K-State Q&A: Dean Wade, Austin Trice, Alex Barnes and Big 12 football schedules
It’s time for another K-State Q&A.
The Wildcats don’t play a football game this week, but that didn’t stop you from asking some great questions. Let’s get right to them.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-cards="hidden" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Why does KState always get hosed by having to open on the road in Big 12 play?</p>— Froggy V (@PoolFroggy) <a href="https://twitter.com/PoolFroggy/status/1052958223542697984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Does K-State really get hosed by the Big 12 schedule makers?
Look, I know all about K-State’s history of starting Big 12 play on the road. Since the conference’s inception in 1996, the Wildcats have opened conference play at home five times. K-State fans howl about it on Twitter every year when a new schedule comes out. I will admit, it’s a strange scheduling quirk. But is it a big deal? I say no, especially now that the Big 12 has its round-robin schedule.
Everyone is playing the same schedule (four home games one year, five home games the next) I don’t see why there should be extra emphasis placed on the location of the first game. Some will argue more home openers would help K-State build momentum early and that would lead to more wins later in the Big 12 season. But that logic ignores the fact that moving a road game to the end of the schedule makes that stretch harder.
It’s not like moving a tough road game back eliminates it from the schedule. You have to play it at some point. Timing doesn’t seem like a big issue. It evens out in the end. Not getting as many bye weeks as other teams or playing an exorbitant amount of teams that are coming off bye weeks seem like more legitimate complaints.
Also: the last time K-State won the Big 12 it opened on the road against Oklahoma, the toughest assignment in the league. Didn’t seem to bother those Wildcats. Case closed.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-cards="hidden" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Barnes is a talented RB and I like him. However, I’m still left wanting more warmack. Do you feel like the coaches could be involving him more or are they managing him as best they can? I also think warmack would be great at receiving punts and kicks.</p>— Sean Gensky (@StuffTheBuff) <a href="https://twitter.com/StuffTheBuff/status/1052957006578020352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Now is not exactly the best time to argue for anyone other than Alex Barnes to be running the ball in K-State’s offense. He leads the Big 12 in rushing yards (788) and ranks fifth nationally after back-to-back huge games against Baylor (250 rushing yards, three touchdowns) and Oklahoma State (232 all-purpose yards, four touchdowns).
Normally I would say 34 carries, like he saw last game, are too many. But I genuinely think Barnes can handle a larger-than-usual workload. His body is in terrific shape and he’s even starting to shine as a receiver.
So I’m not going to say Dalvin Warmack should eat into his workload.
But I hear you. Warmack, when used properly, is an asset to this offense. He could be used more, or least better, no doubt. The Wildcats are finding ways to make that happen, though. He caught a touchdown pass on a wheel route against Baylor and dropped a potential score against Oklahoma State. Andre Coleman also handed him the ball eight times against the Cowboys. He got Warmack on the field along with Barnes and Justin Silmon in K-State’s Bone formation.
It honestly seems like K-State is doing a good job getting Warmack involved right now.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-cards="hidden" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Is the triangle bone the official name of the triple running back formation yet? If not it should be</p>— Tom Fontana (@tfon611) <a href="https://twitter.com/tfon611/status/1052955734810525696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I’m partial to T Bone. The way Skylar Thompson, Barnes and Silmon line up side by side with Warmack resembles a T more than it does a triangle or a diamond. I’ve seen some K-State fans try to make the triangle/Tex Winter comparison, but he coached basketball. It doesn’t work.
Some of the best other suggestions I’ve seen:
- 3BAW
- PistolBone
- Tres Gatos
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-cards="hidden" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Repeat question given HCBS talking up the young QB’s this week. Chance we see Holcombe play this year with the new red shirt rule in play ?</p>— Larry Ross (@BowTieMetal) <a href="https://twitter.com/BowTieMetal/status/1052957457725710336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I doubt we see John Holcombe this season.
It would take a string of QB injuries for him to get in at that position. And Bill Snyder said earlier this week the Wildcats have been trying him out at receiver in practice. I guess they could find a way to use him there in a game or two. That also seems like a stretch to me, but the receivers aren’t exactly lighting it up right now. So maybe.
He is an intriguing athlete, though. At 6-4 and 256 pounds, he looks capable of helping K-State’s offense at some point. How about tight end?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-cards="hidden" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">What is would you decide on for the mascot and official colors of Kellis University?</p>— Evan Woolsoncroft (@FortWorthEvan) <a href="https://twitter.com/FortWorthEvan/status/1052960466874638336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Blue and yellow. Or blue and gold, if I’m trying to be super collegiate.
I say that, because I like both colors and think they look freaking amazing on uniforms. UCLA’s home football look (gold pants, blue jersey, gold helmet) is my favorite in all of sports.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-cards="hidden" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">What's the best season of BoJack Horseman?</p>— Preston Ryan (@Preston__Ryan) <a href="https://twitter.com/Preston__Ryan/status/1053103256526880768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
They are all amazing, but I’m partial to season 3.
It probably has the best mixture of humor and drama. Plus, it has my all-time favorite episode — Fish out of Water. What happens when a horse attends an underwater movie festival? Hilarity, that’s what!
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-cards="hidden" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">As a media member and somebody who writes about kstate, do you think the rise of the podcast is good or bad for your industry? Currently kstate sports has your podcast, <a href="https://twitter.com/BoscoesBoys?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BoscoesBoys</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/RivalsKSO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RivalsKSO</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/TheGameKMAN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheGameKMAN</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/GoPowercat?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GoPowercat</a> and a few more. Does this help or hurt your career?</p>— Connor Schmidling (@CSchmidling) <a href="https://twitter.com/CSchmidling/status/1053108045088219136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
We need to market it better, I guess, but my weekly K-State podcast is below. Blair Kerkhoff and I discuss K-State basketball and football for about 15 minutes.
I’m on KMAN radio for an hour each Tuesday, too.
Personally, I don’t listen to many podcasts. Between work and three kids, finding an hour to listen to other people talk is rare and pretty low on my list of priorities.
Not sure it impacts the sports journalism industry all that much, but I’m all for the rise of podcasts. There are plenty of good ones out there, and if that’s your thing then by all means indulge.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-cards="hidden" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">When will conference re-alignment rear its ugly head again and how will the Big 12 be affected?</p>— Richard Mick (@mickrichard89) <a href="https://twitter.com/mickrichard89/status/1053132089028157440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
All I know is this: I wish there was a way for Nebraska, Kansas, K-State, Missouri, Iowa State and Colorado to play some sort of Big 12 North reunion tournament this season.
Those games would be super competitive. I’m not sure who would win, but just about everyone would get a chance to beat Nebraska. Man, that would be awesome.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-cards="hidden" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kellis, in your estimation, who is the 4th best player on the basketball team?</p>— David Sabin (@SabiNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/SabiNation/status/1053096237904420870?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
That’s a great question. The top three spots are spoken for by Dean Wade, Barry Brown and Xavier Sneed. But who’s No. 4?
It will probably change from game to game, and that’s what could make this team so dangerous. If Bruce Weber needs three-pointers, he’s got Kamau Stokes. If he needs someone to attack the rim, there’s Cartier Diarra. Makol Mawien was really good late last season. And Austin Trice looks ready to roll.
Mawien and Stokes are the safe picks, but I’m going to take a gamble and say Trice.
He may face some growing pains this season, but when it’s over I think he could be K-State’s best player outside of its top three. He’s a skilled rebounder and a great athlete. I’m impressed with him so far.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-cards="hidden" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Who is Dean Wade's top competition for Big 12 Player of the Year?</p>— Ahearn Alley (@AhearnAlley) <a href="https://twitter.com/AhearnAlley/status/1053097527086444544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Dedric Lawson or Barry Brown.
Most media projections had Lawson as the Big 12’s preseason player of the year, but he’s a newcomer and the coaches went with a proven product in Wade. Personally, I think the coaches got it right. Until I see how Lawson fits in at KU, Wade is the man to beat.
But Brown could have a thing or two to say about all this. He’s the one who stepped up and led the Wildcats to the Elite Eight while Wade was injured. If he has a bunch of 30-point games, he could contend for Big 12 POY honors.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-cards="hidden" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Which is a better season for MBB?<br>1. Beat KU at home & away, win Big 12, but lose early in NCAA tournament.<br>2. Lose to KU at home & away, lose Big 12, but run deep in NCAA tournament.</p>— Tyler Nattier (@TNattier18) <a href="https://twitter.com/TNattier18/status/1053097615766798341?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
If Scenario 1 means K-State wins the Big 12 outright and ends KU’s streak of conference championships, I think most fans would rather have that. Talk about bragging rights.
But it’s hard to turn down Scenario 2 if it means a Final Four. K-State hasn’t been there since 1964.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-cards="hidden" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I have a hoops question for you. Does Nigel Shadd have a role on this year’s team? Just haven’t heard much on his development, after his injury from a year ago. Thanks.</p>— Neal Hargate (@knealio1) <a href="https://twitter.com/knealio1/status/1053099130023747584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Maybe a small one. K-State coaches still talk about Nigel Shadd like he has potential, because of his athleticism.
But sitting out most of last year hurt his development, and he seems to be behind Makol Mawien, Austin Trice, Levi Stockard and James Love in the frontcourt rotation.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-cards="hidden" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I know you're an Alumni of KU, But I need this question answered. How can KU fans be so pathetic in light of this investigation? They're in complete denial, and are making themselves out to be victims in all of this. Then if questioned by a KSU fan, they just bring up Beasley.</p>— Kstateman (@kstateman14) <a href="https://twitter.com/kstateman14/status/1052971752396066817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
That’s like asking why fans boo an obviously justified foul that goes against their team at a basketball game, or why those same fans applaud when a truly terrible call helps their team.
Why do they do it? Because they are fans.