Kansas State Q&A: Justin Silmon, Charles Jones, Daniel Sams, future QB picture, and Austin travel tips

It’s time for another K-State Q&A. Thanks, as always, for asking so many questions.

There’s a lot to get to this week, so let’s get started.

K-State needs to go over that number. Justin Silmon is the team’s top playmaker and the Wildcats aren’t going to win giving him the ball a measly three times the way they did against Oklahoma. Even if they prefer Charles Jones, he should get 15-plus touches. This offense is at its best when it runs the ball.

And Texas allows an average of 186.7 yards on the ground. K-State should run early and often.

Now, that’s what K-State should do. Will it follow through with a run-first strategy? Who knows? The playcalling has been all over the place. Still, I’m going to say the running backs get their opportunities. Weather forecasts predict lots of rain in Austin this weekend, which always leads to more runs.

Jesse Ertz, Joe Hubener, Alex Delton and Jonathan Banks all return. Northern Illinois transfer Landon Root (walk on) will be eligible. And four-star recruit Skylar Thompson will be on campus for the spring semester after signing scholarship papers earlier this week.

So the Wildcats should have plenty of quarterback options next season and beyond (assuming they stay healthier than they did this season).

It’s hard to say how Ertz and Delton respond from knee injuries, but Ertz was Plan A this year and Delton has a high ceiling. I’ve also heard good things about Root. Thompson looks legit. K-State should have plenty of options.

Justice Hansen is having a big year at Butler, and I think he would fit K-State’s offense. But if K-State offers him and lands him it suddenly has six scholarship quarterbacks. Maybe they are willing to do that after this season, but that still seems extreme. Someone may need to transfer before they seriously look at another quarterback.

Had Daniel Sams stayed and remained healthy (no given this season) K-State would be much better off, probably 5-1. His playmaking ability would have been a difference-maker, expecially with this group of receivers.

It’s too bad he was unwilling to play behind Jake Waters as a junior. He would have been the man this season.

I haven’t spoken to Bryant about this, so I’m not sure why he is re-evaluating his options.

But the quotes he gave to 247sports about his upcoming visit to Minnesota suggest he could be worried about his fit within K-State’s offense.

“I will definitely look at how they utilize their running backs during the game,” Bryant told 247sports about Minnesota. “Also the atmosphere of the program.”

He also said “I just want to make sure I’m making the best decision for my athletic future” and added that he is talking with Syracuse, Nebraska, Vanderbilt, Indiana and Northwestern. Not the best sign for K-State.

It’s not rainbows and sunshine, but it’s not doomsday, either. Bill Snyder seemed defiant at his weekly news conference when he got repeated questions about K-State’s playcalling and lack of execution. He thinks the season can be saved. So do the players, who said they arrived to practice angry this week.

K-State has lost three games in a row before and turned things around. This group wants to do the same.

Elijah Lee and Kaleb Prewett both appeared to suffer concussions against Oklahoma. Snyder said he would know late this week if they will play against Texas. Maybe they return. Danzel McDaniel could be ready to play, but the way Duke Shelley has covered he may be the new starter.

Dante Barnett is the big question mark. I assumed he would be ready to go by now. But until I see him in uniform with my own eyes I won’t expect him to play.

Bill Snyder is always going to write letters. That’s his style. And I doubt attendance dwindles. Tickets have already been sold, and home games against Baylor, Iowa State and West Virginia should be well attended, regardless of record.

We will see how much Snyder is willing to shake things up this week. You would think something has to change after last game.

If K-State beats Baylor this season I think K-State would be the bigger upset, based on the injuries it is dealing with. Depending on what happens at Texas, it could also enter that game on a four-game skid. Of course, K-State also took then No. 2 TCU to the wire. So it wouldn’t be that crazy. Baylor had its troubles in 2012, but the Bears were very talented that season and finished red hot. By the end of the year, that didn’t look like that huge of an upset.

I’m heading to Austin for the weekend. So I guess that makes me a Tigger. Then again, I had to pack a pancho because of all the rain in the forecast. Maybe that makes me an Eeyore. Or maybe I’m closer to Piglett. Next time Bruce Weber references a cartoon in a media interview I hope he goes with Transformers. Or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Franklin Barbecue is the best barbecue I’ve come across. The brisket, in particular, is unbelievable. If you’ve got the time to wait in line for it Sunday morning, I definitely recommend it. But the line gets extremely long, and it’s only open for lunch, and it will probably be raining. So it’s not exactly the ideal destination if you’re on a time crunch. There are many other quicker, solid bbq options.

Juan in a Million has the best breakfast tacos in the world. El Arroyo is really good, and the downtown location puts up funny signs about Texas or its opponents on football weekends. Torchy’s Tacos is excellent. Trudy’s has good food and even better mexican drinks.

You can get a good burger or quality fast food virtually anywhere. Austin has Whataburger, In-N-Out and Shake Shack. If you want to eat out, Austin has endless options.

For entertainment, 6th Street is the place to be. You’ve got central 6th (or dirty 6th, as the locals call it) just west of I-35, where most college students go. Hipsters love east 6th. Recent college grads gravitate to west 6th. Then 5th, 4th and 3rd attract older crowds. South Congress and North Austin have entertainment options, as well.

Here’s guessing you have fun wherever you end up, as long as you stay dry.