Manhattan - Kansas State’s offense put up a number that even Willie the Wildcat couldn’t outrun on Saturday.
After the Wildcats rolled to a 71-3 win over Nicholls at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, the K-State mascot was left grinding through 394 push-ups over the course of three hours. The routine, which asks Willie to do push-ups after every score, became a brutal test once the points started piling up.
The setup sounds simple enough, but the total climbs fast. A touchdown is six push-ups, and a field goal is three, which means the workload can snowball in a hurry.
When K-State scored 35 points on five touchdowns and five extra points, that would have meant 105 push-ups. On Saturday, as the Wildcats crossed 70 points for the first time since 2000, the count soared to 394.
By the fourth quarter, the wear and tear showed. Video of the mascot’s fading form made the rounds on social media, and fans got a good laugh out of the sight of Willie struggling to keep pace.
Collin Klein, who knows a thing or two about K-State offense, took notice too.
“I think Willie,” he said with a laugh, “had a little too much fun this summer.”
Klein also made it clear he could relate to the exhaustion.
“That would kill me,” he said, “if I had to do that in three hours.”
That kind of scoreboard pressure is exactly what Klein is built for. Before taking over as head coach this season, he had already spent time as the Wildcats’ quarterback and later as a successful offensive coordinator. Saturday marked the first time K-State has reached 71 points in his career, but it may not be the last.
If the Wildcats keep scoring like that, Willie’s going to need to keep working.
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Kansas State Backfield Battle Just Got More Interesting Before Washington State
After Kansas States 71-3 win over Nicholls, Collin Klein made a few tweaks to the Week 2 depth chart, and the most notable one was in the backfield. Rodney Fields was moved to the top of the running back group, a small but meaningful sign of how the Wildcats are sorting out roles early in the season as they turn their attention to Washington State.
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Darien Whitaker Is Giving Kansas State Reason To Feel Better Up Front
Darien Whitakers move from linebacker to defensive end is already giving Kansas State a different kind of presence up front. In the Wildcats 71-3 win over Nicholls, he turned in two tackles and a sack, a small line that still carried real weight for a defense trying to build depth and impact on the edge.
Collin Klein has noticed the work Whitaker has put in as the transition has taken hold, and Kansas State can use more of that kind of growth as the schedule tightens. The Wildcats head home next for Washington State, where the test will be less about cleanup and more about whether those early signs up front can hold up against a tougher challenge. [Read more 🡒]
Collin Kleins K-State Debut Delivered The Statement Fans Wanted
Collin Kleins first game on the sideline as Kansas States offensive coordinator had the kind of clean, forceful start that usually settles a fan base down in a hurry. The Wildcats rolled past Nicholls in the opener, piling up 559 total yards while limiting the Colonels to 122, and the offense looked sharp enough from the outset to suggest the offseason changes have already taken hold.
Avery Johnson was at the center of it, completing 15 of 21 passes for 199 yards and three touchdowns while directing an attack that never seemed to lose its edge. The win also gave Kansas State a lopsided statement to open the year, the sort of performance that matters beyond the box score because it hints at how much room this group still has to grow once the schedule tightens. [Read more 🡒]