*First, my overall thoughts: All last week, I harped on the fact that Texas Tech would need to play a clean game with few mistakes to win in Manhattan. In fact, it's why I picked Tech to lose. Bill Snyder teams just aren't going to gift you turnovers or blunders very often, especially in home night conference game. Welp, there ya go. That's exactly what happened.
*And I don't think that's nearly the catastrophe that some here are suggesting. You played the Wildcats at their place and got Snydered. It's happened to countless teams over the last two decades, including Tech, who has lost this game in much more excruciating fashions than was the case on Saturday night. It's just part of it.
*Thoughts on the offense: First, K-State had no answer for Tech throwing the ball to playmakers in open space. Other than the pick six, which I'll get to, screens, shallow routes, and any other kind of space play in the passing game was money for Tech all night long. Coutee and the rest of Tech's shifty receives gouged the Wildcats for the first two and a half quarters by simply getting the ball in space. The fact they were able to do that against a defense like this should be very encouraging and bodes well for Tech the rest of the season through the air.
*What the Wildcats really seemed to focus on to me was two things: Get pressure on Mahomes and try to take Jonathan Giles out of the game. They had some success against Mahomes by trying to create constant pressure, but all they did by trying to clamp down on Giles was boost the numbers of other receivers.
*And with that being said, I thought Saturday night was by far the most productive and impress by Tech's outside receivers as a whole in Kliff's tenure. Cantrell and Lauderdale were both outstanding, and they showed me proof that there is a pulse outside the hashes for Tech's receiving corps. Hats off to them for stepping up when a team took away Giles. Last year's passing game would've utterly collapsed had K-State done that to Grant, and Tech would've lost this game by 28 plus.
*The two penalties on Dylan Cantrell in this game were total BS. His OPI was a joke by pushing off standards, and his holding call that negated DaMarcus Felton's long run was an insult to run blocking by receivers. He should've receivers gold star for whooping his man instead of a flag. Both calls were terrible, and both were on big momentum plays. Big 12 refs, man.
*Now my one negative about the outside receivers: Derrick Willies missed his block on the pick six, which allowed the K-State corner to jump the route. So, don't blame Mahomes on the play.
*As for Mahomes, I thought he played an incredible first half. He was decisive, and for being injured, incredibly accurate all over the field. However, in the second half, I thought his decision making took an uncharacteristic dip. He missed on read options and run-pass options that he should've pulled for big gainers on the ground or quick easy passes through the air. And as brilliant as he was at times in the first half against the blitz, he was as equally off against it in the second half. On all three sacks he took, it was his fault for not accounting for the unblocked blitzer each and every time. All those plays I just mentioned happened on third or fourth down, and they're all on him. He simply can't make that many mistakes in a close Big 12 game.
*Now as for going for it on both fourth downs: I had zero problem with it then and have zero problem with it now. This offense is one of the best in the entire country, especially on money downs. They convert in key situations, and they do it a lot. You're on the road and trying to take the lead, and I trust this unit let by Mahomes to get those first downs or touchdowns 95 percent of the time, and I trust them more to do that than I trust the defense to get a key stop. They came up 0 for 2 on Saturday night. I'd do it again if I was Kliff without second thought, too. Fourth and goal inside the 5 and fourth and six in no man's land between the 40 and 50? Those are both going to be auto green lights for me for this offense.
*Justin Stockton has seen his number of touches decrease over the weeks, and it happened again on Saturday night. It's of my opinion that he should not get any touches right now. He's been mostly bad since the Arizona State game, and he was really bad against K-State. He can't make anyone miss right now, and he's getting mobbed behind the line of scrimmage on any play he gets the ball. I hate to say it, because he's been such a home run threat for this offense in the past.
*Felton quietly had 66 yards rushing on 14 carries, which you'd never suspect. He needs to simply get more touches, cause he can make something out of nothing on the ground and is going to eventually break some big ones in the open field. It's an absolute no brainer to move to him full time.
*The O-line was a bit of a mixed bag, but trending towards positive and better than it's been all year. They did a marvelous job pass protecting for Pat in the first half, and I was very impressed by how much better they looked in that respect than they have all year. They broke down some late in the game, but again, Mahomes is some to blame as well. Run blocking remains an issue. However, I think K-State has the best front seven in the conference bar none, especially at defensive end with Ryan Willis and Will Geary. The O-line held up plenty well enough to win this game, which I was very encouraged by moving forward.
*Overall, the offense scored 38 on the road in Manhattan and should've scored 49 were it not for a few bad breaks and bad decisions by Mahomes. I don't think Kliff called a bad game like others believed, though I do wonder why he went away from some of the space plays in the passing game at times in the 2nd half. After the rewatch, while I do think Mahomes lost a hair of power on the ball late, I don't think it was anything to get concerned about.
*Defensively, I count this game as a win. The unit gave up 30 points in total, holding the Wildcats to three field goals in the red zone in the process and really only giving up 3 field long drives all night. While they certainly got got at times in the running game off the edge, which was to be expected, they didn't give up any back breaking plays at any point, and Ertz went a paltry 10 of 20 through the air. This was another baby step forward by the group, and if they make another similar step forward against WVU, Tech will win that game this weekend.
*Gibbs made a decision to back off into coverage against Ertz on third down as opposed to blitzing, and I get the decision. He's a bad decision maker at times through the air, and you might as well try to get the INT or bat down as opposed to risking it with a big blitz where Ertz can dump it off quickly or get loose for a huge gain with his feet. The decision mostly paid off all night, despite Tech never getting a pick. I also though that, despite not getting a sack, the pressure was sufficient enough to at least hurry Ertz at times.
*I thought this was the best game by Tech's secondary this fall, and the best since 2014 or earlier by the group as a whole. They batted more balls down and won more one on ones than I've seen in a long time. I think a lot of that has to do with Paul Banks, too, who I thought was mostly really good.
*Justis Nelson continues to be quietly good. Other than one play on a swing pass to the flats, I don't believe a receiver caught a ball on him all night.
*I thought the defensive line had their best game as a group of the season. Sure, Moore, Barnes, Hill, and Williams all gave up some plays off the edge in the ground game, but I also thought they made some nice plays in the backfield, too. The most encouraging thing for me has been the uptick in TFLs for this group. If they can keep steadily improving, I think this group might be fun to watch at the end of the year.
*The decision to go to squib kicks after the K-State touchdown return was an interesting one. It gave up a little extra field position, but it also gave Tech's coverage unit to get further down the field with some extra time. It's an adjustment that worked.
*Special teams as a whole was actually wildly improved aside from the one big flub up. I thought Barden punted the best he has all year here, averaging 52 a kick. Hatfield didn't miss a kick, either. It's just the one mistake with the kick return.
*But that's what Snyder teams do. They find ways to vulture touchdowns out of you on special teams and on defense, especially at home. Tech got Snydered in Manhattan. Simple as that.
*If this wasn't the doom and gloom report you wanted, sorry. There's a whole lot going on here that was right for Tech. It's just the few mistakes they made that they made that were utterly costly on the road in a Big 12 night game. It happens.
*And I don't think that's nearly the catastrophe that some here are suggesting. You played the Wildcats at their place and got Snydered. It's happened to countless teams over the last two decades, including Tech, who has lost this game in much more excruciating fashions than was the case on Saturday night. It's just part of it.
*Thoughts on the offense: First, K-State had no answer for Tech throwing the ball to playmakers in open space. Other than the pick six, which I'll get to, screens, shallow routes, and any other kind of space play in the passing game was money for Tech all night long. Coutee and the rest of Tech's shifty receives gouged the Wildcats for the first two and a half quarters by simply getting the ball in space. The fact they were able to do that against a defense like this should be very encouraging and bodes well for Tech the rest of the season through the air.
*What the Wildcats really seemed to focus on to me was two things: Get pressure on Mahomes and try to take Jonathan Giles out of the game. They had some success against Mahomes by trying to create constant pressure, but all they did by trying to clamp down on Giles was boost the numbers of other receivers.
*And with that being said, I thought Saturday night was by far the most productive and impress by Tech's outside receivers as a whole in Kliff's tenure. Cantrell and Lauderdale were both outstanding, and they showed me proof that there is a pulse outside the hashes for Tech's receiving corps. Hats off to them for stepping up when a team took away Giles. Last year's passing game would've utterly collapsed had K-State done that to Grant, and Tech would've lost this game by 28 plus.
*The two penalties on Dylan Cantrell in this game were total BS. His OPI was a joke by pushing off standards, and his holding call that negated DaMarcus Felton's long run was an insult to run blocking by receivers. He should've receivers gold star for whooping his man instead of a flag. Both calls were terrible, and both were on big momentum plays. Big 12 refs, man.
*Now my one negative about the outside receivers: Derrick Willies missed his block on the pick six, which allowed the K-State corner to jump the route. So, don't blame Mahomes on the play.
*As for Mahomes, I thought he played an incredible first half. He was decisive, and for being injured, incredibly accurate all over the field. However, in the second half, I thought his decision making took an uncharacteristic dip. He missed on read options and run-pass options that he should've pulled for big gainers on the ground or quick easy passes through the air. And as brilliant as he was at times in the first half against the blitz, he was as equally off against it in the second half. On all three sacks he took, it was his fault for not accounting for the unblocked blitzer each and every time. All those plays I just mentioned happened on third or fourth down, and they're all on him. He simply can't make that many mistakes in a close Big 12 game.
*Now as for going for it on both fourth downs: I had zero problem with it then and have zero problem with it now. This offense is one of the best in the entire country, especially on money downs. They convert in key situations, and they do it a lot. You're on the road and trying to take the lead, and I trust this unit let by Mahomes to get those first downs or touchdowns 95 percent of the time, and I trust them more to do that than I trust the defense to get a key stop. They came up 0 for 2 on Saturday night. I'd do it again if I was Kliff without second thought, too. Fourth and goal inside the 5 and fourth and six in no man's land between the 40 and 50? Those are both going to be auto green lights for me for this offense.
*Justin Stockton has seen his number of touches decrease over the weeks, and it happened again on Saturday night. It's of my opinion that he should not get any touches right now. He's been mostly bad since the Arizona State game, and he was really bad against K-State. He can't make anyone miss right now, and he's getting mobbed behind the line of scrimmage on any play he gets the ball. I hate to say it, because he's been such a home run threat for this offense in the past.
*Felton quietly had 66 yards rushing on 14 carries, which you'd never suspect. He needs to simply get more touches, cause he can make something out of nothing on the ground and is going to eventually break some big ones in the open field. It's an absolute no brainer to move to him full time.
*The O-line was a bit of a mixed bag, but trending towards positive and better than it's been all year. They did a marvelous job pass protecting for Pat in the first half, and I was very impressed by how much better they looked in that respect than they have all year. They broke down some late in the game, but again, Mahomes is some to blame as well. Run blocking remains an issue. However, I think K-State has the best front seven in the conference bar none, especially at defensive end with Ryan Willis and Will Geary. The O-line held up plenty well enough to win this game, which I was very encouraged by moving forward.
*Overall, the offense scored 38 on the road in Manhattan and should've scored 49 were it not for a few bad breaks and bad decisions by Mahomes. I don't think Kliff called a bad game like others believed, though I do wonder why he went away from some of the space plays in the passing game at times in the 2nd half. After the rewatch, while I do think Mahomes lost a hair of power on the ball late, I don't think it was anything to get concerned about.
*Defensively, I count this game as a win. The unit gave up 30 points in total, holding the Wildcats to three field goals in the red zone in the process and really only giving up 3 field long drives all night. While they certainly got got at times in the running game off the edge, which was to be expected, they didn't give up any back breaking plays at any point, and Ertz went a paltry 10 of 20 through the air. This was another baby step forward by the group, and if they make another similar step forward against WVU, Tech will win that game this weekend.
*Gibbs made a decision to back off into coverage against Ertz on third down as opposed to blitzing, and I get the decision. He's a bad decision maker at times through the air, and you might as well try to get the INT or bat down as opposed to risking it with a big blitz where Ertz can dump it off quickly or get loose for a huge gain with his feet. The decision mostly paid off all night, despite Tech never getting a pick. I also though that, despite not getting a sack, the pressure was sufficient enough to at least hurry Ertz at times.
*I thought this was the best game by Tech's secondary this fall, and the best since 2014 or earlier by the group as a whole. They batted more balls down and won more one on ones than I've seen in a long time. I think a lot of that has to do with Paul Banks, too, who I thought was mostly really good.
*Justis Nelson continues to be quietly good. Other than one play on a swing pass to the flats, I don't believe a receiver caught a ball on him all night.
*I thought the defensive line had their best game as a group of the season. Sure, Moore, Barnes, Hill, and Williams all gave up some plays off the edge in the ground game, but I also thought they made some nice plays in the backfield, too. The most encouraging thing for me has been the uptick in TFLs for this group. If they can keep steadily improving, I think this group might be fun to watch at the end of the year.
*The decision to go to squib kicks after the K-State touchdown return was an interesting one. It gave up a little extra field position, but it also gave Tech's coverage unit to get further down the field with some extra time. It's an adjustment that worked.
*Special teams as a whole was actually wildly improved aside from the one big flub up. I thought Barden punted the best he has all year here, averaging 52 a kick. Hatfield didn't miss a kick, either. It's just the one mistake with the kick return.
*But that's what Snyder teams do. They find ways to vulture touchdowns out of you on special teams and on defense, especially at home. Tech got Snydered in Manhattan. Simple as that.
*If this wasn't the doom and gloom report you wanted, sorry. There's a whole lot going on here that was right for Tech. It's just the few mistakes they made that they made that were utterly costly on the road in a Big 12 night game. It happens.
