3-2-1: Special teams could be a factor for Kansas State in Farmageddon

THREE THINGS WE LEARNED

1. SACK PARTY: Khalid Duke and Felix Anudike-Uzomah combined for six sacks for Kansas State versus Texas Tech. Chris Klieman, Joe Klanderman and company made the defensive wrinkle to put them both next to each other on the same side, with Duke lined up over the guard. It proved to be an alignment that gave the Red Raiders fits. Anudike-Uzomah also forced a fumble, which tied him for the career forced fumbles record at K-State.

2. SIGH OF RELIEF: The injury situation is improving and not as bad as once feared. Kansas State will have both Eli Huggins and KT Leveston in the starting lineup on Saturday. Both were available to the media on Tuesday. Deuce Vaughn already returned. And though Shawn Robinson has left the team, Taylor Poitier is already on the shelf for the rest of the year and they don’t expect to receive any snaps from Will Honas this season, everything else has turned out to be positive. Even Andrew Leingang is on the mend from what we are told.

3. EXPLOSIVES: One of my questions entering last Saturday’s game was the ability for K-State to be explosive on offense. They had showed very little signs of that, even in the win against Oklahoma in Norman. Most of their scores were set up by having great field position thanks to the defense and special teams or just sustaining drives. However, explosive plays are what catapulted them to a victory and moved them to 2-0 in Big 12 play. They showed that it is in their arsenal, even if only on the ground thus far. However, Iowa State is known for limiting them. So, returning to sustained drives is likely what they will have to resort to in Ames.

TWO QUESTIONS

1. KICKING GAME: A tight game is expected versus the Cyclones. That means special teams could play a pivotal role. Quite frankly, special teams has been the kryptonite for Matt Campbell since taking over at Iowa State. They just missed three field goals in last week’s three-point loss to Kansas in Lawrence. On the flip side, Kansas State kicker Chris Tennant has been as clean as any point in his short career in Manhattan. His performance versus Texas Tech was his third perfect one in a row.

2. OFFENSIVE LINE: What needs to be improved is the K-State offensive line. They are a question mark for the rest of the season. They were not superb against the Red Raiders until they made some creases in the running game after a putrid second quarter. They were also weak versus Tulane. Kansas State has struggled when defenses have sent extra pressure their way and they need to form better answers when they see those looks.

ONE PREDICTION

1. PASSING GAME: K-State has been the most dangerous as an offensive unit when Adrian Martinez is running the ball. That has come through designed quarterback runs of course, but it has also been on the scramble drills when he goes back to pass it. It’s also created space for Deuce Vaughn to be effective on the ground, too. What’s the answer to that? Teams may blitz Kansas State less to take that part of his game away and force him to throw it. That means a controlled rush to not allow him any lanes to escape or not rushing him at all. If that’s the case, and it could begin this weekend, his arm will have to do the talking at some point and he and the receivers have to be ready for that opportunity. Just in general, Iowa State’s configuration is more conducive to containing the quarterback run game, anyways.