UTEP in 60 Seconds
K-State Missing Explosiveness on Offense
By Cole Manbeck
The season is young, so you shouldn’t get too worked up over the following numbers. But through three games, the explosive plays Kansas State’s offense had in 2013 have gone missing. Tyler Lockett hasn’t been 100 percent, so that’s part of the issue. But there is a lack of weapons on the Wildcat offense to help out the senior All-American and to strike fear into opposing defenses.
K-State had 59 plays of 20 or more yards last season, an average of 4.5 per game. The Wildcats have 10 plays of 20-plus yards through three games, an average of 3.3 per contest. K-State had 38 plays that went for 25 or more yards in 2013, an average of three per game. This season, it has four plays of 25-plus yards, an average of 1.3 per game. K-State had 28 plays of 30-plus yards last season, averaging out to 2.2 a game. The Wildcats have two plays that have gone for 30 or more yards this season (both at Iowa State), an average of 0.67 per contest.
K-State hasn’t replaced the production Tramaine Thompson gave the offense as the No. 2 guy to help Lockett at receiver. Curry Sexton is a very good slot receiver, but there’s no one opposite of Lockett that’s a home-run threat. The Wildcats miss the explosive plays John Hubert and Daniel Sams gave it in the running game. Hubert didn’t wow you with his speed, but he had a decent ability to break off some big runs. The Wildcats had nine running plays of 20 or more yards from their running backs last season. Through three games in 2014, they have zero. K-State had 17 running plays of more than 20 yards overall in 2013 (including quarterback runs). So far, the Wildcats have one, a 25-yard run by Jake Waters at Iowa State.
Charles Jones and DeMarcus Robinson have played relatively well through three games, but they aren’t likely to break off a lot of chunk plays. The Wildcats need Lockett to get back to 100 percent. And it would be a significant help if Andre Davis and Judah Jones, two of K-State’s fastest players on the offensive side of the football, can earn their way on the field. If that occurs, K-State’s offense will look a little different.
Explosive Offensive Plays
| Year | Plays of 20-plus yards | Plays of 25-plus yards | Plays of 30-plus yards |
| 2013 | 59 (4.5 per game) | 38 (2.9 per game) | 28 (2.2 per game) |
| 2014 | 10 (3.3 per game) | 4 (1.3 per game) | 2 (0.67 per game) |
Explosive Offensive Plays in the Running Game Overall (Including Running Backs and Quarterback runs)
| Year | Plays of 20-plus yards rushing |
| 2013 | 17 (1.3 per game) |
| 2014 | 1 (0.33 per game) |
Explosive Offensive Plays Running the Football (Running Backs only)
| Year | Plays of 20-plus yards rushing |
| 2013 | 9 (0.69 per game) |
| 2014 | 0 |
Sustained drives certainly aren’t a bad thing. They provide rest to the defense, but the longer a drive goes, the possibility increases that a mistake will be made to cost a team points. So getting a few explosive plays a game is key. Right now, K-State isn’t getting them. It’s still early, so this could change, and it will need to if the Wildcats are going to be a good offensive team.
