Sam Johnson (left) and Daniel Sams potentially just became much more important to Kansas State's 2012 season...and probably more so after that.
On the surface, it feels just like last year as Kansas State loses a young, high-profile player at the beginning of the season.
- But, Tay Bender is no Bryce Brown.
- Brown seemed doomed from the start — with his summer seclusion and general disinterest in the KSU program irritating Bill Snyder. All of that, of course, led to the couple-of-games disaster before Brown left early in what likely would have only been a single season anyways.
- Bender’s situation is a shock.
- It was a shock initially to pull him out of Nebraska. It was a shock that he slid right into the backup quarterback role after a few practices and a spring game. It was a shock to hear he was thinking of leaving.
- It was a shock to hear during the first week leading into the season that the guy who appeared capable, perhaps, to potentially be the first legit three-year starting QB ever under Bill Snyder is no longer even in Manhattan.
- It shocks the good feeling (and KSU’s immediate recruiting board) surrounding this team that it is now one big hit away (and a season away for sure) from asking Bill Snyder each week if it will be Daniel Sams or Sam Johnson getting more plays in a game.
- It’s hard for me not to consider that and compare it to the days of offensive yore featuring Dylan Meier, Allen Webb and Allan Evridge.
- Boy, that’s sounds fun.
- All of this is another reminder of why we, as adults, shouldn’t invest ourselves fully on the whims of teen-aged athletes like some do.
- And why most coaches have gray hair.
- There’s no gray this week in Lawrence, just the black and white difference between practice and game.
- After months of a reported physical reformation, Charlie Weis said on Monday that his team is probably excited that it is finally game week.
- As a kid who loved playing sports every day and either had a practice or game from mid-August to May in high school, I’ll say he’s probably right.
- I’m curious to see what the local excitement level is around KU if the Jayhawks get to their bye week at 2-2 or 3-1 heading to Manhattan.
- After that, I’m not sure there will be much to be excited for those last eight games.
- At Kansas State, Oklahoma State, at OU, Texas, at Baylor, at Texas Tech, Iowa State, at West Virginia.
- Daunting isn’t the right word.
- Word came from Gary Pinkel yesterday that running back Henry Josey will redshirt this season for the Missouri Tigers while he continues to recover from injury.
- The junior led MU in rushing (1,168 yards) through 10 games last season before blowing out the ACL and MCL in his left knee.
- While he recovers, quarterback James Franklin still has senior Kendial Lawrence to hand off to, not to mention a whole slew of wide receivers.
- Count me in as thinking Missouri’s offense, despite some injuries already to the offensive line, will be fine in the SEC.
- Mizzou put up 475.5 yards per game in 2011, which was fifth in the Big 12… and would have led the SEC by about 37 yards over Arkansas.
- That said, save the “SECdefenseisthebestevercouldwinintheNFL” silliness. I get it, and I expect the Tigers to have a few more rough days offensively just like their new peers all do.
- So no, not prolific, but fine.
- Not prolific, and not fine: Luke Hochevar.
- But, the way the Kansas City Royals cling to sparse good outings from him, and expect that Danny Duffy is going to return next season from Tommy John surgery with a new elbow and a new amazing ability to limit his pitch count, heck, who cares.
- I’m all in.
- Multi-year deals for everybody.
- It’s not like Royals general manager Dayton Moore isn’t already on the hook for $7.5M next season to Jeff Francoeur — THE WORST PLAYER IN BASEBALL.
- If you could name the worst player on the Kansas City Chiefs starting defense, who would it be?
- If you immediately thought of the replacement corner, whoever it winds up being come a week from Sunday against Atlanta, congratulations, you’re right.
- And, the Falcons passing game agrees with you.
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