The Wolverine Now

humbling 24-21 season-opening loss to Football Championship Subdivision foe North Dakota State. "Everyone has asked us if there was one game or one moment where we got it turned around, but it really wasn't one particular thing," Mueller said. "We weren't playing with confidence after that first game, and a lot of guys were making freshman mistakes. We sort of all just needed to put the loss to North Dakota State behind us, refocus on our team goals and bind together as a team. "There was a lot of adversity early, and we needed to realize everyone on the team, senior to freshman, was in this together. "It started with one quarter, then another, and then it was a game, and then the next game, and the next game. We were tired of losing and we committed ourselves to listening to our coaches, being the best players and teammates we could be, and overcoming adversity." Streaking in a more positive direction, the Wildcats are excited about playing Michigan and putting an end to their postseason losing ways. "Just to be able to end the season on a good note, to be able to send the seniors off with a win — it would be huge," junior receiver Curry Sexton said. "Every season has its successes and failures, but the thing you remember is how the season ended." ❏ TheWolverine.com Radio On Demand: Talking Kansas State Click this icon to play or stop the podcast! Scouting kansas STATE'S Offense Scouting kansas STATE'S Defense Offensive Strength — Kansas State is one of those rare teams Defensive Strength — Allow Iowa to serve as a point of referthat can beat an opponent either with its running game or its passence. This Kansas State defense may lack explosive athletes, but it is ing attack. During the season, KSU rushed for more than it accrued extremely physical on the line of scrimmage and plays strong, fundathrough the air five times, including 250-yard afternoons against mental defense in its front seven, and in the secondary. The Wildcats UMass (329), Baylor (327) and Texas Tech (291). The Wildcats also are not a dominant team, ranking in the mid-30s nationally in total threw for 250 yards or more in six contests, providing the Royal defense (36th, 367.0 yards allowed per game) and scoring (36th, 23.7 Purple the ability to attack a defense's greatest weakness. points allowed per game), but they grind opponents and do not give Offensive Weakness — The Wildcats up easy drives, ranking third nationally in surrendering could probably be 8-4 or even 9-3 had they just 32 plays of 20 yards or more this season. protected the football better this season. In Defensive Weakness — Though the Wildcats feature their five losses, Kansas State turned the ball one of the nation's top pass rushers in redshirt junior over 13 times (2.6 per game) compared to end Ryan Mueller, they don't, as a team, create many 11 turnovers in seven wins (1.6 per contest). plays in the offensive backfield. Kansas State ranks 47th KSU ranks among the worst teams nationally nationally in sacks with 27 and is 83rd in the country in in coughing up the football, sitting 95th with tackles for loss with 66. No other player besides Mueller 24 total (13 interceptions and 11 fumbles). has more than three sacks or six tackles for loss, though Player To Watch — Sophomore quarterK-State makes its bones not on being an attacking unit back Daniel Sams: The less-heralded of the but on playing strong, sound defense. two quarterbacks seeing the field for Kansas Player To Watch — Redshirt junior defensive end State, Sams plays a smaller but integral role, Ryan Mueller: A former walk-on, Mueller has worked providing a rushing element that QB Jake his way from serviceable backup to a first-team AllWaters cannot match. Sams rushed for 784 American, racking up a team-high 11.5 sacks this seayards and 11 touchdowns this season, inson. The 6-2, 245-pounder ranks seventh nationally in cluding five 100-yard efforts. He attempted quarterback takedowns and is 10th in tackles for loss 10 or more passes in only a single game, but with 18.5. Mueller has recorded at least one tackle for overall completed 73.1 percent of his 52 atloss in nine straight games. For his success this season, tempts for 452 yards with four touchdowns. Kansas State senior safety Ty Zimmerman he was named Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year. Player To Watch — Junior receiver Tyler made 69 tackles and three interceptions in Player To Watch — Senior safety Ty Zimmerman: Lockett: The 5-11, 175-pounder was, de- the regular season, earning second-team Named a second-team All-American by USA Today, the cidedly, Waters and Sams' preferred target, All-America honors from USA Today. 6-1, 204-pounder racked up 69 tackles, including three photo courtesy kansas State catching 71 balls for 1,146 yards and eight for loss, in 10 games before missing the final two contouchdowns on the year. No other Wildcat had more than 36 receptests due to injury. Zimmerman had four passes broken up and three tions, with Lockett contributing 40.3 percent of the team's catches, interceptions, leading the Big 12 with two returned for touchdowns. 43.2 percent of its receiving yards and 42.1 percent of its receiving He now has 13 interceptions in his career. He is expected to be back at touchdowns. The Tulsa, Okla., native had a pair of 200-yard perfor100 percent for the bowl game. mances, including a school-record 278-yard, three-touchdown effort Key Matchup — Michigan should not kid itself and think it's a runin a loss to Oklahoma Nov. 23. ning football team, but the Wolverines did find greater success on the Key Matchup — Michigan played four teams this past year that ground in their seven wins, averaging 182.4 yards in their victories utilized two quarterbacks — Minnesota, Indiana, Nebraska and compared to 58.4 yards rushing in their five losses. Northwestern — so it should be comfortable going against the K-State, meanwhile, surrendered 188.4 yards on the ground in its Wildcats' two-headed monster. However, Kansas State's Waters and five defeats and just 114.4 yards in its seven wins. U-M needs a running Sams might be the most talented and cohesive two the Wolverines threat — despite losing to Ohio State, Michigan tallied 451 yards passwill face, and while they both do something (running or passing) siging thanks to a 152-yard rushing effort — and KSU needs to shut down nificantly better than the other, they are not one-trick quarterbacks. its opponents' ground attack to win. — Michael Spath — Michael Spath THE WOLVERINE • Page 2

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