100 Questions: The perfect K-State 7-on-7 team?

***Yesterday's Question HERE***

In an attempt to pass the time this off-season we're fortunate to have secured the help of scottwildcat from Boscoe's Boys. Scott is going to provide 100 questions about the past, present, future (and who-knows-what) involving Kansas State sports, and I'll do my very best to answer them.

Let's dive in to the 100 Questions.

First, to pick a team like this you need to fully understand the rules. From the 'OFFICIAL USA FOOTBALL 7ON7 RULES' website:

-Games are 21:00 long. The clock runs continuous during the 1st 20 minutes & stops according to rules during the final 1:00. There is no overtime in pool play.

-7 defenders (may not line up 8 & drop one before snap) and 6 offensive players (must use a center or extra player to snap).

-Each possession starts on the 40-yard line – going in.

-First downs are made by crossing the 25-yard line and the 10-yard line.

-Three downs to make a frst down; even inside the 10- yard line.

-PAT snaps are at the 5-yard line, offensive choice of hash. No 2 point conversions allowed in pool play. 2 point conversions will be from 10-yard line with choice of hash in tournament play (if chosen).

-4.0 seconds to get pass off. It will be a loss of down and treated as a sack if not thrown in time (4.01 or greater). The clock will be stopped on a sack in the final 1:00 of the game. NOTE: Passes may be thrown behind the line of scrimmage but receiver must advance beyond L.O.S. or play will be treated as a sack.

-Four (4) second clock starts on snap of ball.

-Possession changes after PAT attempt, failure to make a first down, or turnover.

-One time-out per team per game. 1 additional time-out per overtime.

-All offensive formations must be legal sets.

-Twenty-five seconds to get the play off.

-One-hand touch anywhere.

-No running plays allowed.

-No double passes or shuffle passes.

-No coaches on the field, coach from the sidelines.

Didn't read all of that? I'll make it more simple: 7-on-7, no rushing the quarterback, 40-yard field, one-hand touch, no running plays.

I'm ready to take heat for not selecting Michael Bishop, but his game (60-yard bombs and the QB-run game) doesn't translate, at all, to this setting. You simply need your quarterback to be accurate in the intermediate passing game and able to be consistently on target with no rush. I considered Jake Waters for this (and would have used Bishop if also forced to play the QB on defense, easily), but Freeman is the best fit here.

Don't get me wrong, I think Chapman could play offense in this setting, too. But, the rule stated I got to pick a defense-only guy, and I'm taking this versatile safety who also played corner early in his career. There's no value in taking a pass rusher or linebacker in this type of game, and I think Chapman is one of the most versatile pass coverage players K-State has had in the modern era.

Could he be a bit of a liability on defense? I mean, I guess, but there's no tackling needed in this league. You just have to touch a guy. You don't think Sproles could stay close enough to somebody to get a finger on them on defense? He's a no-brainer on offense, as he's the single most difficult offensive player to touch K-State has ever had. He would be a nightmare on short routes or more complicated patterns.

Newman never posted monster numbers on offense, but he was a threat on that side of the ball and in the return game, as well. He's probably the most athletically blessed (size, speed, agility, etc.) player Bill Snyder ever had, and he'd be an absolute must for this team. His speed would keep the field completely open and spread at all times, and he'd be elite in his coverage roles.

I'm a "Team Canty," guy when it comes to the Newman/Canty debate, and I think this is a setting where Canty would be better suited for success than Newman. Straight line speed won't be as important as change-of-direction and disciplined coverage abilities, two traits I think Canty excels in. Either way, Newman and Canty may be the two most valuable players in this league for K-State.

You can't teach size or speed, and Nelson provides both of those at an elite level. He also spent some of his career playing safety, and I think he'll be plenty capable of covering an opponent's fourth/fifth option or sitting back in center field. As good as Sproles is, I'd imagine Freeman may look to Nelson more than any other pass catching option. He'd have big numbers.

Lockett should just destroy people in this setting playing wide receiver thanks to his all-pro caliber route running abilities. It's also not hard to see him working out as a corner, as well, on the 7-on-7 field. I know I've seen a stat where the Russell Wilson to Tyler Lockett connection produces the highest QB ranking of any QB-WR duo in the NFL, so I can't imagine what Lockett would be able to do in a setting where his QB cannot be rushed and timing can't be thrown off.

I love that Washington provides a ton of range at 6-foot-4 and the ability to play either a traditional safety or be used in man coverage if other teams do decide to carry a tight end or employ larger receivers in this setting. Washington was also a fantastic high school running back and showed a lot of ability with the ball in his hands off interceptions at K-State. His role on offense may just be jump-ball/red-zone guy, but he adds something I can't find elsewhere to this defense.

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