Q&A with a Kansas State Blogger

3 comments so far October 12, 2006 by Jason Siffring

Thomas Young has a great Kansas State football blog over at ksucollegefootball.blogspot.com and graciously agreed to answer a few of our questions.

Read on for a KSU fan's perspective on Coach Prince, their expectations for this season, and the importance of the Nebraska game.

Big Red Network: What would you say is the consensus of opinion about Ron Prince. Do people believe he's the right guy to replace Snyder or are people doubting him?

Thomas Young from KSUCollegeFootball.blogspot.com: You never want to be the guy that replaces someone like Coach Snyder. Coach Prince said and did all the right things when he joined Kansas State. He brought in some good players in his first recruiting class and made the rounds to many of the Catbacker clubs in a lot of small towns around Kansas. His success will be determined on the field, but he won over a lot of supporters before his first game as the Head Coach of the Kansas State Wildcats.

BRN: Rivals star ratings would indicate that both last year's class and the 2007 class (so far) are less talented than the classes brought in 2002-2005. Are Wildcat fans generally bullish about the 2007 recruiting class or do they think Prince should have been more patient and gone after more highly rated guys?

TY: Bill Snyder built the K-State program on 1 and 2 star players. Ironically, as our recruiting classes were seen as getting better, the program was beginning to decline. I think for most Wildcat fans, we want to see success on the field. There has been a lot of conversation about the move to early commitments by Ron Prince but it is with a wait and see attitude. Snyder was able to find the diamonds in the rough and the hope is that Coach Prince will be able to do the same.

BRN: The running game for the Wildcats is not up to standards of the last decade. Are the backs too small or is the offensive line really to blame?

TY: The running game has been one of the biggest disappointments for KSU this year. Coach Prince had significant experience as an O-Line Coach and Offensive Coordinator and most KSU fans were optimistic about an improvement in the running game. The offensive line has been a big part of that problem. We have had trouble running the ball AND protecting our Quarterback. In our two losses this year we only ran the ball 19 and 21 times, we need to stick to the running game. Perhaps Coach Prince has found the right combination on the O-Line during the OSU game.

The KSU ground game over the last 14 years has been based on solid O-Lines, a good running back and a Quarterback that could run as well. The QB delayed draw which was KSU's bread and butter for years with Michael Bishop and Ell Roberson is no longer in the play book.

BRN: Defensively, the Wildcats have been somewhat successful. Defensive end Ian Campbell (who's built more like a linebacker) and free safety Marcus Watts (who's built like a corner) have stood out as playmakers. Are the coaches seeking to create match up problems with 'tweeners by design or is it about getting the best guys on the field and these guys just happen to be a little small?

TY: Marcus Watts brings so much more the KSU defense as a Safety then he could as a corner. Watts has a nose for the ball and for making the big plays. With Watts at Safety, it allows him to be involved in nearly every play. If Watts was lined up at Corner in a Cover-2, as an Offensive Coordinator, I would just send the WR he was covering down the field to get him out of the play.

Part of the issue with Campbell might have been finding a spot for him on the field. Our Linebacking crew was pretty solid last year and the defensive line was an area that needed a lot of improvement.

BRN: I think people "get" why Freeman was promoted to starter. What some can't understand is what is going on with RB Thomas Clayton being demoted to third string. Do you have any context there? Is that an on field issue, off the field, or both?

TY: Coach Prince has never given any specific reason why Clayton was moved to third string but there have been a lot of rumors going around. From what I have heard, Clayton and three other players were not happy about the changes to the starting lineup and made their feelings known. Those 4 players were asked to not participate in team activities until they could change their attitudes. I think the change of attitude came pretty quickly and they rejoined their teammates. As a KSU fan, it was tough to watch because this was supposed to be Clayton's year. However, he did not perform very well in the first few games and Leon Patten stepped in against OSU and had a great game.

BRN: We hear an awful lot about and from Ron Prince. But, his "one voice" policy makes it hard to know much about the assistant coaches and their work so far. What do KSU fans think of the staff as a whole?

TY: Their work will be judged on the field. Raheem Morris, Defensive Coordinator and Tim Tibesar, Special Teams Coach have both done an outstanding job this year. I also think Matt Wallstedt, Defensive Ends/Recruiting Coordinator has done a great job.

BRN: How much is Bill Snyder around the program? Has he dropped off the scene, or is he seen quite a bit? Does he have any input on the program, formal or informal?

TY: Coach Snyder has been pretty hands off since Prince took over the program. I believe he has talked to the team twice this year. Coach Prince has stated that he gave Snyder an open invitation to be as involved as he would like to be, but I think Snyder is trying to let Prince establish himself as the new head coach of the Wildcats.

After the ceremony to rename the stadium after Bill Snyder, he attended the game in his suite, but said he only watched about half of the game.

BRN: After the loss to Baylor, did 2006 become a rebuilding year to most KSU fans or are there still hopes of competing for the division this year?

TY: The combination of the loss to Baylor and Coach Prince's announcement that we were starting 5 more freshman, many thought we had moved in to a rebuilding mode. As with everything in college football, that can change from week to week. The OSU game may have revived some hope for this year, but I still think most KSU fans are looking to the future. However, the North continues to struggle and KSU has only lost one conference game so anything is possible.

BRN: How would you rank KSU's opponents in terms of fan interest? The perception here in NE is that the Huskers get the most attention from Wildcat fans. The face value ticket price implies the university knows it too. Is that the case?

TY: KSU and most schools price their tickets according to demand. I don't really think that is a good indicator of fan interest. The Nebraska game is probably the game that generates the most interest from KSU fans. Since KSU won in 1998, the games have been very competitive and more often then not, decided who would represent the North in the Championship game. The KU game will always be a big game but it hasn't been competitive until the last few years.

BRN: Do you care to predict the outcome of the game, or at least forecast what we can expect to see from KSU?

TY:If KSU can continue to play well on Special Teams and Defense, I think it will be a close game. In order for KSU to have a chance, it will need to be a low scoring game. That being said, I think the Huskers will be too much for the Cats. NU 24 KSU 16

Read: ksucollegefootball.blogspot.com

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