Last night’s game was sloppy. North Dakota took advantage of Kansas State’s jet lag and nearly came away with an upset. KSU’s home opener exposed their lack of organizational attention to detail.
What is attention to detail? The meaning is in the words. It is the ability to remain highly focused on the little things that influence the outcome of an event. Attention to detail or the lack thereof is what separates good from great. For example, Iowa State had no issues putting away South Dakota this week 55 to 7. The Cyclones figured out how to recover from jet lag and be ready for week two. The Wildcats did not.
Special Teams Still Needs Work!
Lack of attention to detail is evident in special teams yet again this week. Midway thru the second quarter, North Dakota executed a lengthy touchdown drive to go ahead 14 – 10. During the kickoff, KSU returner Bryce Noernberg returned the ball 19 yards before running into his own player and fumbling the ball away to the Fighting Hawks.
First, it was questionable that the kickoff was returned as it was fielded in the end-zone. Second, the returner ran into his own blocker. Thankfully, a sack and forced fumble by Cody Stufflebean along with a Tobi Osunsanmi fumble recovery ended the North Dakota drive.
KSU’s special team’s woes did not end with the fumbled kick return. Towards the end of the first half, Kansas State forced a three and out after the offense executed a six-play go-ahead touchdown drive. During the ensuing punt, the Wildcats hit the punter giving North Dakota a new set of downs. The Fighting Hawks took advantage of their good fortune and finished the drive with a touchdown.
Avery Johnson Still Growing.
Avery Johnson reverted to some of his bad habits from last year. He is fortunate he did not throw an interception to the Fighting Hawks. His second touchdown pass to Jaron Tibbs should have been an interception. Thankfully Tibbs tracked the ball in the end-zone as it was tipped by the defender.
The stat line says Avery Johnson had a fairly efficient day. 28 completions out of 43 attempts for 318 yards and three touchdowns is a good day. For Johnson, it was a career day. Yet, it was underwhelming production against an FCS school. Johnson put the ball in jeopardy on several occasions throughout key portions of the game. At least once, his players bailed him out. On another occasion, an interception was called back due to pass interference.
Avery Johnson has a live arm. He has the ability to be accurate. His issue is consistency. He can only become consistent if he first remembers to play with his fundamentals. Second, he must properly read the defense. At times, he tends to force a throw he should just pull it down or simply throw away. These are not mistakes we should be seeing against an FCS squad. However, perhaps we can give some grace due to jet lag.
Coach Klieman’s Staff is still Figuring it Out.
Kansas State is not playing as a well-oiled machine. After watching several other teams around the country, it is clear that Kansas State suffers operationally. For example, let’s examine KSU’s first third and goal of the game.
Up until this play, KSU had executed well. Then, on third and goal, North Dakota called a time out. This should have allowed KSU to draw up the perfect play to execute. Instead, Kansas State rolls out in the same formation prior to the timeout.
The Wildcats aligned with 11 personnel (one running back and one tight end), shot gun, trips left with the running back on the right and an in-line tight end on the right. The three receivers were aligned to the short side of the field. North Dakota rolled seven defenders up to the line of scrimmage and aligned three defensive backs head-up on the receivers.
The whole right side of the field was wide open. KSU had eight yards to pay-dirt. The coaches failed to adjust, and Johnson’s options were limited at the snap. With the running back and tight end held in for max protection, only the three receivers to the short side of the field ran routes, limiting Johnson’s options. North Dakota sent the house, earned a sack and forced a field goal attempt.
Offensive Coordinator Matt Wells is still learning how to use Avery Johnson and his skill position players. The Wildcat offensive playbook is clearly thick as they showcased a variety of formations last night. Johnson seemed to play better in two distinct scenarios. First, when they move the offense to the spread, Johnson appears to be more efficient and deliberate in his reads. Second, Johnson excels at play action. The threat of the run forces defenses to hesitate and Johnson takes advantage.
I have declined to comment on the defense. It is clear they were tired and worn out, likely due to the jet lag. I expect them to be flying around next week against Army. Hopefully their fatigue is not a sign of a potential depth issue.
Positive Notes.
When Avery Johnson was called upon to win the game, he led his team to victory. With only 1:45 on the game clock, and starting on his own 19-yard line, Johnson quickly executed a nine-play game winning drive.
Freshman running back Devon Rice has stood in well for Dylan Edwards. After his third quarter success, it would have been nice to see him get the ball in the fourth quarter.
The Avery Johnson to Jayce Brown connection is alive and well. His connection with Tibbs and Jerand Bradley is growing.
Next Week, KSU welcomes West Point to Manhattan.
