K-State's Snyder takes on cancer, another season

Aug 17, 2017 - 8:53 PM The beginning of a second quarter-century as Kansas State head coach has arrived for Bill Snyder, and he will commemorate by kicking a habit.

He no longer drinks coffee. Gave it up. Doctor's orders. It didn't mix well with the treatments and scans the coach underwent in the offseason after he was diagnosed with throat cancer.

Also, Snyder has been told to eat. Much, much more. He is thin these days but never had an appetite for food, and he finds it particularly unappealing with a new season looming and the Wildcats picked third in the Big 12 by the league media.

So, he's not the model patient. Given he will turn 78 in October, he probably should not be chastised too much. Especially since he could have Kansas State in contention following a 9-4 finish last year that culminated in a Texas Bowl victory.

"We let him do his thing and he's doing all right," said junior tackle Dalton Risner. "He can still yell, he can still make us do sprints, so he's healthy. He seems like the same coach to me, man. He's been into it. I've seen zero difference in him, which is a testament to who he is."

Casual football observers will probably see little difference in the Wildcats. They are an outlier in terms of Big 12 offensive philosophy, content to run the ball and eat clock while providing their defense some valuable rest on the sideline.

That could be especially true this season.

Quarterback Jesse Ertz returns after overcoming a shoulder injury at midseason last year to become a 1,000-yard rusher who engineered six wins in Kansas State's last seven games.

Two running backs, sophomore Alex Barnes and junior Justin Silmon, will take turns battering opponents. The receiving corps, led by junior Byron Pringle, is deep and capable. And the front line is loaded with veterans.

Of course, Snyder issued a caution regarding experience.

"We've never approached a season any differently," he said. "It's not about who you have back or how many you have back, it's really about how you prepare yourself game by game. That's the important thing for us."

It's important, too, for the Wildcats to build defensively.

They lost several key playmakers, including last year's Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, defensive end Jordan Willis. An underclassman, linebacker Elijah Lee, joined Willis as NFL draft picks, while veteran safety Dante Barnett exhausted his eligibility.

Two newcomers who sparkled a year ago will assume even bigger roles. Junior D.J. Reed is considered one of the Big 12's top lockdown corners, while end Reggie Walker recorded 11.5 tackles for loss, including 6.5 sacks while breaking in as a freshman.

Special teams, long a strength for the Wildcats under Snyder, should be strong again, with Reed, Pringle and Dominique Heath, who also returns as a starting receiver, splitting duties. Senior Matthew McCrane ranks fourth nationally among active kickers in field goal percentage (.900).

MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER: QB Jesse Ertz -- Coming off a 2015 season in which he suffered a torn ACL on the very first play and missed the rest of the season, Ertz engineered the Wildcats with a strained shoulder over the final half of 2016. His courage inspired teammates, who look at the senior as an undisputed leader. Improvement with his passing touch should be a given with a much stronger arm, though Ertz is a dangerous rusher capable of picking his spots.

BREAKOUT STAR: WR Carlos Strickland -- He sat out a year ago after transferring from Cal. At 6-4, 212 pounds, Strickland provides a bigger target and is expected to add depth to the Kansas State receiving corps. Only a sophomore, Strickland transferred to Kansas State in part to be closer to his Dallas home. He was considered the 12th-best receiver nationally by Rivals in the class of 2015 after grabbing 84 receptions for 1,770 yards in high school.

NEWCOMER TO WATCH: SS Elijah Walker -- The Californian joins the Wildcats as a junior college transfer and quickly ascended to the top of the depth chart to replace graduated Dante Barnett. Walker was considered one of the top JC prospects in the country after showing good range as a tackler and also exhibiting solid cover skills at 6-3, 210 pounds.