Kansas State will try to keep the momentum rolling Saturday when Washington State visits Manhattan, Kan., in a matchup that gives both first-year head coaches another early test.
For Kansas State’s Collin Klein, the challenge is less about bounce-back and more about avoiding a letdown after last weekend’s 71-3 demolition of Nicholls. Klein, who came to the Wildcats after serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Texas A&M, said Monday’s practice showed the right mindset.
"I thought our guys had a very business mindset, business mentality, and came in and got their bodies moving," Klein said of the Wildcats' practice Monday.
Washington State arrives with a different tone after a 24-10 loss at rival Washington on Sunday. Kirby Moore, the Cougars’ first-year coach and a former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Missouri, said his team needs cleaner execution on offense after three giveaways against the Huskies.
"Turnovers and situational football, we have to improve on offense," said Moore, whose team had three giveaways against the Huskies. "Defense responded on short fields throughout the game, did a nice job against the run. That has to carry over against Kansas State."
The Cougars’ offense took a hit when veteran receiver Tony Freeman went down with a knee injury in the first quarter. Moore said Freeman is "trending on being out" for Saturday, a significant concern since Freeman also handles kickoff and punt returns.
Freeman’s absence would leave a notable hole in Washington State’s passing game and special teams. Last season, he started seven of 13 games and finished with 54 catches for 590 yards and three touchdowns.
Quarterback Caden Pinnick finished 16 of 25 for 142 yards against Washington, but he was intercepted twice and never found the end zone through the air. Without Freeman for most of the game, the Cougars struggled to generate explosive plays and went 0-for-11 on third down.
Pinnick did provide a spark on the ground, leading Washington State with 61 rushing yards on 14 carries and scoring the team’s only touchdown on an 11-yard keeper in the fourth quarter.
Kansas State, meanwhile, had plenty of fireworks in its opener. Avery Johnson directed an offense that pushed the Wildcats past 70 points in a game for the first time since 2000. He completed 15 of 21 passes for 199 yards and three touchdowns.
The ground game was even more imposing. Rodney Fields Jr. ran for 101 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, and Kansas State piled up 312 rushing yards and six rushing scores in all.
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