Joseph Jordan

In an old school, Big 8 / Big 12 matchup, Kansas State flat out thumped Missouri. The dynamic was interesting. A former Nebraska quarterback was under center at KSU facing a former Big 8 and Big 12 rival, Missouri. Remember, Nebraska was also in the Big 8 and Big 12. Despite the 40 to 12 victory, the Wildcats left points on the board. However, that is not surprising given that the game was rain delayed twice. The game was a delayed start, delayed again in the 2nd quarter and then half time occurred after 7 minutes of game play. That is hard on players as they must stay warm and find a good rhythm overall. Still, the Wildcats must find ways to score touchdowns when they force turnovers in an opposing teams red-zone. They also need to become more efficient in their passing attack.

As the Kansas State Wildcats dominated their home opener on Saturday afternoon, memories of yester year flooded to the forefront. Arthur Brown, Larry Brown, Darren Howard, Collin Klein, Tyler Lockett and Ell Roberson were inducted into the Kansas State Ring of Honor this weekend. I am not old enough to remember Larry Brown’s playing days. However, I have watched Arthur Brown, Howard, Klein, Lockett and Roberson play. I think I watched every televised game they played in. All of them played for Bill Snyder, who was present to hand them their awards on the field on Saturday. Darren Howard and Tyler Lockett went on to have prolific careers in the NFL. All the inductees dominated during their time at KSU. It is good for the new generation to see how Kansas State honors these men and their past accomplishments. Hopefully it is motivation for the new generation to strive to be their best.

If there is one thing Coach Jim Harbaugh believes in, its SMASHMOUTH football. That was on full display Saturday morning as the Wolverine defensive line smothered Clay Millen, quarterback for Colorado State, with seven sacks. Meanwhile, the Michigan offensive line wore out the Colorado State defensive line. Led by Blake Corum, the Wolverines rushed for over 200 yards, relieving an anemic pass attack. Coach Harbaugh understands the need to control the line of scrimmage. So much of today’s football centers around a prolific passing attack. Even Alabama’s Nick Saban has succumbed to the need to focus on a great passing attack. Yet, Coach Harbaugh remains committed to the run. Really, Coach Harbaugh remains committed to dominating the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. He understands that football is about physically dominating your opponent. Physical domination starts with an effective smashmouth offensive and defensive line. The Wolverines have that in spades.