***Official New New New EMAW Repository thread***

[kstater]

Old one crapping out the server.

[kstater]

http://www.freep.com/usatoday/article/2660041


Bill Snyder was working miracles when David Shaw was at Stanford â?? playing wide receiver. They'll build statue after statue for coaches like Nick Saban, those who lead the bluebloods to championships, but they've already named a stadium after Snyder, not to mention a highway: Coach Bill Snyder Highway, a portion of K-177, leads right to Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

Kansas State changes its focus, its sense of purpose and direction, as often as Snyder changes windbreakers. (Rarely, and always for a reason.) The year may be 2013; the year may also be 1994; it may be 1997, 1998, 2003, what have you. The Wildcats are what we thought they'd be, a stoic, brawny, rough-and-tumble, flash-and-frills-free bunch so finely tuned into Snyder's personality as to be walking, talking embodiments of the coach himself, a man set for the College Football Hall of Fame as soon as he hangs up his whistle â?? the next time for good, one would think.

And so it's with some confusion that the Wildcats must look at press clippings penciling in this year's squad for a rebuilding year, a season far removed from last year's 11 wins, Big 12 title and Fiesta Bowl berth. Ten returning starters? No Heisman Trophy contenders? No All-American linebacker? The basic tune remains the same, just altered for 2013: KSU was questioned heading into last September, with many wondering if the Wildcats could get another round of lucky bounces, and we know how that turned out.

Let's just remember, for old time's sake: K-State is 316-530-1 without Snyder, 170-85-1 with Snyder. The Wildcats were picked to finish eighth in the Big 12 in 2011 and finished second, and were picked to finish sixth last fall but finished first. Hey, it's all in a year's work. Kansas State goes away when Snyder goes away and not a moment before.

LAST YEAR'S PREDICTION

To me, K-State will win no fewer than eight games in the regular season. Why? On offense, the Wildcats can tout the backfield pairing of Klein and Hubert, with the former one of the elite quarterbacks in college football, and a receiver corps with the ability to stretch the field if defenses load up the box to stop the run. The Wildcats hit the checklist on defense: nice pressure at end, size inside, an all-American at linebacker and a stopper at cornerback. While I don't think K-State is going to win the Big 12, I do think that the Wildcats need to be taken more seriously as a BCS bowl contender.

2012 RECAP

- In a nutshell: Kansas State went 11-1 in the regular season, losing only to Baylor in November â?? Baylor was perfect for one Saturday â?? and capturing the Big 12 title, the second conference championship of Snyder's career. It was the late 1990s all over again: KSU was meat-and-potatoes devastating on offense and extremely underrated defensively, scoring 505 points (12th nationally) and allowing 288 (29th) for a differential of 217 points, a program-best since 2003. That was the year of the Wildcats' last Big 12 championship, of course. The offense was headlined by quarterback Collin Klein, an absolute joy, and propelled forward by an elite running game. The defense took its cue from the offense, playing with a degree of physicality largely unmatched by its Big 12 compatriots. To me, this team wasn't defined by wins at Oklahoma and TCU or losses to Baylor and Oregon, the latter in the Fiesta Bowl, but rather by one win in particular: KSU, after having its heart broken by the Bears, came back two weeks later and dismantled Texas 42-24 to take home the Big 12.

- High point: Either the win against Texas or the 24-19 victory at Oklahoma. The former sealed the Big 12; the latter paved the way. Beating OU allowed Snyder to tackle his longtime bête noire, not to mention secure the head-to-head tiebreaker his team needed after the Baylor loss in November. I took enormous pleasure in watching K-State take spread-based teams like West Virginia, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State into the back alley. It was hard to make plays in space when the Wildcats put you in a corner.

- Low point: The loss to Baylor. I know KSU wanted to top Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl, of course, but the Wildcats would have met Notre Dame in Miami had they not fallen victim to the Bears' late-season charge.

- Tidbit: I have no names to match this fact from the school's athletic department, but I find this amazing: K-State has seen 104 players who participated on special teams at some point in their careers go on to play professional football. If nothing else, this speaks to the formula Snyder has used in his program's player development.

- Tidbit (championship edition): Kansas State had a pretty solid 2012-13 athletic year. There was the football team, which won the Big 12. There was the men's basketball team, which did the same (sharing the title with Kansas). There was the baseball team, which went from tied for last in the Big 12 in 2012 to first place in 2013. One year, three titles: football, men's basketball, baseball. K-State is the second Big 12 program to pull off the trio in the BCS era, joining Texas, which did so in 2005-6. Four FBS programs have won conference titles in football, basketball and baseball in a single year since 1998: K-State, UT, Stanford (1999-2000) and Louisville (2012-13).

FORMER PLAYERS IN THE NFL

- 24: RB Bryce Brown (Philadelphia), LB Arthur Brown (Baltimore), CB Allen Chapman (Indianapolis), OG Jeromey Clary (San Diego), LB Zac Diles (Kansas City), P Ryan Doerr (Denver), QB Josh Freeman (Tampa Bay), WR Chris Harper (Seattle), S Tysyn Hartman (Kansas City), LB Rob Jackson (Washington), LB Emmanuel Lamur (Cincinnati), OG Ryan Lilja (Denver), CB Nigel Malone (Denver), TE Jeron Mastrud (Oakland), WR Jordy Nelson (Green Bay), CB Terence Newman (Cincinnati), RB Angelo Pease (Green Bay), RB Darren Sproles (New Orleans), TE Travis Tannahill (Miami), LB Justin Tuggle (Houston), LB Reggie Walker (Arizona), LB Meshak Williams (Baltimore), RB Braden Wilson (Kansas City).

ARBITRARY TOP FIVE LIST

- Pretzel makers

1. Snyder's of Hanover
2. Utz
3. Bachman
4. Rold Gold
5. Herrs

COACHING

- Bill Snyder (William Jewell '63), who holds a 170-85-1 mark during two separate stints as Kansas State's coach. It would be somewhat misleading to call his first stretch, which lasted 17 seasons (1988-2005), merely the heyday of the school's football program; I don't believe such a description does Snyder's first tenure justice. Let's put his record into perspective. The Wildcats went 137-445-18 from 1935-1988, the year before Snyder's arrival. The program finished with only five winning seasons during this 54-year span: 1936, 1953-54, 1970 and 1982; that's three fewer winning seasons than the program had winless seasons over that time. You getting it?

Although he did not immediately make KSU into a winner â?? the Wildcats won 18 games in his first four seasons â?? the program took the next step forward in 1993, when it finished 9-2-1 and set a team record for points in a season (312). In 1998, a historic win over rival Nebraska pushed KSU to the top spot in the national polls, the first time it stood atop the college football landscape. That year â?? which ended with the Wildcats ranked No. 4 nationally â?? might have been the apex for the program, but Snyder continued to field annual conference and BCS contenders through much of his first run, and now again during his second.

Kansas State won its first conference championship since 1934 in 2003, when it upset heavily favored and then-No. 1 Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game. However, the team struggled the following two seasons, finishing a combined 9-15, leading many to question whether Snyder could still coach at a high level. Hence Snyder's decision after the 2005 season â?? mutual, by most accounts â?? to step down. Three years later, the godfather of Kansas State football was called in to clean up the mess â?? again. Had the time off recharged the batteries of college football's hardest working coach? Better yet, will Snyder be able to reclaim the magic of his first term? I think it's safe to say that Snyder's ability as a coach hasn't dimmed with age. One thing is certain: the Hall of Fame is waiting, whenever he's ready to call it a career. He is one of the finest coaches in football history.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

- Offense: This offense might lack a Heisman contender â?? and might have an undecided situation under center â?? but the Wildcats' group is strong where it counts. What K-State brings into 2013 is a rock-solid offensive line, one that returns nearly intact from a year ago; a very experienced running back, one who should take firm control of the running game; and an explosive receiver corps paced by three of last season's top five pass-catchers. Yes, the quarterback is new. But the Wildcats still have enough pieces to remain successful in the same bread-and-butter style that has carried Snyder-coached teams for a generation. Better yet, and with last year as our evidence, Snyder and coordinators Del Miller and Dana Dimel do a very underrated job in constantly presenting different looks and formations, bolstering a tough mindset with the sort of schemes needed to keep Big 12 defenses off balance.

Senior running back John Hubert (952 yards, 15 touchdowns) has gained at least 950 yards in each of the past two years while sharing touches almost evenly with Klein. He'll see more looks in 2013, easily surpassing the 1,000-yard mark and again pushing for first-team all-conference honors. What K-State seems to lack is depth, so untested holdovers like senior Robert Rose and junior DeMarcus Robinson must produce when given the opportunity to see time in secondary roles. Of greater concern, perhaps, is the loss of fullback Braden Wilson, a hugely unrecognized leader on last year's offense. While experience is in short demand, K-State has very high hopes for redshirt freshman Glenn Gronkowski, who should earn the starting nod ahead of junior Zach Nemechek. Hubert is clearly one of the top backs in the Big 12, but he does need a little assistance.

This backfield will run behind one of the top two offensive lines in the Big 12. Remember the group that manhandled opponents in 2012? Well, the whole gang returns. Senior left tackle Cornelius Lucas and senior right tackle Tavon Rooks will bookend the line, with Lucas the Big 12's best at his position and Rooks, a former JUCO transfer, set to play with a heightened comfort level during his second season on campus. Right guard will be manned by senior Keenan Taylor, a 13-game starter last fall, while one of two sophomores, Cody Whitehair and Boston Stiverson, will grab the top job at left guard. Whitehair could see time inside and out as K-State begins to audition underclassmen for the two tackle spots in 2014. The best for last: B.J. Finney, a former walk-on, will challenge for All-American accolades from his spot at center.

All the Wildcats' receiver corps is lacking is a proven big-body target, one who can draw attention on third down and leave junior Tyler Lockett (44 receptions for 692 yards) and senior Tramaine Thompson (37 for 526) room to operate in space â?? the Wildcats need another Chris Harper, basically. That role will be filled by senior Torrell Miller, a converted defensive back, with help from junior Andre Jackson and sophomore Kyle Klein. K-State has another pair of larger options in tight ends Zach Trujillo and Andre McDonald, the by-committee replacements for Travis Tannahill. But the passing game will revolve around Lockett and Thompson, a pair of ankle-breaking, big-play receivers with the speed to beat any Big 12 defensive back deep should the running game force opponents to step closer to the box. Miller needs to deliver.

- Defense: So the defense will have some new faces. Let's start with what we know: K-State's secondary seems secure, primarily thanks to a degree of returning experience unshared by the front seven. The leader of this defense â?? and this entire team â?? is senior strong safety Ty Zimmerman (50 tackles, 5 interceptions), a multiple-year starter tasked with breaking several new contributors into the lineup. The Wildcats also return junior cornerback Randall Evans (76 tackles), who moves over from nickel back to help replace Nigel Malone and Allen Chapman. Senior Kip Daly is a contender for the other cornerback spot, though K-State could also use JUCO transfer Nate Jackson or former Georgia Tech transfer Carl Miles â?? if not some combination of all three. Over at strong safety, sophomore Dante Barnett (24 tackles), made two starts during the final stages of 2012; Baylor was an utter disaster, but Barnett played much better against Texas. Another JUCO transfer, Travis Green, could push for snaps on the back end. Zimmerman's an All-American, Evans is ready, Barnett is promising and there's JUCO help. The secondary is in good shape.

The situation gets more troubling the closer you get to the line of scrimmage. The second level loses all three primary starters but will land a boost from a veteran like senior Blake Slaughter, who took a redshirt last fall to provide some separation from Arthur Brown. He steps into some big shoes: Brown was awesome in the middle, playing as well as any linebacker in the FBS, and Slaughter's ability to lead physically and mentally may be the deciding factor for this defense. The top three seems very settled: Slaughter in the middle, senior Tre Walker on the strong side and junior Jonathan Truman on the weak side. Other exterior options include JUCO transfer Dakorey Johnson, sophomore Mike Moore and true freshman Nick Ramirez.

The defensive line breaks in four new starters. The Wildcats are a little thin inside, where somewhat tested holdovers like sophomore Travis Britz and senior Chaquil Reed are joined by several new faces. Reed, like several cogs in the line rotation, is a former JUCO transfer who played sparingly in 2012; big things are expected, but much depends on how much work Reed and others put in during the offseason. Depth at tackle comes from a youngster like Demonte Hood and late-in-the-game JUCO transfers in Andre Roberts and Valentino Coleman. The interior of the line is an issue. But I like the situation at end despite the lack of prototypical experience, especially with a nice top quartet in senior Alauna Finau, juniors Ryan Mueller and Laton Dowling and sophomore Marquel Bryant. Though the rawest of the bunch, Bryant has the talent to be one of the Big 12's breakout defenders. Add in JUCO transfer Devon Nash and, at worst, you have a deep rotation at end. At best, the end position is the strength of this defense.

- Special teams: K-State must replace its starting kicker and punter, which means these special teams will drop from the nation's best to, say, the fifth-best. Betting against another elite season from the Wildcats' specialists is akin to betting against every piece of historical evidence at our disposal, which sounds like a bad idea. Sophomore Jack Cantele will take over at kicker, replacing his brother, Anthony, who had a wonderful career. At punter, K-State could use junior Mark Krause, who played a touch in 2012, or hands the reins to former JUCO transfer Ethan Hammes. Then there's the return game: Lockett is among the top three or four in the FBS on kickoffs; the same can be said of Thompson on punts.

POSITION(S) TO WATCH

- Quarterback: Every few years, it not more frequently, Snyder likes to open up a quarterback competition and extend it as deep into fall camp as possible, perhaps waiting until the week of the opener before laying his cards on the table. I have no doubt that he'll do so again in 2013. The first contender is sophomore Daniel Sams, last year's backup. The other is Jake Waters, a well-regarded JUCO transfer who enrolled in time for the spring, allowing him to quickly grasp the nuts and bolts of this offense. The case for the former is simple: Sams (235 yards rushing) proved himself last fall, albeit in a small sample size, and will clearly give K-State terrific production in the running game. The case for the latter: Waters was desired by K-State and others for a reason, because of his proficiency as a passer, and seems to have enough mobility to extend plays, though not break ankles. To me, that Sams entered fall camp with a slight lead means something, but not much â?? because Snyder wanted to see more of each before making any decision. In fact, there's a chance that the Wildcats' smooth non-conference schedule allows Snyder to extend the competition into September, giving him the chance to see Sams and Waters in a game environment. My take: Sams is the guy. No, wait: Waters. In my mind, it'll be either Sams or Waters. I like Sams for his ability to move the sticks with his feet; that's he an unpolished passer matters little, because Klein's throwing style wasn't necessarily coated with varnish. Whether K-State opts to use both, with Sams the runner and Waters the passer, depends on Snyder's penchant for two-man quarterback rotations.

GAME(S) TO WATCH

- Texas: The world will be K-State's oyster if it can survive a brutal opening stretch to Big 12 play. After starting 3-0 â?? because I love the Ragin' Cajuns, but Louisiana-Lafayette isn't winning in Manhattan â?? the Wildcats take on Texas and Oklahoma State on the road before returning home for Baylor. From there, however, K-State gets West Virginia, Iowa State, TCU and Oklahoma at home, and Texas Tech and Kansas on the road. Getting to 5-1 at the midway point will lead to a 10-win regular season, in my mind â?? if not another Big 12 title.

SEASON BREAKDOWN & PREDICTION

- In a nutshell: Kansas State will take a step back from last season, when it came within a Saturday evening on playing for the national championship, but won't drop completely off the map in the Big 12 â?? contrary to most projections. In fact, I think the Wildcats will finish in the league's top four and make a bit of a push for the Big 12 title, bringing the fight to Texas, Oklahoma and others in a very familiar fashion, merely with a new cast of characters. The general theme won't change: K-State will play with a physicality unmatched elsewhere, will run the football with devastating effectiveness, will force errors on defense and will dominate special teams â?? and will be as well-coached as anyone. Any group with these assets is one of the top 25 teams in college football even with the unavoidable issues with inexperience.

But it'll still be extremely difficult â?? some may some impossible, but that's going a touch too far â?? to reach another BCS bowl. The Wildcats will suffer a decline in quarterback play, even if Sams has the athleticism to match Klein's production in the running game. The receiver corps must find a bigger target to replace Chris Harper. The defense is obviously a concern from front to back, though the nice depth at end and solid secondary are two very positive signs. Overall, this is a fairly raw team with the ability to really develop during the course of the year; unfortunately, K-State may very well be eliminated from the Big 12 race by the midway point.

I still think this is a nine-win team, even if those nine wins include only one or two "marquee victories" â?? for example, the Wildcats might go 2-3 against Texas, Oklahoma State, Baylor, TCU and Oklahoma. That'd be pretty impressive, actually. Given all that the Wildcats have on the field, in reserve and on the sideline, I'd be surprised by anything less than 8-4. This is when the program really excels: K-State loves coming in under the radar. This is still a very dangerous team.

- Dream season: Kansas State doesn't go 11-1 but 12-0, earning a spot in the national championship game.

- Nightmare season: The Wildcats' lack of experience leads to quite a downturn: KSU goes from 11-2 to 6-6 heading into the postseason. Also, pigs fly.

IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING

- Where Kansas State fans hang out: You can find in-depth recruiting coverage and a healthy dose of banter at KStateFans.com, Go Powercat and goemaw.com? Every Man a Wildcat. For a blog's take, visit Bring On the Cats.

[Coach]

I remember the author. He was pumping out articles from the Pre-Snap Read website (http://www.presnapread.com/) before he went over to USA Today.

I really enjoyed reading his articles, not just to Kansas State, but also all other college football teams. It's like a free College Football online magazine.

But the editing was just kind of really bad on this newspaper article....

[WilliamTheIrish]

AP Top 25 is out.

Edit: my phone showed the Cats at 12. When I googled the list it showed them out of the top 25. That would seem much more correct.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

AP Top 25 is out. Cats at 12?

Way high.

I'm not seeing it. Where did you find this?

[WilliamTheIrish]

Originally Posted by Coach

I'm not seeing it. Where did you find this?

Apparently in my own head.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

AP Top 25 is out.

Edit: my phone showed the Cats at 12. When I googled the list it showed them out of the top 25. That would seem much more correct.

Yeah, it was LSU, but I can see why it would be mistaken with KSU.

*Hands you a pair of glasses*

[Saulbadguy]

KAHTZ

[Dante84]

BonerJamz '13

[Raiderhater]

Opening up conference play in Manhattan South is going to be a very big test for this team. Just the law of averages suggests that Texas is due for a win against us. If the law of averages can be beat and we come away with our 23rd consecutive victory against them down there, this season will start to look like another one for the history books.

[ChiTown]

Stiverson broke his foot. I think Keenan Taylor takes his place. One week to kickoff. CAN NOT WAIT!

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by kstater

Old one crapping out the server.

[saphojunkie]

"EMAW!!!" might be the most perfect sound I can imagine a giant-headed, red-faced, fat K-state fan screaming at the top of his lungs in between mouthfulls of dip.

It just cracks me up every time.

"EMAWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!"

classic.

Enjoy your thread.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by saphojunkie

"EMAW!!!" might be the most perfect sound I can imagine a giant-headed, red-faced, fat K-state fan screaming at the top of his lungs in between mouthfulls of dip.

It just cracks me up every time.

"EMAWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!"

classic.

Enjoy your thread.

Another douchebag ku fan wishing he could root for something more than basketball during football season.

[Mr_Tomahawk]

Tyler Bray