight in the series and stands 6-2 against Texas since the formation of the Big 12.
As much as that history interests some, it is not anything Snyder will dwell on as he tries to get his team to rebound from the devastating loss in Waco on Nov. 17. An extra week to prepare for the Longhorns' visit was probably advantageous considering the Wildcats could use the time to heal, though mainstays such as safety Ty Zimmerman and linebacker Tre Walker remain out of the lineup.
How the Wildcats respond in terms of their mindset is another question altogether given all that was riding on the performance at Baylor and the difficulty they had coping with that while committing an uncharacteristic three turnovers and giving up more than 300 yards on the ground.
"I'd feel as though they'd be highly motivated," Snyder said.
Definitely so considering 27 seniors will make their farewell appearances at home against the Longhorns, including quarterback Collin Klein and linebacker Arthur Brown, two influential leaders on each side of the football.
"We have a substantial number of seniors in the program," said Snyder, "so even those that aren't captains or player representatives, many of them still accepted some leadership responsibilities. It seemingly has gone the right way."
Nonetheless, Kansas State must recharge an offense that struggled to move the football in a Nov. 10 win at TCU and then was mistake-prone in the Baylor loss. The offensive line was unable to provide the same kind of push it had earlier in the season, receivers struggled to make breaks and catch passes, and Klein was not as sharp with his reads and passes.
While Texas is coming off an upset defeat it suffered at home on Thanksgiving against TCU, the Longhorns go into the Kansas State clash knowing they let an opportunity to beat the Wildcats slip away a year ago when they allowed just 121 yards while sacking Klein five times.
NOTES, QUOTES<!--*-->
--Texas is so familiar with Collin Klein that it remembers when the Kansas State quarterback was a complete unknown rather than a Heisman Trophy hopeful. In a 2010 matchup, Klein drew a surprising start. He attempted just four passes, yet rushed for 127 yards to lead the Wildcats to a 39-14 win against the Longhorns. "He gained about 200 yards rushing when I'd never heard his name before as a backup quarterback the first time I saw him," Texas coach Mack Brown recalled. Texas then bottled up Klein a year ago, limiting him to four yards rushing while generating five sacks, yet the Wildcats still won 17-13 despite just 121 yards of total offense.
--Kansas State coach Bill Snyder was not a proponent of the round-robin schedule the Big 12 adopted after contracting to 10 teams. The grind of a nine-game schedule makes it difficult for the conference to contend for a berth in the BCS title game, something the Wildcats were in line to obtain before their undefeated run ended when they were routed by Baylor on Nov. 17. "You see the conference kind of fall out of the national spotlight gradually over the season," said Snyder, "but at the end of the day it's because you were playing a number of talented football teams week in and week out. Having a nine-game schedule like that is quite difficult." To guard against the rigors of conference play, the 2013 schedule Kansas State announced includes nonconference home dates against North Dakota State, Louisiana-Lafayette and Massachusetts.
SERIES HISTORY: Kansas State leads Texas 7-5 (last meeting, 2011, 17-13 Kansas State).
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: The need exists for Kansas State to again generate the kind of balance that made its offense unpredictable during a hot start this season. Not only does QB Collin Klein need to overcome the three interceptions he threw in the loss at Baylor, but the Kansas State attack must try to generate more consistency on the ground and get RB John Hubert jump-started again. Injuries are affecting the Wildcats and probably contributed to poorer efforts along the offensive front against both Baylor and TCU. Receivers need to help too after an uneven performance at Baylor.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: After playing brilliantly against TCU, a team that was blanked until midway through the fourth quarter, the Wildcats were absolutely shredded by Baylor. Granted, the Bears are the second-best offense in the country, yet the 300-plus yards the Wildcats surrendered on the ground was inexcusable. The defense looked unmotivated and poorly prepared, which was incredible given Kansas State entered the game in first place in the BCS standings. The pressure attached to that rating certainly contributed to the Wildcats' poor performance, though the big plays by the Bears create concerns moving forward.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "He's played well. In the Baylor ballgame, the numbers (for QB Collin Klein) were bad. He had three interceptions, but you go back and look at how those happened and those don't rest solely on his shoulders. It's a collective effort and I don't think he was playing as poorly as you might suggest." -- Kansas State coach Bill Snyder.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL<!--*-->
THIS WEEK'S GAME: Texas at Kansas State, Dec. 1 -- The series with Kansas State has been nightmarish for Texas coach Mack Brown, who stands 2-6 against the Wildcats, with four straight losses, including two when Kansas State was coached by Ron Prince. What's really bad for Brown is this: the Longhorns' recruiting classes are typically ranked among the best in the Big 12, while the Wildcats' recruiting classes are typically ranked among the worst. Texas should be motivated after a lackluster performance in which it suffered a 20-13 loss at home to TCU on Thanksgiving. Interestingly, Brown and Snyder are good friends who speak regularly during the course of a football season.
KEYS TO THE GAME: An injury David Ash suffered in the TCU defeat will prompt Texas to start Case McCoy as it shuffles quarterbacks yet another time. While problems with offensive execution have often generated the most headlines, the Longhorns are particularly suspect on defense. They rank last in the Big 12 against the rush, allowing 201.5 yards on average after leading the league in total defense a year ago. Injuries have contributed to the Longhorns' defensive failures. Still, this looms as an opportunity for Kansas State to jump-start its offense after QB Collin Klein and Co. struggled in the last two games.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
FS Dante Barnett -- Making his first career start as a replacement for injured Ty Zimmerman, Barnett got burned on a deep pass early in the Baylor loss, then recorded a team-high 14 tackles, though some were made as he tracked down long gains.
WR Chris Harper -- Snagged 11 receptions against Baylor to boost his season total to 47 catches for 727 yards.
DE Meshak Williams -- With 8.5 sacks, Williams ranks second in the Big 12, while also creating opportunities for DE Adam Davis, who ranks fourth in the league with 6.5 sacks. The two have combined for 22.5 tackles for loss.
ROSTER REPORT
--OG Nick Puetz missed the game at TCU and likely will miss the Texas game with an undisclosed injury. Puetz missed time earlier in the season while dealing with an ankle injury.
--FS Ty Zimmerman missed the TCU game with a foot/ankle injury and could be doubtful for the remainder of the season. He was on crutches at TCU while wearing a protective boot.
--DE Meshak Williams, DE Adam Davis and LB Jarell Childs were all players who missed part of the TCU game after hobbling off, though each returned.
Timh
CTG Psychiatrist - Dr. Tim
Texas<!--*-->
INSIDE SLANT<!--*-->
Longhorns try to be spoilers at Kansas State<!--*-->
The Longhorns made a quarterback change for the team's regular-season finale, thanks in part to an injury.
With David Ash questionable because of a rib injury suffered against Texas Christian, it will be Case McCoy under center Saturday at Kansas State. McCoy has been effective in relief, but has not started since a five-turnover effort in a loss to Baylor last December.
"I think the biggest thing (for McCoy) is taking care of the ball," coach Mack Brown said. "He came in late against Kansas State and did some great things last year. He was able to win on the road at A&M last year, but had turnovers at Baylor. He needs to protect the ball."
The loss to Texas Christian eliminated the possibility of a BCS berth, and Brown was adamant that he doesn't plan on playing one of his freshmen quarterbacks and costing them a redshirt year even if McCoy and Ash are both injured. Still, there is a lot at stake.
"The main focus is to beat Kansas State and to try to win 10 games this year. We owe that to our seniors."
That will be a challenge. Kansas State is playing for the Big 12 title, and quarterback Collin Klein still has Heisman hopes. It also will be the Wildcats' Senior Night -- not that that did the Longhorns a lot of good when they honored their own seniors on Thursday.
"To be able to get the ninth win and still being able to get our 10th win, that's one of our goals for the season. This is big for us," safety Adrian Phillips said. "It's basically helping us take the right step and getting back to where Texas needs to be. So it's important."
NOTES, QUOTES<!--*-->
--Entering last week, the Longhorns had committed just eight turnovers, the fewest in the Big 12. But against TCU, Texas turned the ball over four times. Two of those were David Ash interceptions in the red zone, critical misfires in a 20-13 loss.
"We want to be aggressive at times, we want to take shots, make throws, have opportunities for big plays," co-offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin said. "At the same time you have to understand when it's there and when it's not."
--Wide receiver Mike Davis enters the week needing seven catches to move into the top 10 on the Texas single-season receptions list. He has 51 catches so far, seven behind 10th-place Wane McGarity.
--This week's opponent is the only one in the Big 12 to lead Texas in the all-time series. Kansas State leads the overall series 7-5, and is 6-2 as a member of the Big 12.
SERIES HISTORY: Kansas State leads Texas 7-5 (last meeting, 2011, 17-13 Kansas State)
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: Texas didn't get much out of its running game against Texas Christian, but then again the Horned Frogs boasted the top-rating run defense in the Big 12. Of course, Kansas State ranks second in the league. The Longhorns abandoned the run in the second half, with Johnathan Gray getting only three carries after halftime, and that didn't work. Expect Texas to try and pound the ball against the Wildcats despite the difficult matchup, since that tends to be how the Longhorns win.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: Kansas State has one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Colin Klein, so the secondary will be tested. The Longhorns also may be without Alex Okafor on the defensive line, which is going to make it harder to control the line of scrimmage and pressure the quarterback.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We are not really frustrated about (the TCU loss). We know we got to pick our boys up, and we can't let anyone feel like it is their fault. We can't blame anyone, and we can't get mad at anyone. We just have to know that what we did, we just need to improve on it. We are always going to be a family no matter what. At the end of the day we are all we have, and there is always a big emphasis on that." -- Texas defensive tackle Desmond Jackson.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL<!--*-->
THIS WEEK'S GAME: Texas at Kansas State, Dec. 1 -- History isn't on the Longhorns side in this one. Texas hasn't won at Kansas State since 2002, and Mack Brown is 2-6 against the Wildcats and has lost his last four meetings with K-State.
KEYS TO THE GAME: If Texas turns the ball over four times again this week, it will lose. Beyond that, a lot of pressure will be on the shoulders of Case McCoy. The Longhorns are going to give up some points, given the powerful Kansas State offense, and even if Texas emphasizes the running game again, McCoy is going to have to make some throws to get this team in the end zone.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
QB Case McCoy -- McCoy lost the battle for the quarterback job in the preseason, but had had chances to shine in relief and now gets the start against Kansas State thanks to David Ash's injury. The coaching staff won't ask him to do too much, but the key will be for him to play within himself and not try to do too much against a Kansas State team with a plus-19 turnover margin.
CB Carrington Byndom -- Byndom and the secondary are facing arguably their biggest challenge of the season in Kansas State quarterback Colin Klein. Klein will be looking to bolster his Heisman Trophy highlight package against the Longhorns, but Byndom can help make sure Klein isn't the one taking home the trophy by getting his hands on a couple of passes.
P Alex King -- Field position could be critical against the Wildcats, but that's not why King is on here. If David Ash can't suit up and Case McCoy gets injured, King will be the emergency quarterback. The coaching staff doesn't want to blow the redshirts of Connor Brewer or Jalen Overstreet at this late stage of the season, and King played quarterback in high school and was the emergency quarterback at Duke before transferring.
ROSTER REPORT
--QB David Ash suffered a rib injury against Texas Christian and is questionable for the Kansas State game.
--DE Alex Okafor is questionable for the Kansas State game with an ankle injury.
--WR Marquise Goodwin has an injured thumb and is questionable for this weekend.
--LB Demarco Cobbs was carted off the field against TCU with what turned out to be a season-ending knee injury.
--RB Jeremy Hills suffered a leg injury against TCU, ending the senior's college career.
INSIDE SLANT<!--*-->
Longhorns try to be spoilers at Kansas State<!--*-->
The Longhorns made a quarterback change for the team's regular-season finale, thanks in part to an injury.
With David Ash questionable because of a rib injury suffered against Texas Christian, it will be Case McCoy under center Saturday at Kansas State. McCoy has been effective in relief, but has not started since a five-turnover effort in a loss to Baylor last December.
"I think the biggest thing (for McCoy) is taking care of the ball," coach Mack Brown said. "He came in late against Kansas State and did some great things last year. He was able to win on the road at A&M last year, but had turnovers at Baylor. He needs to protect the ball."
The loss to Texas Christian eliminated the possibility of a BCS berth, and Brown was adamant that he doesn't plan on playing one of his freshmen quarterbacks and costing them a redshirt year even if McCoy and Ash are both injured. Still, there is a lot at stake.
"The main focus is to beat Kansas State and to try to win 10 games this year. We owe that to our seniors."
That will be a challenge. Kansas State is playing for the Big 12 title, and quarterback Collin Klein still has Heisman hopes. It also will be the Wildcats' Senior Night -- not that that did the Longhorns a lot of good when they honored their own seniors on Thursday.
"To be able to get the ninth win and still being able to get our 10th win, that's one of our goals for the season. This is big for us," safety Adrian Phillips said. "It's basically helping us take the right step and getting back to where Texas needs to be. So it's important."
NOTES, QUOTES<!--*-->
--Entering last week, the Longhorns had committed just eight turnovers, the fewest in the Big 12. But against TCU, Texas turned the ball over four times. Two of those were David Ash interceptions in the red zone, critical misfires in a 20-13 loss.
"We want to be aggressive at times, we want to take shots, make throws, have opportunities for big plays," co-offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin said. "At the same time you have to understand when it's there and when it's not."
--Wide receiver Mike Davis enters the week needing seven catches to move into the top 10 on the Texas single-season receptions list. He has 51 catches so far, seven behind 10th-place Wane McGarity.
--This week's opponent is the only one in the Big 12 to lead Texas in the all-time series. Kansas State leads the overall series 7-5, and is 6-2 as a member of the Big 12.
SERIES HISTORY: Kansas State leads Texas 7-5 (last meeting, 2011, 17-13 Kansas State)
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: Texas didn't get much out of its running game against Texas Christian, but then again the Horned Frogs boasted the top-rating run defense in the Big 12. Of course, Kansas State ranks second in the league. The Longhorns abandoned the run in the second half, with Johnathan Gray getting only three carries after halftime, and that didn't work. Expect Texas to try and pound the ball against the Wildcats despite the difficult matchup, since that tends to be how the Longhorns win.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: Kansas State has one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Colin Klein, so the secondary will be tested. The Longhorns also may be without Alex Okafor on the defensive line, which is going to make it harder to control the line of scrimmage and pressure the quarterback.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We are not really frustrated about (the TCU loss). We know we got to pick our boys up, and we can't let anyone feel like it is their fault. We can't blame anyone, and we can't get mad at anyone. We just have to know that what we did, we just need to improve on it. We are always going to be a family no matter what. At the end of the day we are all we have, and there is always a big emphasis on that." -- Texas defensive tackle Desmond Jackson.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL<!--*-->
THIS WEEK'S GAME: Texas at Kansas State, Dec. 1 -- History isn't on the Longhorns side in this one. Texas hasn't won at Kansas State since 2002, and Mack Brown is 2-6 against the Wildcats and has lost his last four meetings with K-State.
KEYS TO THE GAME: If Texas turns the ball over four times again this week, it will lose. Beyond that, a lot of pressure will be on the shoulders of Case McCoy. The Longhorns are going to give up some points, given the powerful Kansas State offense, and even if Texas emphasizes the running game again, McCoy is going to have to make some throws to get this team in the end zone.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
QB Case McCoy -- McCoy lost the battle for the quarterback job in the preseason, but had had chances to shine in relief and now gets the start against Kansas State thanks to David Ash's injury. The coaching staff won't ask him to do too much, but the key will be for him to play within himself and not try to do too much against a Kansas State team with a plus-19 turnover margin.
CB Carrington Byndom -- Byndom and the secondary are facing arguably their biggest challenge of the season in Kansas State quarterback Colin Klein. Klein will be looking to bolster his Heisman Trophy highlight package against the Longhorns, but Byndom can help make sure Klein isn't the one taking home the trophy by getting his hands on a couple of passes.
P Alex King -- Field position could be critical against the Wildcats, but that's not why King is on here. If David Ash can't suit up and Case McCoy gets injured, King will be the emergency quarterback. The coaching staff doesn't want to blow the redshirts of Connor Brewer or Jalen Overstreet at this late stage of the season, and King played quarterback in high school and was the emergency quarterback at Duke before transferring.
ROSTER REPORT
--QB David Ash suffered a rib injury against Texas Christian and is questionable for the Kansas State game.
--DE Alex Okafor is questionable for the Kansas State game with an ankle injury.
--WR Marquise Goodwin has an injured thumb and is questionable for this weekend.
--LB Demarco Cobbs was carted off the field against TCU with what turned out to be a season-ending knee injury.
--RB Jeremy Hills suffered a leg injury against TCU, ending the senior's college career.
Timh
CTG Psychiatrist - Dr. Tim
[TABLE="width: 375"]
<COLGROUP><COL style="WIDTH: 48pt" span=2 width=64><COL style="WIDTH: 85pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 4132" width=113><COL style="WIDTH: 48pt" width=64><COL style="WIDTH: 146pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 7094" width=194><TBODY>[TR]
[TD="class: xl25, width: 499, bgcolor: #333333, colspan: 5"]Important Injuries[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl26, width: 499, bgcolor: #969696, colspan: 5"]Texas[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl22, width: 64, bgcolor: silver"]Date[/TD]
[TD="class: xl22, width: 64, bgcolor: silver"]Pos[/TD]
[TD="class: xl22, width: 113, bgcolor: silver"]Player[/TD]
[TD="class: xl22, width: 64, bgcolor: silver"]Injury[/TD]
[TD="class: xl22, width: 194, bgcolor: silver"]Status[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]11/26 7:56am[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]QB[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]David Ash[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]Ribs[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]not expected to start, "?" to play Saturday vs. Kansas State[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]11/26 7:56am[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]QB[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]Case McCoy[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]None[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]expected to start Saturday vs. Kansas State[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]11/26 6:40am[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]OT[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]Kennedy Estelle[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]Shoulder[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]expected to miss Saturday vs. Kansas State[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]11/25 8:56am[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]WR[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]Marquise Goodwin[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]Thumb[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]injured last game, "?" Saturday vs. Kansas State[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]11/25 8:55am[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]LB[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]Demarco Cobbs[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]Knee[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]out for season[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]11/25 8:55am[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]RB[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]Jeremy Hills[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]Fibula[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]out for season[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]11/22 4:46pm[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]DE[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]Alex Okafor[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]Ankle[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]injured last game, "?" Saturday vs. Kansas State[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]11/22 4:37pm[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]WR[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]Miles Onyegbule[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]Ankle[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]"?" Saturday vs. Kansas State[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]11/22 4:37pm[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]LB[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]Kendall Thompson[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]Concussion[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]"?" Saturday vs. Kansas State[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]10/29 9:40am[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]LB[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]Jordan Hicks[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]Hip[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]out for season[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl26, width: 499, bgcolor: #969696, colspan: 5"]Kansas State[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl22, width: 64, bgcolor: silver"]Date[/TD]
[TD="class: xl22, width: 64, bgcolor: silver"]Pos[/TD]
[TD="class: xl22, width: 113, bgcolor: silver"]Player[/TD]
[TD="class: xl22, width: 64, bgcolor: silver"]Injury[/TD]
[TD="class: xl22, width: 194, bgcolor: silver"]Status[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]11/25 6:10am[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]DB[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]Ty Zimmerman[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]Leg[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]"?" Saturday vs. Texas[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]10/31 4:14am[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]LB[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]Tre Walker[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]Knee[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]out indefinitely[/TD]
[/TR]
</TBODY>[/TABLE]
<COLGROUP><COL style="WIDTH: 48pt" span=2 width=64><COL style="WIDTH: 85pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 4132" width=113><COL style="WIDTH: 48pt" width=64><COL style="WIDTH: 146pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 7094" width=194><TBODY>[TR]
[TD="class: xl25, width: 499, bgcolor: #333333, colspan: 5"]Important Injuries[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl26, width: 499, bgcolor: #969696, colspan: 5"]Texas[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl22, width: 64, bgcolor: silver"]Date[/TD]
[TD="class: xl22, width: 64, bgcolor: silver"]Pos[/TD]
[TD="class: xl22, width: 113, bgcolor: silver"]Player[/TD]
[TD="class: xl22, width: 64, bgcolor: silver"]Injury[/TD]
[TD="class: xl22, width: 194, bgcolor: silver"]Status[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]11/26 7:56am[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]QB[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]David Ash[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]Ribs[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]not expected to start, "?" to play Saturday vs. Kansas State[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]11/26 7:56am[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]QB[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]Case McCoy[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]None[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]expected to start Saturday vs. Kansas State[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]11/26 6:40am[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]OT[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]Kennedy Estelle[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]Shoulder[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]expected to miss Saturday vs. Kansas State[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]11/25 8:56am[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]WR[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]Marquise Goodwin[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]Thumb[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]injured last game, "?" Saturday vs. Kansas State[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]11/25 8:55am[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]LB[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]Demarco Cobbs[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]Knee[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]out for season[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]11/25 8:55am[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]RB[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]Jeremy Hills[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]Fibula[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]out for season[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]11/22 4:46pm[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]DE[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]Alex Okafor[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]Ankle[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]injured last game, "?" Saturday vs. Kansas State[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]11/22 4:37pm[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]WR[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]Miles Onyegbule[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]Ankle[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]"?" Saturday vs. Kansas State[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]11/22 4:37pm[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]LB[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]Kendall Thompson[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]Concussion[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]"?" Saturday vs. Kansas State[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]10/29 9:40am[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]LB[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]Jordan Hicks[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]Hip[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]out for season[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl26, width: 499, bgcolor: #969696, colspan: 5"]Kansas State[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl22, width: 64, bgcolor: silver"]Date[/TD]
[TD="class: xl22, width: 64, bgcolor: silver"]Pos[/TD]
[TD="class: xl22, width: 113, bgcolor: silver"]Player[/TD]
[TD="class: xl22, width: 64, bgcolor: silver"]Injury[/TD]
[TD="class: xl22, width: 194, bgcolor: silver"]Status[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]11/25 6:10am[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]DB[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]Ty Zimmerman[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]Leg[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]"?" Saturday vs. Texas[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]10/31 4:14am[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]LB[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 113, bgcolor: white"]Tre Walker[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 64, bgcolor: white"]Knee[/TD]
[TD="class: xl23, width: 194, bgcolor: white"]out indefinitely[/TD]
[/TR]
</TBODY>[/TABLE]
Silkydiamonds
Imma sip this tea
Good luck this week Tim
Streakin
Pretty much a regular
Played each of theset as well Tim. GLTU
cubsker
Used to be "Fun Cub"
Tulsa has the better defense.
Marsski
MAC Marvel
Really?
Conference USA not really my league, so I can't say I've seen more than a little bit here and there of Tulsa. Saw UCF vs. OSU and maybe one other game.
I would note better scoring defense numbers from UCF; look at common opponents Tulsa gave up 38 to Marshall, UCF 17; Tulsa gave up 35 to SMU, UCF 17.
I will grant you that Tulsa beat em by 2 points and had better numbers in that game...
Timh
CTG Psychiatrist - Dr. Tim
I like Tulsa's defense better and they are at home, thought this line was cheap and had it closer to 5 or 6 range. Tulsa def 355 ypg vs. 375, 4.6 ypp vs. 5.0, 3.0 ypr vs. 4.0 ypr and UCF a little better in YPA at 6.7 vs. 6.4. Feel like Tulsa runs better and stops the run better.
Marsski
MAC Marvel
Thanks brother. Maybe I will stay away...
bloodhound
Sniffing out wins
bull
Coattailing Cheerleader
Looks like you swept the board except for Alabama. Nice work.
Enjoyed reading your take on the terpmove.
Playing Michigan instead of No Carolina and Michigan St instead of N C State doesn't sound right, does it.
At least it doesn't wash with me. Not to mention Nebraska instead of Virginia.
Enjoyed reading your take on the terpmove.
Playing Michigan instead of No Carolina and Michigan St instead of N C State doesn't sound right, does it.
At least it doesn't wash with me. Not to mention Nebraska instead of Virginia.
