3-2-1: First thoughts on first conference game for Kansas State

It is time for the Kansas State edition of the 3-2-1 feature.

THREE THINGS WE LEARNED ABOUT KANSAS STATE

1. Injuries: In a more candid style than ever, Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman delivered the injury report on Tuesday. He even did it without being asked. Unfortunately, linebacker Daniel Green is lost for the season. Quarterback Will Howard is questionable after the leg injury he suffered against Missouri. Though it wasn’t on our radar, Treshaun Ward was described as doubtful. K-State will get Christian Duffie back, though, and Jake Clifton returns after the bye week.

2. McNair: Jerome Tang and Kansas State have been active, too. They now have a full roster after adding Mississippi State/Providence transfer Will McNair. The big man is already on campus and working out in Manhattan.

3. Inexperience: We shared it throughout the offseason, and maybe we lost sight of it after the impressive first two games, but there’s a lot of inexperience in the K-State secondary. That could be a large reason why their lack of eye discipline and miscommunication errors plagued the Wildcats enough in Columbia to be vulnerable to explosive plays. Unfortunately, it isn’t just the secondary that now has inexperience. That is the case at linebacker now as well, and potentially, quarterback. Raw talent is good but there is still value in experience. Saturday could be interesting. With younger players comes a splash of exciting plays, more speed and more talent but it also comes at a price via growing pains at times as well. Defensively, that was felt by Kansas State against Missouri.

TWO QUESTIONS

1. Quarterback: If Howard can’t go, it will be Avery Johnson. Might Saturday night in the first Big 12 game of the season be the true freshman’s first start in a K-State uniform?

2. Battles against OU: The Wildcats and Oklahoma don’t play on the field this year, but they are colliding on the recruiting trail. From our vantage point, they are in intense head-to-head battles for both offensive lineman Grant Brix and linebacker Michael Boganowski. Can Kansas State prevail? Both have been trending back in their favor in the last few weeks.

Michael Boganowski/His Twitter

ONE K-STATE PREDICTION

1. Turnovers: Where Kansas State hasn’t been exceptional for the most part is the turnover battle. That is an area where last year’s club excelled. With an even faster team, and one that already has many tackles for loss, it seems more like bad luck that it hasn’t occurred yet. Then again, it could be the inexperience in the secondary playing out as well. I think the trend reverses this weekend with back-up quarterback for UCF playing on the road. K-State wins the turnover battle and are at least +3 in that category.

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