Coordinator Corner: Kansas State prepares for Iowa State

FIRST HALF FRUSTRATIONS FOR KANSAS STATE

When speaking with Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman both after the game and again on Tuesday, it was very apparent that he was not pleased with the second quarter performance. He felt that they let Texas Tech off the hook. They surrendered a 13-0 lead and went into the break only up 13-10.

Both the K-State offensive and defensive coordinators clearly felt the same way when they were at the podium on Thursday.

Collin Klein harped on how unsettled he was that they were not able to convert some of the first drives into touchdowns. Having to resort to a couple field goals upset him greatly. He actually showed some frustration about it when he answered questions from the media.

Joe Klanderman replied that he felt a lack of intensity amongst his guys just before they entered the locker room, and that lighting into the team and the players to wake them up a bit was the right button that was pushed by Klieman.

Both Deuce Vaughn and Adrian Martinez revealed it, but Klieman was very animated and fiery when he was in front of the team and vocalized how poorly they finished the half. That woke them up. But it was obvious that Klein and Klanderman felt similar.

HAVING ANSWER FOR OPPONENT’S MOVES

At some point, teams are not going to just take away Deuce Vaughn and let the cards fall where they may anymore. The player that they’ll choose to eliminate is the Kansas State signal-caller. Martinez has inflicted too much damage not to be schemed against.

Klein is aware of that and knows it could happen this week when they see Iowa State. The Cyclones even run a scheme that is conducive to preventing the quarterback run from being terribly effective, too. Of course, they run the same 3-3-5 alignment on defense that we see every week from K-State.

For the Wildcat offense, their job is to predict ahead of time how teams will defend them and have the answers for that. Part of that is knowing what to do and what to deploy when Martinez’s ground game is what is taken away.

UTILIZATION OF DUKE

Who wants to see Kansas State linebacker Khalid Duke unleashed at the passer a little more? He was last Saturday and took down Texas Tech quarterback Donovan Smith three times. Klanderman hinted that it was something that they are considering.

They are aware that Duke is at his best when he is closer to the ball. He has a knack of reaching the quarterback and plays a bit faster when utilized in that manner.

But it’s about matchups. Just like offenses scheme open their playmakers, Klanderman shared that he is in the lab and finding new and creative strategies to set up his rushers like Duke, Felix Anudike-Uzomah and Nate Matlack. Placing Duke and Felix on the same side versus the Red Raiders was part of that.

Speaking of Matlack, he is becoming healthier and healthier. Though he isn’t 100 percent, and who is at this point, he is actually practicing a lot more this week.

FINDING HUTCHINSON

Klanderman was asked about his thoughts on Iowa State receiver Xavier Hutchinson. He only leads the Big 12 in just about every receiving category despite being attached to a lackluster offense and an average quarterback at best.

Those aren’t Klanderman’s comments. Those are mine. The K-State defensive boss shared that the Cyclones do a great job of devising different ways to get him the ball. But not only that, he catches everything in his vicinity and they target the heck out of him.

They have to know where he is at all times because he’s getting the ball a ton.