I was there yesterday and I must say this was a much more enjoyable experience than the last time I went to Memphis when we beat East Carolina. Memphis has changed a lot and this was a first class experience. I have been to 5 bowl games now from the Sugar Bowl, Independence, Liberty (twice), and Cotton and I will say this ranks up there as one of the funnest ones I have been to. Other than the stupid drunk Razorback fan that was behind us bashing our players like crazy. This guy was a total embarrassment to Razorback fans and football fans in general. The guy was an idiot and doesn't deserve to call himself a fan or anything. I apologized to the only KSU fans in our section and said we aren't all as stupid as this clown. However, he left midway through the third and it was then very enjoyable. It was a great end to the year and 8-5 looks much better than 7-6 would have. In watching the game live I will say I was impressed with how easy we made it look on offense at times. Kansas State is a class program lead lead by one of the classiest coaches there is out there. If college football loses Bill Synder this year it will be losing a great coach and a better person that is without a doubt one of the best that has ever coached the game of football.
Offensive player of the game: Alex Collins
Defensive player of the game: Joshua Liddell
Grades:
QB: Brandon Allen ended the year with a solid performance and you tip your hat to him and wish him the best of luck in whatever he does going forward. Another 300+ yard performance deserves nothing more than a top tier grade. He made a throw on the wheel route to Hunter Henry that essentially put the game away.
Grade: A+
RB: Alex Collins whatever he does he is a credit to Arkansas football and has just become one of the best of all time at Arkansas. If yesterday was his last game then I wish him all the best, and I will always pull for a young man like him. (Although, from people I have talked to I don't think it is his last)
Grade:A+
WR: Drew Morgan another stellar game, and also was happy to hear that Reed is back healthy. I believe this group will surely help out whomever the new QB will be next year. Awesome job from these guys throughout this year. Also, Drew Morgan had a great game yesterday as well as Jared Cornelius. Jared is just a Soph. that by the time he is done here will be one darn good one.
Grades: A+
TE: Hunter Henry is top tier, and Jeremy Sprinkle has been tremendous this season. These two guys are match up nightmares. Three times yesterday I told my buddies this ball is to HH and they were double teaming him on each occasion. Although, they doubled him still couldn't stop him, I know he is gone after this year and I am going to miss HH. I know we have a ton of young depth at TE and we will have Sprinkle back, HH will be sorely missed and I wish him the best.
Grades: A+
Oline: Took these guys a while to gel this season, but they did a great job. I am also going to say this Eric Matos did a tremendous job putting in the game plan for this game. Thought our oline all but two times in the entire game played arguably their best game of the year. They controlled the game and wasn't even phased by anything KSU did in this game.
Grades: A (the one sack and one QB hurry on a busted play kept them from a +)
Defense: Let me preface this by saying (yes they held KSU to the 3rd least amount of yardage output of the year) but still played against a walk-on wideout playing QB. Also, it wasn't hard to know every single thing they were going to do by simply their formation. So because by the 2nd quarter I called everything play they were going to run for the rest of the game by the way they lined up. I graded them a little tougher.
DLine: Thought they played decent, but very little pass rush until late, I felt like they picked it up a little. Thought Beanum played a solid game however. We aren't very disruptive in the passing game up front causes a lot of problems on the back end.
Grade: B-
Linebackers: Totally non-existent in this one on all but one sack by Brooks Ellis.
Grade: D- I mean we barely had any output from these guys at all in this game.
Secondary: Hard to judge these guys, that team was zero ability at the wideout position to separate from anyone. I see why they were one of the worst passing offenses in the big 12 where no defense is even played. However, I thought Liddell and Tolliver made some plays when they had to.
Grade: C+
Special teams: Absolute JOKE!! If not for the great run by Collins it would seriously go down as one of the worst of the year. And that is saying a lot, I don't what they need to do, but hoping that this gets fixed. KSU on special teams was solid and if it wasn't for their ST units keeping them even in the game it would have been very bad. This is a must fix if we are going to turn the corner and get better in the years to come.
Grade: F (total embarrassment)
Going forward:
Next year I think our defense will get better. I am going to give Robb Smith the benefit of the doubt going forward that he will get it turned around. I believe going forward guys like Agim and Guidry along with what they will have coming back next year up front will become very good going forward. Feel like we have to get a consistent pass rush next season for us to have a chance to improve in our pass defense. Also, I like that we are adding some speed at Linebacker next year (if they all stay) Some might say well they will all be young!! I say I agree, but it cannot be any worse than it was this year. I think we are going to have to be better on defense next year, as I think it will take a while to get there on offense.
Now if the offense returns Collins to go with Whaley, RWIII, and Hammonds I think we will have a great backfield to support a new QB. WR's should be a real weapon next year with what they have returning and coming back. Also, although the TE's will be different I like the young guys and what they bring in Athletically. Oline is a bit of a concern; as it appears we will lose Kirkland to go with Smothers and Tretola. I like our young guys athletically, but not experience wise. We need to add a couple in this class such as Boles to finish off this class.
Special Teams will be even more magnified if we our offense struggles early. Also, until our defense finds its way we might want find a way to keep teams pinned back with our special teams. Hedlund was solid on extra points was solid, but we have to get it to the point to where he can hit a FG consistently over 35 yards without everyone knowing its likely going to get blocked. Then without a return game our inexperience will be magnified if we don't give whoever it is some plus fields every once in a while.
Nonetheless, I am looking forward to a fun team next year, but thing for us to reach maximum ability we need to be good in all three phases, because I don't see us being GREAT in any one phases, but if we are solid in all three it gives us a chance especially early. I do feel like that with Enos' ability to obviously develop QB's and call plays whoever the QB is next year gives us a chance to get really good by years end. Should be exciting and I can't wait. WPS
Offensive player of the game: Alex Collins
Defensive player of the game: Joshua Liddell
Grades:
QB: Brandon Allen ended the year with a solid performance and you tip your hat to him and wish him the best of luck in whatever he does going forward. Another 300+ yard performance deserves nothing more than a top tier grade. He made a throw on the wheel route to Hunter Henry that essentially put the game away.
Grade: A+
RB: Alex Collins whatever he does he is a credit to Arkansas football and has just become one of the best of all time at Arkansas. If yesterday was his last game then I wish him all the best, and I will always pull for a young man like him. (Although, from people I have talked to I don't think it is his last)
Grade:A+
WR: Drew Morgan another stellar game, and also was happy to hear that Reed is back healthy. I believe this group will surely help out whomever the new QB will be next year. Awesome job from these guys throughout this year. Also, Drew Morgan had a great game yesterday as well as Jared Cornelius. Jared is just a Soph. that by the time he is done here will be one darn good one.
Grades: A+
TE: Hunter Henry is top tier, and Jeremy Sprinkle has been tremendous this season. These two guys are match up nightmares. Three times yesterday I told my buddies this ball is to HH and they were double teaming him on each occasion. Although, they doubled him still couldn't stop him, I know he is gone after this year and I am going to miss HH. I know we have a ton of young depth at TE and we will have Sprinkle back, HH will be sorely missed and I wish him the best.
Grades: A+
Oline: Took these guys a while to gel this season, but they did a great job. I am also going to say this Eric Matos did a tremendous job putting in the game plan for this game. Thought our oline all but two times in the entire game played arguably their best game of the year. They controlled the game and wasn't even phased by anything KSU did in this game.
Grades: A (the one sack and one QB hurry on a busted play kept them from a +)
Defense: Let me preface this by saying (yes they held KSU to the 3rd least amount of yardage output of the year) but still played against a walk-on wideout playing QB. Also, it wasn't hard to know every single thing they were going to do by simply their formation. So because by the 2nd quarter I called everything play they were going to run for the rest of the game by the way they lined up. I graded them a little tougher.
DLine: Thought they played decent, but very little pass rush until late, I felt like they picked it up a little. Thought Beanum played a solid game however. We aren't very disruptive in the passing game up front causes a lot of problems on the back end.
Grade: B-
Linebackers: Totally non-existent in this one on all but one sack by Brooks Ellis.
Grade: D- I mean we barely had any output from these guys at all in this game.
Secondary: Hard to judge these guys, that team was zero ability at the wideout position to separate from anyone. I see why they were one of the worst passing offenses in the big 12 where no defense is even played. However, I thought Liddell and Tolliver made some plays when they had to.
Grade: C+
Special teams: Absolute JOKE!! If not for the great run by Collins it would seriously go down as one of the worst of the year. And that is saying a lot, I don't what they need to do, but hoping that this gets fixed. KSU on special teams was solid and if it wasn't for their ST units keeping them even in the game it would have been very bad. This is a must fix if we are going to turn the corner and get better in the years to come.
Grade: F (total embarrassment)
Going forward:
Next year I think our defense will get better. I am going to give Robb Smith the benefit of the doubt going forward that he will get it turned around. I believe going forward guys like Agim and Guidry along with what they will have coming back next year up front will become very good going forward. Feel like we have to get a consistent pass rush next season for us to have a chance to improve in our pass defense. Also, I like that we are adding some speed at Linebacker next year (if they all stay) Some might say well they will all be young!! I say I agree, but it cannot be any worse than it was this year. I think we are going to have to be better on defense next year, as I think it will take a while to get there on offense.
Now if the offense returns Collins to go with Whaley, RWIII, and Hammonds I think we will have a great backfield to support a new QB. WR's should be a real weapon next year with what they have returning and coming back. Also, although the TE's will be different I like the young guys and what they bring in Athletically. Oline is a bit of a concern; as it appears we will lose Kirkland to go with Smothers and Tretola. I like our young guys athletically, but not experience wise. We need to add a couple in this class such as Boles to finish off this class.
Special Teams will be even more magnified if we our offense struggles early. Also, until our defense finds its way we might want find a way to keep teams pinned back with our special teams. Hedlund was solid on extra points was solid, but we have to get it to the point to where he can hit a FG consistently over 35 yards without everyone knowing its likely going to get blocked. Then without a return game our inexperience will be magnified if we don't give whoever it is some plus fields every once in a while.
Nonetheless, I am looking forward to a fun team next year, but thing for us to reach maximum ability we need to be good in all three phases, because I don't see us being GREAT in any one phases, but if we are solid in all three it gives us a chance especially early. I do feel like that with Enos' ability to obviously develop QB's and call plays whoever the QB is next year gives us a chance to get really good by years end. Should be exciting and I can't wait. WPS
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