Kansas State Jumping Directly Into the Fire

Indiana State. North Texas. Ball State. Northeast Louisiana.

Looking at a sample of Kansas State’s recent nonconference opponents, it’s easy to see Coach Bill Snyder’s preference for building gradually toward the meat of his schedule. It’s also easy to see why his team--with four consecutive 11-victory seasons--has drawn criticism for playing creampuffs early.

That approach changes when the Wildcats, ranked No. 12 in the nation, begin their season by visiting the Coliseum to face USC on Saturday. So what gives?

“Got me in a weak moment,” Snyder said Monday.

The home-and-home series--USC will travel to Manhattan, Kan., next fall--could gain favor with the Bowl Championship Series. Despite the Wildcats’ success in the last three seasons, they were not invited to a BCS game.

The coach, however, said he wasn’t thinking about the BCS when he agreed to play USC. Nor was he thinking about critics.

“There are two sides to the coin,” he said. “If you win, they are going to say, ‘Why didn’t you do that all the time?’ If you lose, someone’s going to say, ‘Why in the devil did you do that?’

“If you’re going to listen to outside sources, you’re probably in a no-win situation.”

Snyder does not consider Saturday’s game much of a homecoming, even though he served as an assistant coach at USC in 1966.

“I was there for a brief period of time and worked on my doctorate degree,” he said.

His job on the staff was more like that of a graduate student than an assistant. He called it “a very watered-down role.”

*

For the second week in a row, USC plays an opponent without benefit of watching game film from this season.

Last week was tough because San Jose State had a new coaching staff. Kansas State must replace 12 starters including its quarterback but, with Snyder entering his 13th season, USC Coach Pete Carroll figures he knows what to expect.

“I’m going to think they’ll stay with the things that have been so good to them over the years,” Carroll said.

Ell Roberson appears to have won the starting job at quarterback with the kind of quickness exhibited by his predecessors, Michael Bishop and Jonathan Beasley.

That mobility could present a challenge to USC’s new outside linebackers, Matt Grootegoed and Frank Strong, the converted safeties who received high marks for their performance against San Jose State.

“They had a few plays that they didn’t hit just right, but all in all they played hard,” Carroll said.

Strong, who led the team in tackles, will undergo an MRI today to assess an injury that Carroll described as minor. He was expected to play against Kansas State.

UP NEXT FOR USC

Who: Kansas State

When: 3:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: Coliseum

TV: Fox Sports Net

Radio: KMPC (1540)