In another loss for the Cats, it continues to be the same song different verse. Offensive production is lackluster for good portions of the game and the defense continues to be spotty. That game could have easily been a blowout had Iowa State converted red zone opportunities into touchdowns so maybe there is a silver lining there for the defense.
The game was a huge indictment on Klieman and his staff. Iowa State beat K-State how Snyder’s teams would beat teams. Long sustainable drives and back breaking 3rd down conversions. Not the most aesthetically pleasing way to win, but effective.
Frustration
I think frustration is setting in. Klieman has not taken the next step and the same recurring themes are present in losses. Klieman’s teams have showed promise early in seasons only to remain stagnant and not improve later. Why does this occur? I think there are a few reasons, but primarily, I think it stems from Klieman’s inability to coach with a talent deficit.
North Dakota State was a machine when Klieman took over and they had a distinct talent advantage at the FCS level. Coaching is great when your team consistently dominates and you face minimal amounts adversity over the course of a year. So far at K-State he has been operating under deficits and I do not think he has a formula for improvement when faced with this situation.
This is not Klieman’s fault, he went with what worked at North Dakota State and tried to apply it at K-State. However, not going through a tough stretch never challenged Klieman to coach through something difficult and chart improvement over the course of a year. This is a growing experience for Klieman and it is one that unfortunately comes at the expense of K-State.
By the Numbers
Rushing Yards- Iowa State: 210 K-State: 136
3rd Down Conversions- Iowa State 60% (9/15) K-State: 55% (6/11)
Turnovers- Iowa State: 0 K-State: 1
Penalties- Iowa State: 4-34 K-State: 4-15
3rd down conversions are back breaking. It sucks the life out of the defense and is frustrating to watch. Difficult to win games when you only win the penalty yardage battle.
Wrapping Up
K-State finished their tough 4 game stretch 1-3. Clearly, the next step has not been taken. With not a lot left to play for the rest of the season, I think fans will get a good indication on what kind of coach Klieman is. If he is able to keep the team hungry and playing hard, I think fans can take that as a good indicator on his grasp of the program. Barring any major injuries, if K-State starts spiraling then I think it might be time to have a conversation.