Bill Snyder, the Big 12’s wizard of coaching, continues to craft a winning program in Manhattan, Kansas by focusing on three key aspects. He’s won bowl games and conference championships by putting together a football team that has an offense that eats the clock and protects the ball, a defense that suffocates the run, and a special teams unit that comes up with big plays. So far, in 2014, he has two thirds of that in place.
Kansas State is scoring at an average for nearly 40 points per game, which is more than enough to remain competitive in the Big 12. On the defensive side of the ball they are holding opponents to an average of just 2.9 yards per carry. Needing the third part of the formula to come together, before the Wildcats start conference play next week, all eyes were on the special teams Saturday when the Wildcats hosted UTEP.
A week after a disastrous special teams performance that cost the Wildcats a win against #5 Auburn, they were better against UTEP but certainly not worry free. Freshman Matthew McCrane was given the placekicking responsibilities after Jack Cantele went 0-for-3 against Auburn. McCrane responded by connecting on his only field goal attempt (25 yards) and being true on all seven of his PATs.
Lockett’s 58-yard punt return wasn’t enough to satisfy Bill Snyder
Tyler Lockett brought the home crowd to their feet with a 58-yard punt return for a score to put KSU up 24-0 in the second quarter and it appeared as if KSU had worked out all of their kinks on special teams. They hadn’t though. Second half miscues that included a Lockett fumble on a punt return and a blocked punt sent Snyder off the field in frustration at the end of the game.
“I still do not understand it,” Snyder said about his special teams.” We did some wonderful things, and then we fell apart.”
What Snyder does understand is that at 3-1 overall, and 1-0 in the Big 12, is that he’s got a team that can make some noise in the conference. He also understands that in order to do so he must get near perfection from his special teams. With road trips to Norman, Ft. Worth, and Waco still looming on the schedule, Kansas State has to be flawless in every aspect of the game if they want to play the role of the conference spoiler. Ultimately Snyder understands that special teams are the only unit on his squad that isn’t performing up to par.
