When K-State’s quarterback is running, wins usually follow

The numbers say Kansas State won’t have a 1,000-yard rusher this season.

None of the Wildcats’ top three rushers – quarterback Jake Waters (320 yards) or running backs Charles Jones (293 yards) and DeMarcus Robinson (208 yards) – is even on pace to break 800.

History says those numbers don’t necessarily mean failure for No. 17 K-State (4-1, 2-0 Big 12), and that’s mainly because of Waters.

Since coach Bill Snyder’s return in 2009, Wildcat quarterbacks have posted three of the top five rushing seasons by a quarterback in K-State history. Collin Klein’s 1,141-yard season in 2011 is first, Klein’s 920 yards in 2012 are third and Daniel Sams’ 807 yards last season ranks fifth. Each year, the Wildcats made it to a bowl game, plus a Big 12 title in 2012.

K-State’s other Big 12 title, in 2003, came with quarterback Ell Roberson posting the third-highest K-State quarterback rushing total with 1,032 yards.

In the Wildcats’ only non-winning season since Snyder’s return, in 2009 when K-State went 6-6, quarterback Grant Gregory was third on the team with 308 rushing yards. Every other season, the quarterback has been first or second.

So, when the quarterback is running well, the Wildcats are usually winning.

“I’ve always been able to run, I guess, since I first started playing football,” Waters said. “I’m not the fastest guy, but I’ve always had a knack for finding a way to get positive yardage.”

After a 45-13 win over Texas Tech last Saturday in Manhattan, Waters joked about getting caught near the goal line at the end of a 50-yard run, but it was his 105 rushing yards and one touchdown that helped blow the game open.

“I was hoping you guys didn’t see that,” Waters said, smiling. “Oh well.”

Waters won’t be able to do it alone, however, and balance seems to be the key in both past seasons, and present, to K-State’s success.

Klein had John Hubert at his disposal in both 2011 and 2012. Hubert ran for 970 yards in 2011 and in 2012 led the team with 947 yards, only 27 ahead of Klein.

K-State’s only loss this season, 20-14 to No. 2 Auburn on Sept. 18, was the only time the running game has fallen flat, with just 40 yards.

“(The running backs) play hard, and they are good at trying to get extra yardage after contact,” Snyder said. “They have been doing a nice job to get where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to.

“In other words, discipline. They have an understanding of what their role and involvement is and systematically executing where they are supposed to be.”

Still, the Wildcats’ only 100-yard rushing games this season both belong to Waters – against Texas Tech and 138 yards against Iowa State.

K-State’s next game, at No. 11 Oklahoma on Oct. 18, comes as the Sooners have given up an increasing number of rushing yards over their last three games – 112 against Tennessee on Sept. 13, 137 against West Virginia on Sept. 20 and 151 in a 37-33 loss to No. 9 TCU last Saturday.

Oklahoma plays Texas on Saturday.

“I’ll do whatever it takes for us to keep winning, if that means running like I did against Iowa State and taking some shots, so be it,” Waters said. “I prefer to throw, obviously, because every quarterback does, but I can do it. We don’t have, maybe, the home-run hitter, at running back but we have guys that gain positive yardage almost every single time they get the ball in Charles Jones and DeMarcus Robinson.

“I rarely see them every lose yardage, they’re finding ways to get those dirty, three or four yards we need to set something up on second or third down for us.”

This story was originally published October 10, 2014 at 11:06 AM with the headline "When K-State’s quarterback is running, wins usually follow."