Wildcats finishing close games this time

[n.e.husker]

Of the five undefeated teams remaining in the Big 12, only Kansas State has trailed more than once in the fourth quarter. It also needed a late touchdown to hold off UCLA in the season opener, a matchup that was a one-point game midway through the final period.

 

The Wildcats tightrope act has been fun to watch, but might not have been possible a year ago. In the first month of the 2009 season the Wildcats lost 17-15 to Louisiana-Lafayette and let a four-point UCLA lead in the fourth quarter balloon into a 14-point win.

 

[+] EnlargeAP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Kansas State celebrated a win over Central Florida after quarterback Carson Coffman, right, scored from 7 yards out with 24 seconds to play."I think part of it that I would say is we’ve had some good fortune fall our way," said coach Bill Snyder. "Secondly, our youngsters, they pay attention to their ability to finish ball games. That’s important to them, they’ve made that important to them."

 

The Wildcats got a few timely passes from Carson Coffman in a 17-13 win over Central Florida two Saturdays ago, when running back Daniel Thomas was stuffed for most of the game. Coffman kept a game-winning drive alive with a pair of third-down completions and the go-ahead touchdown wasn't a run from Thomas, it was a run from Coffman.

 

"It just comes down to who wants it more. We struggled early on and then the second, third quarter we tried to turn it on, but we have to start strong and quicker because it’s not always going to be like that. We were fortunate to come out with a win," Thomas said. "I just think the coaches did a great job of calling the right plays and we did a good job of executing. We didn’t want to come out with a loss at home."

 

They'll try to do the same on Thursday night when Nebraska comes to Manhattan. And Coffman might be forced to make a few more plays if Nebraska shuts down Thomas as UCF did.

 

"They had nine guys in the box all the time and they ran to the ball. They were faster and more athletic than any defense we’ve played so far this year," Thomas said. "It was frustrating, not being able to get yardage and everything, but we got the win and that was the most important thing. It was kind of a reality check."

 

But a more experienced team, especially Thomas, Coffman and a defense that returned seven starters from a year ago has helped Kansas State to its first 4-0 start since 2003, when the Wildcats won the Big 12 under Snyder.

 

"They’ve been perhaps admonished over a few years of not having the capacity to [finish games]," Snyder said. "It’s beginning to show some maturity and beginning to show their understanding of the perception that you have to finish well to succeed. It’s a combination of things probably."

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/big12

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

"They had nine guys in the box all the time and they ran to the ball. They were faster and more athletic than any defense we’ve played so far this year," Thomas said. "It was frustrating, not being able to get yardage and everything, but we got the win and that was the most important thing. It was kind of a reality check."

Mr Thomas, let me formally introduce you to the Blackshirts. You're going to WISH, they were as slow as UCF's defense.

[jsneb83]

"They had nine guys in the box all the time and they ran to the ball. They were faster and more athletic than any defense we’ve played so far this year," Thomas said. "It was frustrating, not being able to get yardage and everything, but we got the win and that was the most important thing. It was kind of a reality check."

Mr Thomas, let me formally introduce you to the Blackshirts. You're going to WISH, they were as slow as UCF's defense.

I think he met them last year, too.

[mnhusker]

Of the five undefeated teams remaining in the Big 12, only Kansas State has trailed more than once in the fourth quarter. It also needed a late touchdown to hold off UCLA in the season opener, a matchup that was a one-point game midway through the final period.

 

The Wildcats tightrope act has been fun to watch, but might not have been possible a year ago. In the first month of the 2009 season the Wildcats lost 17-15 to Louisiana-Lafayette and let a four-point UCLA lead in the fourth quarter balloon into a 14-point win.

 

[+] EnlargeAP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Kansas State celebrated a win over Central Florida after quarterback Carson Coffman, right, scored from 7 yards out with 24 seconds to play."I think part of it that I would say is we’ve had some good fortune fall our way," said coach Bill Snyder. "Secondly, our youngsters, they pay attention to their ability to finish ball games. That’s important to them, they’ve made that important to them."

 

The Wildcats got a few timely passes from Carson Coffman in a 17-13 win over Central Florida two Saturdays ago, when running back Daniel Thomas was stuffed for most of the game. Coffman kept a game-winning drive alive with a pair of third-down completions and the go-ahead touchdown wasn't a run from Thomas, it was a run from Coffman.

 

"It just comes down to who wants it more. We struggled early on and then the second, third quarter we tried to turn it on, but we have to start strong and quicker because it’s not always going to be like that. We were fortunate to come out with a win," Thomas said. "I just think the coaches did a great job of calling the right plays and we did a good job of executing. We didn’t want to come out with a loss at home."

 

They'll try to do the same on Thursday night when Nebraska comes to Manhattan. And Coffman might be forced to make a few more plays if Nebraska shuts down Thomas as UCF did.

 

"They had nine guys in the box all the time and they ran to the ball. They were faster and more athletic than any defense we’ve played so far this year," Thomas said. "It was frustrating, not being able to get yardage and everything, but we got the win and that was the most important thing. It was kind of a reality check."

 

But a more experienced team, especially Thomas, Coffman and a defense that returned seven starters from a year ago has helped Kansas State to its first 4-0 start since 2003, when the Wildcats won the Big 12 under Snyder.

 

"They’ve been perhaps admonished over a few years of not having the capacity to [finish games]," Snyder said. "It’s beginning to show some maturity and beginning to show their understanding of the perception that you have to finish well to succeed. It’s a combination of things probably."

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/big12

 

So what's the point of this whole article. Here is what I read ...... KSU keeps almost losing and Coffman will need to make plays if they want to beat the Huskers. This reads like a 5th grader wrote it who had to write over 400 words on KSU's game. What is even sadder is that I cut a pasted this to get a word count. To me this qualifies for a never has so little been said with so many words.

[mmmtodd]

every day i grow more and more dislike for this baldy

[JOEY]

hah It's more like Wildcats finishing close games NOT this time.

[Paul in WI]

I quit reading Ubben after he threw a childish fit over the announcement that Nebraska was leaving for the Big Ten. It seemed pretty apparent where his allegiance was from the outset. Why punish myself by reading the garbage of a Big 12 South homer? I'd rather not give his pages any more hits.

 

I don't write professionally, but I would expect SOME form of grammatical correctness from someone representing ESPN. He's just another example of the current crop of writers that seem to be in a race to the bottom, manhandling Mother English like a balloon animal along the way. I don't know about you, but my English teachers would have cut me to ribbons if I had turned in any papers that had sentences beginning with conjunctions like "and" and "but." BUT I digress.....

[95huskers]

i just noticed that KSUx hasnt played one game away from home yet this year. 5 home games in a row. kinda odd. not that it makes their chances any better or worse for that matter. but it isnt to often you see teams getting 5 home games right off the bat

[Billyball]

i just noticed that KSUx hasnt played one game away from home yet this year. 5 home games in a row. kinda odd. not that it makes their chances any better or worse for that matter. but it isnt to often you see teams getting 5 home games right off the bat

 

 

Unless they moved the game to Manhattan, I believe they played the clones in KC.

[95huskers]

i just noticed that KSUx hasnt played one game away from home yet this year. 5 home games in a row. kinda odd. not that it makes their chances any better or worse for that matter. but it isnt to often you see teams getting 5 home games right off the bat

 

 

Unless they moved the game to Manhattan, I believe they played the clones in KC.

 

 

u are correct. my bad. but pretty much in state none the less

 

 

[GBRsal]

close games against the central florida academy for the armless?

[JOEY]

close games against the central florida academy for the armless?

yeah and a close game against Isu junior college

[MCAT800]

That had to be the most pointless article I have ever read.

[jsneb83]

That had to be the most pointless article I have ever read.

That's Ubben for ya.

[JOEY]

That had to be the most pointless article I have ever read.

That's Ubben for ya.

Yup.. he's a horrible writer