Kansas State grades: Assessing the victory over the Knights

Kansas State bounced back from their first loss of the season with a 44-31 win over UCF.

Now the Wildcats go into their bye week with a conference win under their belt and time to rest up and get right for the final two-thirds of the season. Here is a look at how K-State graded out for the Week 4 win over the Knights.

Kansas State Quarterback: B-

The status of Kansas State quarterback Will Howard was uncertain all week, but he made the start and took every snap.

He made some impressive throws throughout the game for crucial first down pick-ups. He also tested his banged-up leg when the Wildcats needed the quarterback run game. Howard put up over 60 yards on the ground and two touchdowns, including a long one to ice the win.

However, Howard had another interception on a pass that didn’t go more than 10 yards and was thrown into traffic. He also repeatedly missed on deeper passes you have to get occasionally. There was a stiff wind that possibly contributed on a few throws, but Howard can be better.

And K-State needs him to be better because currently, the K-State receivers aren’t going to make the big plays themselves.

Running back: A+

Running back was a one-man show on Saturday.

DJ Giddens put up the third most scrimmage yards in Kansas State history (Darren Sproles, twice) with 207 rushing yards and 86 receiving to pace the Wildcats in both categories. Giddens was explosive and elusive, something that was necessary given the offensive line struggles early in the season.

A+ grades are hard to come by, but when you have an all-time game, it is warranted.

Wide receiver/tight end: C+

I thought the Kansas State receivers were pretty average on Saturday. They are struggling to get any separation that is game-changing. This group also is waiting for anyone to step up and become the playmaking receiver that can stretch the field.

Ben Sinnott came through with some important catches late, but he also had another notable drop that fortunately didn’t bite K-State. They need to get healthy and define their roles when the season resumes in Stillwater.

Offensive line: B

Christian Duffie returned to the rotation and the run game went off, plus only one UCF sack was registered. There were a few batted balls by UCF defensive linemen in the game too, which should count against them.

But when the run game goes off and there is time for the quarterback, it is tough to complain.

It is a unit that has been heavily maligned through the first three weeks but played better at Missouri. Maybe the ascension is happening, or this is a one-off game where Giddens helped them look better than they were. Only time will tell, but they earned a victory lap this weekend.

Defensive end: B

It was a quicker start for the Kansas State defensive ends as they picked up a first quarter sack for the first time since the SEMO game. They finished the game with three sacks and the pressure was enough to get Timmy McClain moving and off balance.

In my eyes, the defensive ends did enough to set the stage for their teammates behind them.

Nose guard: C

They could have played better on Saturday night.

Uso Seumalo picked up a sack, but this group had a few holes early in the game that led to successful runs for the Knights. UCF put up 173 yards rushing (sack adjusted) and burnt K-State with a quarterback draw on third and long.

At the end of the day, they’ve been a pleasant surprise to start the year and I am not overly concerned after one underwhelming night.

Linebacker: B-

Nothing special, but it was also nothing bad from the Kansas State linebackers on Saturday.

Des Purnell can make the argument for the best defensive player in the game against UCF. His forced fumble was important in the first half. Jake Clifton also returned from his injury sooner than expected to get some game reps back under his belt before the bye week.

The defensive holes were at other positions, so it is worth keeping an eye on the linebackers moving forward to see how players like Austin Romaine and Clifton step up in the absence of Daniel Green.

Cornerback: C

Undoubtedly, the K-State cornerbacks could have played better against UCF. They are also still clearly trying to figure out how to play this many reps at the Power Five level, but they did still make some plays as well.

Will Lee had a good pass break-up that he dove for early in the game, while Jacob Parrish took advantage of a floating ball and had a break-up of his own later in the game in addition to an interception. Keenan Garber had a good moment in coverage and got an assist from the ground.

There were some bad moments, though. Losing men in coverage and poor tackling popped up, just to name a few of the errors.

I think the most egregious offense was not taking more advantage of an off balance, floating ball-throwing Timmy McClain. The defensive line got enough pressure at times, but not enough times did the Wildcats take advantage of it.

UCF was able to keep plays and drives alive even in situations that looked broken. Some credit belongs to the Knights, but the Kansas State secondary played a role in allowing it to happen, too.

Safety: C-

The K-State safeties bit mighty hard on the flea flicker that Gus Malzahn dialed up. That is enough to knock off a full letter grade no matter the rest of the performance. Each safety came crashing down hard and no one thought a thing about the wide receiver that just kept darting downfield.

It is a group that still leaves a lot to be desired. A real litmus test will come in the next game against Oklahoma State. The Cowboys have a bad offense with the inability to get it downfield in most games this season. If Oklahoma State has success through the air, then there are serious problems.

Special teams: D-

Penalties and missed kicks. They didn’t happen just once in the game, but multiple times throughout the contest. The Kansas State opponent was also able to mount a couple of good returns, something that the Wildcats are doing to their opponent typically.

Jack Blumer saved the day with a beauty of a punt that led to Randen Plattner, the long snapper, racing down the field to make a good tackle. Without that one play, I would have honestly given the special teams an F.

This is the worst the Wildcat special teams have been in my lifetime. No longer are special teams helping K-State win. Instead, it is hurting them.

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