After scoring 10 points in its home loss against Tulane, Kansas State scored an average of 39 points against No. 6 Oklahoma and Texas Tech. However, the offense wasn’t as consistent against the Red Raiders, as head coach Chris Klieman said “we’ve got to nut up” heading into halftime before motivating his team.
The Wildcats managed to find success using quarterback Adrian Martinez as a dual-threat weapon, but the offense continues to leave points on the scoreboard after defensive takeaways.
“[Turning turnovers into touchdowns], that’s something in general that you want to do as an offense and when the defense gives you that type of opportunity, it’s great time for momentum to get in our favor and also, that’s a 14-point swing,” Martinez said in the Texas Tech postgame conference. “That’s something we’re going to continue to work on because a couple times we ended with field goals, and ideally we end with touchdowns.”
K-State couldn’t find the end zone despite an interception by Austin Moore and a fumble recovery forced by Kobe Savage this past weekend. This comes after responding to four consecutive interceptions with 13 points against Missouri, and kicking a field goal following a long interception return by Daniel Green against Tulane, all in opponent's territory.
“Maybe some of our sequencing of plays would help us in that time,” Coach Klieman said in Tuesday’s press conference. “During those couple times … we can’t get behind the sticks. Sometimes when you get a turnover where you take a shot .. and it’s a big play, it’s great. You take a shot and you either give up a sack or it’s incomplete, you're second and 10 and then you’re behind the chains a little bit. It’s something you don’t want to over-emphasize, it’s like starting a first half or starting a second half and some of those things, but we know we’ve got to capitalize when we get the turnovers.”
Despite missing scoring opportunities after turnovers, the Wildcat’s offense has improved in the passing and quarterback run game. Since the Tulane game, Martinez has averaged 175 passing yards and one touchdown per game, and has also rushed for 319 yards and seven touchdowns, three against Texas Tech.
“Our guys are playing with a lot of confidence right now; in a lot of belief,” Klieman said. “I think that’s the biggest thing they’re playing with, such great belief in each other, and in the plans that they feel like ‘hey, just got to stay the course and stay patient, and we’ll find a way.’”
The two interceptions by Austin Moore and by Julius Brents to put the game away in the final two minutes totaled nine interceptions on the season to accompany one fumble recovery. The 10 takeaways build onto K-State’s nationally recognized resume where the Wildcats rank No. 2 in turnover margin.
With the exception of Brents’ interception against Texas Tech, K-State’s offense has started drives at the opponent’s 47-yard-line on average and has 23 points to show for it.
Iowa State’s quarterback Hunter Dekkers has six interceptions on the season, but the Cyclone defense tops the Big 12 rankings in multiple areas. Their top spot in total defense, rushing defense, and pass defense efficiency makes scoring after turnovers more crucial in Ames, Iowa, this Saturday.
