Five things: Why Kansas State can win the Big 12
1.) In this era of college football, I think the most important elements of a defense are the ability to limit the passing game and prevent explosives. This Kansas State secondary should be very conducive to that. That’s the last line of defense to take away the big plays, and that is where the Wildcats are more experienced. And obviously the secondary plays a large role versus the passing game. Add that to an improved pass rush, and I think K-State should be able to do the two most critical things – stop explosives and limit the opponent passing attack. Three things the Wildcats should do best are getting after the passer, take away the chunk plays and efficient as a pass defense.
2.) A big talking point in Kansas State training camp has been the addition of special teams analyst Nate Kaczor who was a long-time special teams coach in the NFL. That area was pretty putrid last season for the Wildcats. Kaczor has quickly become one of the most-respected coaches on the staff, and there’s a great deal of confidence that he is going to reform that unit. Add in Dylan Edwards as a returner, and I’m a fan of the potential difference-making moments we could see from that phase.
3.) It is easier to be more explosive versus being a methodical offense. Last year, K-State had so much down-to-down consistency for the most part but lacked the explosives. And that’s a big deal when you need a play. That’s why I love the way the defense is composed, as I said in point one. When consistency isn’t there, and it won’t always be as we saw last year even if that’s a strong trait of your team, someone capable of hitting the home run is vital. It wasn’t there last year. It is this year. Kansas State has more than one, too. Edwards is of course one. I think Jayce Brown and Keagan Johnson have the potential. And don’t discount the fireworks that Avery Johnson can produce, himself.
4.) Just about every conference champion has some luck go their way, though I can’t remember the Wildcats having any in 2022 I suppose. They were hit with the injury bug a few times, particularly at the quarterback spot, and still survived. I hate calling it luck because I feel like there’s some skill to it, or at least some traits. But many of the experts call it a luck category, and that’s turnovers. In a small sample size, Avery Johnson took care of the ball last year. On the flip side, K-State should have great coverage and a stellar pass rush. Havoc and disruption should create plenty of turnovers. If injuries don’t plague them, it’s easy to like the Wildcats this year.
5.) Having a forgiving schedule is always a perk. Sure, there’s a couple trap games that exist, such as the road tilts at BYU and West Virginia. They are positioned in troubling spots on the slate. And a final game of the season in Ames does loom for Kansas State. However, when you get all of Arizona, Kansas and Oklahoma State at home and don’t have to play Utah (also underrated to not have to play Texas Tech or UCF), it’s time to take care of business. Add in the fact that, according to odds and the Big 12 media poll, the Wildcats gets the worst four teams in the conference in Houston, Arizona State, Cincinnati and BYU.
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