sgusers9的部落格

Source: The Salina Journal, Kan.迷你倉Aug. 25--MANHATTAN -- Nobody appreciates consistency more than Bill Snyder.And five years into his second Kansas State football reclamation project, one constant stands out: the Wildcats remain remarkably unburdened by outside expectations.Not even back-to-back seasons of double-digit victories, including last year's 11-2 record, Big 12 championship and flirtation with a national title, have convinced skeptics that K-State is back on top to stay.Media members who cover the Big 12 recently picked the Wildcats sixth in the conference, while coaches voting in the USA Today preseason poll ranked them just outside the top 25 -- behind four other league schools."That's nothing new," senior running back John Hubert said. "That's just something that we look at as motivation."Our expectation is always high, no matter how people look at us or rate us, and we're always going to come out ready to work and ready to prove people wrong like we have the past few years."Don't expect Snyder to lose any sleep over it."It's precarious trying to make those kinds of (predictions) as the season gets started," said Snyder, whose Wildcats open their season at 7:30 p.m. Friday against North Dakota State at newly-renovated Snyder Family Stadium. "Our program is no different than any other in that the dynamics of the program change year in and year out, regardless of how many you do or do not have returning."There is plenty to like about the 2013 Wildcats, especially on offense, where they return their leading rusher, a talented stable of receivers and the entire line. But they also must break in a new starting quarterback to replace Heisman Trophy finalist and Big 12 offensive player of the year Collin Klein.Defensively, all-conference free safety Ty Zimmerman and nickel back Randall Evans are the only starters back from a unit that lost its entire front seven, including All-America middle linebacker Arthur Brown. Senior linebacker Tre Walker made four starts before missing the last five games with a knee injury.But Snyder's biggest concerns center less on personnel than on the values and work ethic that have allowed the Wildcats to overachieve year after year in the eyes of critics who continue to sell them short."I would always have the concern about young people and older people like myself and some of our coaches as well, not taking anything for granted," he said. "Not taking our performance level for granted, based on whatever the program has done up to this point in time."Center B.J. Finney, a team captain and all-Big 12 pick last year as a sophomore, agreed with his coach that even overachievers have to guard against letdowns. After all, last year's lone regular-season loss at Baylor probably cost the Wildcats a shot at a national title."This is a very tough conference," he said. "You can't fall asleep on any of these teams, obviously."Look at us last year at the Baylor game. We took it for granted and we got beat bad."OffenseLess than a week into preseason camp, the last time Snyder addressed the media, he had not yet identified a starting quarterback. Sophomore Daniel Sams, Klein's backup a year ago, was neck and neck with junior Jake Waters, who led Iowa Western to a national junior college championship in 2012.Sams is an explosive runner but unproven passer who played in eight games as Klein's backup, averaging 7.3 yards per carry with three touchdowns. But he only attempted eight passes, completing six for 55 yards.Waters set a national juco record for completion percentage at 73.3 and threw for 3,501 yards with 39 touchdowns and only three interceptions. Though he went through spring practice with the Wildcats and proved to be a quick study, he has yet to take a Division I snap.Not that anybody is complaining. Regardless who wins 自存倉he job, the Wildcats have a solid backup ready to go."I really think whatever guy wins the position, our offense is going to be pretty effective," Sams said."It doesn't hurt to have running back John Hubert returning for his senior year after back-to-back 900-yard rushing seasons. And while the Wildcats lost leading receiver Chris Harper, there is plenty of experience and talent back, led by junior Tyler Lockett (44 catches, 687 yards, four TDs), senior Tramaine Thompson (37-526, four TDs) and backups Curry Sexton and Torell Miller.At tight end, three-year starter Travis Tannahill is gone, but senior Andre McDonald and junior Zach Trujillo both have considerable experience as backups. Redshirt freshman Glenn Gronkowski and junior Zach Nemechek will try to fill the shoes of Braden Wilson at fullback.The strength of the offense should be up front. The cornerstones are Finney and senior all-conference left tackle Cornelius Lucas.Senior Tavon Rooks is back at right tackle and sophomore Cody Whitehair, perhaps the most versatile of the six, at left guard. That leaves senior Keenan Taylor and sophomore Boston Stiverson, who missed much of the season with an injury, to battle at right guard."That's the best feeling ever to have five of your offensive linemen coming back that have been in the program, that know all the calls and checks," Hubert said.DefenseClearly the Wildcats' most pressing concern is putting together a cohesive defensive unit with players that are veterans in the K-State program but dreadfully short on game experience.Only seniors Zimmerman and Walker started last year's opener, and both missed time with injuries. But senior middle linebacker Blake Slaughter is coming off a redshirt year with four career starts, junior Randall Evans started seven games as a nickel back and sophomore Dante Barnett started the last two regular-season games in Zimmerman's place."It's a bit of a misnomer, two guys coming back, because Dante Barnett started last year when Zim got hurt, so he's got playing experience, and Evans started the entire year at nickel," defensive coordinator Tom Hayes said. "Tre, in 2011, was very experienced for us in that year."The most important thing is, those guys that have that playing experience have to be the strength, have to be the core, and bring these enthusiastic, eager young guys who are trying to get these spots along the right path."Up front, all four starters are gone, leaving only sophomore tackle Travis Britz and junior end Ryan Mueller with significant experience. But Snyder said the competition has been spirited both on the interior and the outside.Top candidates to join pass rush specialist Mueller at end are sophomore Marquel Bryant, junior Laton Dowling and senior Alauna Finau. Senior Chaquil Reed, redshirt freshman Demonte Hood and junior college transfer Chris Brown are battling for the other tackle spot.Slaughter, Walker and junior Jonathan Truman, a backup and special teams standout last year, are the top three linebackers. In the secondary, Evans will remain at nickel back and could see time at corner along with seniors Kip Daily, Carl Miles and Dorrian Roberts.Zimmerman and Barnett are set at safety.Special teamsThe Wildcats must replace both of their kicking specialists from a year ago, but should be solid everywhere else.And while place-kicker Anthony Cantele is gone, his younger brother Jack, a sophomore, is ready to step in. Junior Mark Krause is the leading candidate to handle the punting duties.K-State has two of the league's -- and the nation's -- top return men in Lockett and Thompson, and a veteran long snapper in senior Marcus Heit.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 The Salina Journal (Salina, Kan.) Visit The Salina Journal (Salina, Kan.) at .saljournal.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉新蒲崗