Mailbag: Analyzing the Week 4 Kansas State performance

1. How would you grade the Kansas State right tackle spot?

DY: It gets better with every game. Not only does the return of Kansas State offensive lineman Christian Duffie help in that regard, but Carver Willis continues to get better and it makes the offense much better as a whole.

Just turn on the tape and it is easy to see that K-State is so much better when Cooper Beebe doesn’t have to flip sides and can just stay on the left and make that a spot of strength.

2. Wasn’t it perfect to go quarterback run game with Avery Johnson in the second half?

DY: Why mess with what works? Will Howard even ran it well for the Wildcats. He had 64 yards on the ground and showed zero signs of vulnerability and wasn’t a liability or concern in regards to his health. It may not be sustainable to go 30 carries with DJ Giddens all year but it’s just one game.

The bye week is next and they’ll have Treshaun Ward back. That was the perfect time to ride Giddens if he is going to provide Kansas State with that much punch. UCF couldn’t stop him and not much else worked.

3. What was up with Tre Spivey?

DY: I’m not sure the K-State true freshman would have played anyways since he has only seen snaps against an FCS opponent thus far, but the vibe I got was that Tre Spivey was either injured or going through some kind of illness.

He was not healthy. That’s why he wasn’t in uniform.

4. Besides Daniel Green, who else from K-State will miss the Oklahoma State game?

DY: He might be it. Kansas State is getting healthier, actually.

RJ Garcia shouldn’t miss another game. Ben Sinnott will benefit from the rest, as will Will Howard, Christian Duffie, Keagan Johnson, Jake Clifton, Jadon Jackson and Treshaun Ward.

5. Did you ever see this coming from Giddens this early in his career?

DY: Is it really that early in his career? I’d say no for a running back. Giddens has been at Kansas State for three seasons at this point. He’s always been explosive and powerful, and I even posted recently that he was the much better back of the two through three weeks.

6. Why didn’t Avery Johnson play?

DY: K-State had to punt just once and Howard was not limited by his health. The Wildcat offense didn’t need it. They needed more answers on defense and special teams, not offense.

7. How did Kansas State true freshman Austin Romaine perform in his first start?

DY: There were clearly growing pains, which is to be expected. When you play that many first-year starters at once, there will always be hiccups in the early going. Austin Romaine was a culprit of some of those explosive plays for UCF. That’s just the way it goes.

His instincts weren’t always correct and there was some false steps but it was solid all things considered for being out there at 18 years old and only having played 25 snaps before starting versus the Knights.

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