scott chats with cole manbeck to get him on the record with his blitz month predictions
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Boscoe’s Boys
Blitz Month 2024: Cole Manbeck
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With expert guidance and a wide assortment of jewelry of the highest quality at the best price, go to bluenile.com and experience the convenience of shopping Blue Nile, the original online jeweler since 1999. That's bluenile.com to find the perfect jewelry gift for any occasion, bluenile.com. ♪♪♪ ♪ Lord of mighty, I feel my temperature rising ♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ Football's fever's burning through to my soul ♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪ Yeah, cats, cats, cats, you're gonna set me on fire ♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ I'm afraid it's flaming, but I know just where to go ♪ ♪♪♪ Yeah, the seasons kick it off and the bell will feel rockin' You must go for the rockin' prayerful love, prayerful love, my school boy Oh, just a hunk of hunk of prayerful love, just a hunk of hunk of prayerful love Oh, just a hunk of prayerful love, just a hunk of prayerful love Boom, the boys are back and Blitz month continues on with this Friday Blitz month episode and folks we have a special one. Today we have a long time Bosco's boys guest. I think coming up on double digit appearances throughout the life of the show. He started off as a beat writer at the Manhattan Mercury and then he was just another guy for a while when making appearances on this show. Now he was one third of the most successful college podcast in the Kansas City Sports Network and look, I don't want to play favorites at least tied for my favorite amongst the three Ma guys. Maybe it's a three way tie. Who knows? I'll let you guys figure it out. It is Cole Manbeck. Cole, welcome back to Bosco's boys. Welcome back to Blitz month and I got to ask before we even get into anything. What's it like doing a K-State podcast with a KU Homer and John Kurtz and a guy who's obsessed with Oklahoma State like Derek Young. I don't know how you do it. I was going to say maybe even both Oklahoma State homers. You know, I think John even has Oklahoma State winning the Big 12. DY at least had Kansas State in the Big 12 championship playing Oklahoma State. I believe in one of the pods we did recently. Derek's been all over the play. I'll say this to his face. Derek will come on. I have him scheduled later on. I feel like between three Ma the K-State online shows some of the content he's put on K-State online. I feel like I've seen seven different Big 12 championship predictions from him throughout the last four months. So I feel like at one point it was Utah and Oklahoma State. At one point it was K-State winning it like he's been all over the play. So I'm going to give him a little bit of trouble that later in this month. Those two were slamming my over-under numbers I gave him a couple days ago on the show when we were doing the offensive over-under splits of wide receivers, quarterback, total yardage and they were like, "Man, you're in K-State not losing a single game this year." Which maybe so. You know, I'm probably known more as the homer on the show, but hell. I went through my times of being the negative guy in the past and I'm trying to be the uplifting one nowadays. So yeah, I'm taking on a little bit of a different role. No, I think you should. And look, you know, if they want to give you trouble for their over-under, you'd be like, "Alright, you put the numbers together. You let me know where you stand." You know, if they ever try to fight back with you, I think that's the way you just need to go about it. Well, that's what I started. I did on yesterday's show that we did defensive over-under. It's like I would just ask them, "Alright, give me the number on who leads the team in sacks and set the number for me." You know, because defensive numbers are also a little more challenging. Like how the hell do you really engage turnovers? How many they're going to get? How do you gauge sacks, interceptions, product of, you know, you're going to be targeted more? You're going to have more chances for interceptions, which probably means you're not as elite as your teammate at corner. So yeah, we did those and I kind of threw it to them for it, but it's been fun doing it with those guys and I've had a blast since we started in 2022, which, I mean, we got lucky when we started because that was right when Jerome Tang got hired and we got to, you know, join alongside you guys and all the great podcasters at Covercase State and covering that big club championship run and elite eight run and basketball too. So it's been a fun time and hopefully this next year will be even more fun with both sports. I know Grant and I talk about it all the time. Like when we started it, you know, we started literally in the middle of the elite eight run. Then we got a coaching search with Bill Snyder retiring the final year of Bill Snyder. Then we got a big 12 championship and basketball. Then we dealt with a pandemic. Then we dealt with another, not another big 12 championship in basketball, but we dealt with another coaching search for Jerome. Saying a lead eight, another big 12 championship of all, it really has been like the golden age of topics outside of COVID. That was a word, you know, that was a weird couple months, but, you know, I loved it. It's been a blast and, you know, hopefully, hopefully you guys get to do some more big 12 championships, some NCAA tournament runs and hopefully no coaching searches anytime soon. But it sure seemed sure seeing close a little bit this spring with drum tank flirting with Arkansas. So knock on wood. We don't have to deal with that anytime soon. Yeah, yeah, hopefully not. Did not love that also went through, I don't know, a little bit of anxious moments when it came to Chris Klimann. I mean, his name being thrown around. I know Greg McElroy of ESPN had thrown his name around as a great fit, potentially for Alabama. And then, you know, you had Troy Dan and calling from Washington and talking to Klimann about the job as their former friends at Northern Iowa. When they were there together back in their college days. And so, you know, so, so grateful and lucky to have a guy like Chris Klimann, though, who doesn't really flirt with these schools. Like they, like multiple schools have come after him and he tells him no really quickly and doesn't drag these things out. And so have a great deal of respect for him. And thankfully, Casey was able to hold on to Jerome Tang. Yeah, that was a roller coaster too, as you know, Scott, because, you know, he announces he's staying and then like three or four days later, Arkansas goes and hires Calipari and then you start seeing Scott Drew's name thrown into the mix and you're like, are we going to have to go through this in like another week. It just felt like the K state thing to happen, right? Like, oh, we're in the clear, take a deep breath. And then, oh, Baylor's going to come open potentially. So when Scott Drew turned bail, you know, turned Kentucky down, I'm not saying that drum thing would have left for Baylor, but it would have given, you know, some more anxiety if that job would have opened up. Yes, luckily, luckily we have Gene Taylor and, you know, hopefully he's drinking from the Fountain of Youth and sticks around as long as those two guys want to. So, I'll tell you this, I can't promise the Fountain of Youth Youth is at Manhattan Brewing Company, but I can't promise it isn't as well. So, I want to give a quick shout out to Manhattan Brewing Company before we keep going. They've been rocking with us for close to three years now. If you like crisp, delicious, crushable beers, towny weed is the tailgate beer of the year. If you like IPAs, I think they have four or five on tap right now. Then also, I think as folks are listening this Friday morning, it might be in the high fifties when you're waking up feeling like fall. Guess what? They got malt forward stuff, some stouts and the pumpkin beers coming soon, pumpkin batch. So, it doesn't matter what you like, they have a beer for you, and then shout out to Wichita. They're opening up the MBC Lounge Friday, Saturday and Sunday, not this weekend, but the following weekend. Their permanent space in Wichita will be open, so shout out to them. All right, let's get into it. I first want to talk about, there's two shows that you've done, and they were two of my favorite podcasts from this offseason from anyone. Maybe it's a coincidence. It was just you and a guest. I don't know. But the first one I want to talk about is you and Al Survey. I thought it was an amazing episode, insight to so much stuff. What was your biggest takeaway from talking with him that maybe something you didn't realize went into, you know, his day-to-day job, or what was your biggest aha moment after having your conversation with him? Well, first of all, I appreciate the kind word, Scott, and you texted me right after the Survey interview, and said it was one of your favorites, and they'd heard it. And I didn't know what the feedback or interest level would be in a pod like that, but it felt like a perfect time to do one. I think it was in mid-late June when we did that one, and Al's a great dude, and works his tail off, and my wife knows Al well, and I got to know him through my wife and hung out with Al before, and just an awesome dude wanted to highlight some of the successes that he's had in his career. He won the Equipment Managers of the Year Award nationally for getting the formal name for it. Maybe you have it at the tip of your tongue, but it was a big honor for Al, and so wanted to highlight that and the successes and everything that he does. And, you know, I think the thing that just stuck out to me is like we were talking is just, you know, his role in his team's responsibilities probably goes so much more in depth than what the average fan realizes what an Equipment Guy does, right? I think a lot of people just think Equipment Guy loads the equipment, gets everything out, gets the hydration stations ready, et cetera, but like when he was talking to me about like the helmet technology, and, you know, his team is going to be in charge of getting all of that set up and the new communication systems for, you know, for anybody that doesn't know the defensive offensive player, quarterback's going to have a green dot, going to be able to communicate with the coaches like Matt Wells will be communicating to Avery Johnson. It sounds like this year on the field through the helmet communication, and on the defensive side of the ball, you know, you're going to have a green dot, usually probably your middle linebacker, you know, the defensive coach. One of the defensive coaches is going to be communicating them, and Al's team being responsible for getting that set up, making sure the helmet, you know, they've got several helmets ready with that communication to swap in and out for, you know, on the defensive side, guys rotating in and out so much it's more challenging there. It's just, it's really incredible to think about all the things he does helps run practice, you know, helps keep things organized for Chris Klima and the meetings that they have to keep things arranged. I mean, in general, I was just fascinated, like, hearing all the details that go into it, you know, are you playing on a grass field, you know, this week, all right, we got to have certain cleats because this year they're playing on two grass fields with Colorado and Iowa State natural grass. So does that change how they practice what they pack, etc. You know, people see him on TV like his team always swapping out the jerseys when you have the same number guy, you know, on the field and TC you got penalized for that against K state and what 2013 and Manhattan said, you know, that's because it was madness. Well, we did get penalized. Sorry, but I don't want to talk about that kick. That was what it was forget that one. So, forget I, it's my fault for even bringing that up. No, no, it's, it's fine. Were you at that one. Yes, and I was in the opposite corner, like I was facing the K state fans so we're in that the opposite corner where the kicks going. And it's just fluttering and then you hear like the Missouri fans going crazy because I couldn't quite see if it got over and then Russian the field and it was disgusting. It was a long whack. It was a long walk back to the car for us because I think we parked like a mile, mile and a half away. And, you know, we were in the K state section, but I kept telling all the K state fans that were around us is like like we're playing too soft like, you know, me this hasn't had a great year to start but the one thing you can do is boom a 60, 65 yard or they'll have the leg to get it there. Will it be accurate? I don't know. But, you know, nails that. And, you know, I don't know. That one. That one's done. I guess, you know, in hindsight, Missouri ended up being better than I think anybody expected though. I often wonder, Scott, not to go down a rabbit hole here, but I've always, I've often wondered where Oklahoma state and Missouri seasons go if K state beats each one of those because if you remember Oklahoma state had already had two losses, including the blowout Alabama and still water fans were getting upset at Gundy, you know, like is it time to move on from him and if K state handed him his third loss, we already I was in the parking lot with Missouri fans at a tailgate and they were just bagging on drink with wanting him out and, you know, if K state wins that game, where's Missouri season go. So it's really interesting to think about. This is a spoiler. I'll have Shahan J. Raja from CBS Sports on the show later on this month. And what I'm going to ask him, I was like, you know, is, is, does the world just revolve around K state or is it in my head because I think to the CBS coaches ranking rank all the power five, you look at where, you know, where dork wits is, you look at where Matt Campbell bounce back up to you look at Lance Leipold, case they did what they were supposed to beat Iowa state if it's not a snowstorm if they would have beat, you know, Missouri, and then if they would have blown out ku if ku runs a regular offense and stuff some modified triple option that they haven't run all season. What happens with those three guys is coaching rankings because again I think that without those games. I think all three of those coaches are maybe 10 spots, you know, deeper on that ranking versus how high they are so again maybe it's just my purple glasses that everything revolves around K state but I wonder about the perception about those three schools is case it just sort of taking care of business to the level we know we could have what the perception on those three programs would be coming into this season. I think john had brought it up on our show too like Iowa state as a benefactor of, you know, or maybe it was the way of the win against K state really changing the perception of them heading into this season because of K state wins that game Iowa state then goes and loses to Memphis and the Liberty Bowl and they're finished six and seven. It's not a great improvement over the year prior and then everybody's talking as Matt Campbell overrated because it flips and they're seven and six it feels like people forgot that. And I know bowl games aren't as important anymore to a lot of people but to Iowa state a program like that they didn't have really any opt outs and they got man handled by Memphis and the Liberty Bowl and so. All the returning production well they got their ass kicked by Memphis and the Liberty Bowl so yeah it's a it's it's interesting it's interesting. I'll ask out no go ahead. Oh no, no nothing. Yeah. Yeah, I was like I'm getting kind of triggering myself I'm breaking out and hives thinking about the Iowa state and Missouri game. So I asked you this after you talk with our survey I know you mentioned you know some possible alternate ideas. They're doing a good job keeping stuff under wraps up there's a full uniform so I won't ask about any full uniforms but for an easy little helmet decal swap out on like the white helmets if you could choose any helmet decal logo that they have not worn yet. What would you like to see on a helmet. This episode is brought to you by our good friends at NFL Sunday ticket on YouTube TV. I'm sure by now you've all got back into your Sunday routines but they could be even better with NFL Sunday ticket in YouTube TV. You get the most live NFL games all in one place every game every Sunday and you can even watch up to four different games at once with multi view one of my favorite inventions of this decade. If you need to catch all the action make your Sundays more magical and also YouTube TV is great. I got it this year. It's awesome. Sign up now at youtube.com/bs device and content restrictions apply local and national games on YouTube TV and a false Sunday ticket for out of market games excludes digital only games. That's a that's a good one because I'll be honest like pennant Willie is maybe my favorite case state logo retro logo but then you know what do they what do they call it like Scott I got this one right here I guess we're not on you can't see my YouTube but everyone calls it cocaine willy though people in the case they have told me not to call it. So shout out to our friends over at cocaine willy podcast you know they wonder why they can't get anyone directly from Casey on their show. It's probably the name of their show but the internal branding for that which is like the Bobcat logo what everyone Twitter calls cocaine willy is shaggy wildcat or shaggy willy. Yeah look shaggy so I believe that is the internal branding on that. Yeah yeah so I mean I'm a big fan of this logo of the shaggy willy logo they've already done the pennant willy they've done the cat script on the helmets before so I would like to see this. You know on the helmet you know and I think everybody loves the all whites so I mean I'd be fully supportive of doing more all whites. I'm not the uniform junkie that you are Scott so like I'd like to hear some of your ideas and concepts like first of all like. I see people throw out like they love lavender for basketball like are you a have a lavender alternate for football or is that should be other sports. So so I love lavender I've long been on this train but I want to give credit to Tim Fitzgerald because he's someone who's loudly said this the case state needs to make lavender like their color. Because you look around there's a lot of purple but there is no lavender and I agree with them now. I think it's realistic to sit here and say that there's going to be a lavender case state football jersey as much as I would like to see that. I mean I think it's no different than Carolina blue I think if if case state really like leaned into lavender I think it'd be fine. I think what I would love to see is just a small tweak on our current design so on the all whites. There is no gray on the pants. But there is gray on the jerseys that's something that bothers me I would like to switch things up and make lavender accenting on the what all white uniform so you would be you'd have a different jersey. You'd have some lavender accenting on the pants to match back to the jersey and then just a little lavender stripe in between the two purple stripes on the helmet so just matching that stripe pattern from helmet to jersey. It's a pant purple lavender purple or lavender purple lavender however you want to do that stripe and just keep the same basic design and just get that in there. I think that would look sharp. Again I'm I don't think we'll ever see it full jersey but I'd love to but at this point. I believe case state football. And maybe soccer are the only two that have not had a game uniform without lavender of any kind I believe a year to ago for the Houston Astros or no it was the Chicago White Sox themed baseball uniforms they had lavender on the jersey. Because it was purple lavender with cats. I know women's basketball had lavender accenting on their home jerseys of course football track and field had it volleyball had lavender accenting. So I think football and maybe soccer the only two sports not to have it anywhere on their uniform yet so I want to say yeah I mean I think the call that fits me that discussion about lavender being a primary color I mean I would agree and echo that because, you know, your point about Carolina blue is good as well but like when I look at this shaggy Willie logo like you know I think Northwestern kind of don't they have a similar logo or like some schools have like a logo that. And the reason I bring that up is because like from a branding perspective, you know you might see that logo and you don't necessarily know it's case day but you see lavender you're going to be the only school in the country and so when you turn on a TV and see the lavender look you're like that's in the state, which is why partially why they kept the power cat on the floor such big font on the Bramledge call a CM new floor redesign because they were adamant like you see that power cat you know that's case state versus some of the other alternate type logo so they consider Well, and not only that but you look at the fans and again, you know, I remember I said right before we record this might go 30 or 40 minutes but it's going to. I do this all the time Scott with John and DY tell them all the time I'll be 30 40 minutes and then we go over an hour. Yeah well so but but one thing and it's more basketball than football but you still see plenty of it at football but basketball games now. It's getting close to 50 like 50% of the fans might be wearing lavender in any game game versus regular purple now there's always like some whites and black and stuff but I just feel like it's taking over and it doesn't have to be overnight everything's lavender but I think hey leaning into it and getting some representation for all sports I think that would be good and something I've always said I want to see a state pride uniform. It doesn't have to be like the Kansas state flag because you know it's blue and yellow and that's going to be tough to pull off but you know maybe you have some sort of at Astra uniform that is a little bit out of left field with lavender on there and just be a concept across all your sports team like football basketball women's basketball soccer everyone has their at Astra uniform that has some lavender incorporated I think that'd be a fun way to really kind of take a shot at the team and Lawrence and be like no you know you guys might act like you're about the state but there's only one school that's truly like that and really try to claim that you know dominance over the entire state. Yeah I agree and I mean you're right on the on the lavender being worn at games I mean it is crazy to when you look around and see how much it's been embraced especially over the last couple of years with I mean I remember making that observation with my wife at a game recently where I was like just look around like everybody of each like any demographic age group like you see older men wearing it now like I think I could even get my dad wearing lavender and you know he was one of those people I don't really like the lavender look but it appeals to so many different people it seems like not just females but males too like I think probably 50 60% of my closet's now K state lavender I mean I'm wearing a three mall poll over here it's lavender like it's a yeah I it's a it's crazy how much fans have embraced it I think it's great and I think we should embrace it even more as a university and look into utilizing it heavily I love it well we'll keep moving on the other the other show I love the Joe Clanderman episode you know I'll just ask this because it's about K state in general you brought up the stats to him of how great K state's defense has been SB plus rankings I believe it's amongst all the big 12 schools plus Oklahoma and Texas only behind Iowa state that's right and again if you look at Joe Clanderman defenses outside of the COVID year which doesn't count for anything it never even happened it's been borderline elite defense and they're bringing back a lot of playmakers and I think they've been proved over some of the folks who have left you know last year versus this year why isn't there more hype around the defense is it just like hey you know defense isn't as sexy as offense and again I'm not taking anything away from Avery Johnson Dillon Edwards DJ get in some absolute superstar names over there but I gotta think that like the K state defense might be the better unit almost the entire year if not at least the first half of the year yeah no it's a great call out and we're guilty of it and I'm a guilty of it especially because I feel like any time we have a guess on we're talking offense first and then transitioning to defense later and you know I don't know if it's because of the way the Iowa state game went late in the year if that led to like a perception issue with the K state defense because it may be a couple effort issues and you know the big plays where K state couldn't you know stop the explosives against Iowa state obviously you still had the pop darts bowl in the defense was really good and that game but I don't know if it's just that that it changed the perception of the unit overall if it's just not as exciting to talk about you know they they did just they had some fortune last year where they got to face several backup quarterbacks right you know you face the third stringer at KU and Cole Ballard you didn't face Quinn Ewers with Texas yeah I think there was there was what at least a couple more Josh Hoover they faced the TCU though you could like TCU stuck with Hoover as the season went on anyway so they viewed him probably as the better quarterback not saying Chandler Morris is really much of an upgrade so I think that's kind of a wash but I think that might be part of it too but I think a lot of it's just everybody's so excited about Avery Johnson and the tools and then Dylan Edwards being added to join DJ Giddens and the fire power on the office side of the football and that just being a more fun thing to talk about but the defense you mentioned it if you look at the average ranking of the SP plus rankings of Bill Connolly at ESPN from 2021 to 2023 so looking at three seasons and you look at the 16 teams currently in the big 12 and then you include Texas and OU only Iowa State on average has been higher over those three seasons in ESPN's SP plus metrics so K-State's been really good on the defensive side of the ball I don't think Clanderman gets the credit that he deserves and I wonder part of that is also due to just Kris Klimann being associated with being a defensive mind and he probably gets some of the credit as well but we shouldn't take it for granted Joe Clanderman's terrific and that's secondary has become terrific I know they gave up some explosives last year and jewelry isn't a gift you give just once it's a way to remind your loved one of a beautiful moment every time they see it Blue Nile can help you find the gift that says how you feel and says it beautifully with expert guidance and a wide assortment of jewelry of the highest quality at the best price go to Blue Nile dot com and experience the convenience of shopping Blue Nile the original online jeweler since 1999 that's Blue Nile dot com to find the perfect jewelry gift for any occasion Blue Nile dot com The Missouri game they gave up some big plays Texas game they gave up some big plays in the passing game but K-State ranked 18th and pass efficiency defense last year and that was the second best mark in the entire Big 12 behind only Oklahoma so they took a step there and you look ahead to the secondary this year in 2024 and they could take another step I mean I feel very good that's probably the position group on any group on the entire roster the safeties and corners I feel stronger about being as rock solid as be with that group so I'm looking forward to watching this defense. I'm right there with you. All right it is the reason for the season it's going to be time to get Cole's Blitz month predictions before we do Blitz month cannot be happening without our friends at Charlie Hussle we have Blitz month they're going to have their count down to kick off. We already got the great big eight road show where we got a bunch of vintage inspired K-State gear including a 1977 big eight championship t-shirt a copper bowl t-shirt and some other great stuff but my friends when I tell you they have some absolute heat that will be dropping here in the next couple weeks trust me you are going to go wild for it we're getting a new jacket we're getting a new hoodie and two brand new t-shirts one of which is one of my favorites that they've put out since our partnership you're following Charlie Hussle on social media so you see all of their drops and it's not just K-State stuff officially licensed as well they have sporting Kansas City and the Kansas City current if you're a soccer fan and then if you like football and baseball they have their crown town collection and their Kansas City football collection as well I'm currently rocking a shirt from their crown town collection. So it's not just K-State if you want to get gifts for some other folks and you can't bear to buy any college apparel they have you covered over at Charlie Hussle vintage made fresh all right let's get to our blitz month predictions the first one and there can be follow ups to this so if you're going to take the easy way out that's okay we're going to ask about a couple other folks after but who is going to be the offensive MVP this season you know what I'm the easy answer right is going to be Avery Johnson right and if I'm being honest that's who I would pick is as the guy but to be different you know to give you a second guy I would probably take DJ Giddens I just think he's so unheralded underrated you know the guy averaged 5.6 yards per carry in his first two seasons at K-State he had top 10 rushing season in school history last year and by the end of this season after year three of actual starting time I would project DJ Giddens to probably be top five and the all-time career rushing charts at Kansas State because he only needs I think 900 yards 1000 yards to pass Alex Barnes at number six and he'll get into the top five and all likelihood of things go to plan I just I'm DJ Giddens I mentioned there's a lot of hoopla about Dylan Edwards and I'm guilty of it too and I cannot wait to see the energy and the dynamic explosiveness that he brings and the unique things they can do there and I'm excited as hell for me and I'm going to go with DJ Giddens because I just think he's he's the reliable guys that do it all back and catch the ball out of the backfield I wouldn't be surprised if DJ puts up another 1500 yard type season all purpose between rushing and receiving and it's just that guy that's going to grind out yards for you not going to be flashy but he's going to be a winner he's going to do a lot of things that impact winning on the football field. I'm glad you brought up him being able to catch the ball as well because I think he went over 300 yards receiving he really can do it all so I depending on how people answer that you know if they if they take the easy way out I ask about other players. If they don't pick Avery Johnson I do I do want to get your take on him how special can he be again we've seen some outlets picking him to win the Heisman but we've at the same time seen him you know knock it into the preseason team for the all big 12. What what does the you know bell curve of expectations look like for him when you're sitting down saying alright you know a 13 hopefully 14 or more game season. What what are you thinking realistic expectations can be put on his shoulders this season. I guess I was looking at some of the betting sites again the other day just to see what the latest was and I think he had on one of the sites I looked at 12 best Heisman odds and all the college football for this upcoming year I think he was plus 2500 I want to say he was plus 3000 I can't remember the exact one I looked at fluctuated at times he was like been top 10 you know he's been in the top 15 I mean it's all over the place but always top 15. Yeah I think I saw him at plus 35 hundred a couple months ago and now it seems like it's increased as we've gotten closer to the season here and look I'm I'm pretty guilty of putting a lot of hype on his shoulders and you know it's crazy to think about because he only started the one game really a quarterback outside of the TC again when he played at wide receiver and got the start and you know I think he's attempted 66 passes so far in his career and so we're putting a lot on his shoulders and he's a true sophomore so there's a ton of hype for a guy that hasn't played a ton but I've never been around or interviewed a guy more mature at his age than Avery Johnson. I think he is so his charisma his humility. He's so far ahead of the game than your average true sophomore it feels like you're talking to a 50 year senior when you listen to him and you know I think he's really smart. I think he's going to read and dissect things really well on the football field. He's been bracing for this his whole life and so I think he's ready like from a mental standpoint I don't think anything's going to intimidate or get in his head and I think facing the pressure how's he going to handle it I don't really worry about that candidly I think he's going to be fine there. I mean we're doing the over under show this week and I mentioned the earlier like some of the numbers I was putting together and then I'm like oh my god I've got Avery Johnson breaking the school record for passing yards and a single season if I add all these numbers up for the over under I gave wide receivers I think I came out with over 3600 passing yards Scott for Avery which is probably overboard to be candid. That Jake water zones the school record for single season at 3501 for passing yards and we're talking about you know and breaking that record that's probably too much to put on his shoulders but and I if K state can go win 10 11 games if they can get into the college football playoff I think it's largely going to be on his shoulders and as a result. There's a very good chance that he's in New York City for the Heisman ceremony if things work out that way K state gets you know a buy in the college football playoff win the big 12 win 11 games or so. Avery is going to put up big numbers for that to for that to occur and he's that flashy player that everybody's eyes are going to be drawn to when they watch him he's going to as the season goes if he does what we hope and potentially expect more eyeballs are going to start watching K state football as it goes on and you know he's going to get a lot of attention and he's just got the tool set that that people love to watch when they watch quarterbacks play. I cannot wait for it and again I'm hoping you and I are talking about how that game in Ireland next year Avery coming off of maybe a big 12 championship maybe a Heisman finalist rivalry game over there. I'm hoping we're talking about that being like the launching for a full fledged hey he's going to win the Heisman campaign but we'll wait for August 2025 to have that conversation. Are you on Ireland. Yeah that's that's the plan. Have not booked anything yet. You know cats to Ireland calm not sponsored but if anyone from airline just wants to you know give me a free flight over there I will be your guys's biggest cheerleaders. I know I've competition for your guys's biggest cheerleaders cat to Ireland calm but the plan is to be going over there I still planning logistics if I did my way I'm a planner. I would have already like picked out my two week itinerary because I want to do some stuff in London and Scotland first, because I went over there in 2014 it's been a while but absolutely loved it so the plan is to be over there what about you. I don't think we're probably going to make this trip. Just the logistics of it. You know I would love to go but I don't want to be in another country with Iowa State fans so you know I can't I can't go you know in reality like to be honest with you my wife would rather be like on a beach vacation than Ireland and so she's she's brought up like well where's the basketball team going to be you know next year like can we go to that that tournament so that might be my best my best poll not. I don't think I'm going to go to this Virgin Islands tournament this year because the you know the competition it doesn't necessarily excite me that much I would love for them to be in either the battle for Atlanta or Maui and. And go to one of those and so that's more likely. I think Maui was already announced so I don't think we're Maui in 2025 but I don't think battle for Atlantis is and they love being down in the Caribbean so it might be I'm hoping it's not battle for Atlantis because that's going to go to and you know I know I don't have the responsibilities you do but I don't think I can financially pull Ireland and you know the Virgin Islands you know only five or no I guess it would only be three months apart. I mean that would be pretty wild. That'd be tough. I think I can sell battle for Atlantis more as a family trip because you know you have to Atlantis resort you've got all that you know I might try to get a family member to tag along and help watch my kids though so because I'm going to be going to want to go to the sportsbook down there and want to you know go watch the hoops games probably more than my wife might be brody and I might be my son and I go under a lot of the games. See that would be perfect you get to you get two ticket packages and then you know get you know let your wife and I believe daughter too right yeah. You wouldn't know you wouldn't know I am told all the time on like our patreon stuff that I don't talk about my daughters and I got twin girls. Well it is a sports podcast and Brody is a full fledged email so it's easier to talk about him so I hope I hope it is battle for Atlantis for you but selfishly I hope it's like the you know MC or whatever they call the one in Kansas City and then in 2026 they go down to battle for Atlantis because then I can budget that a little bit better so yeah. We'll move on to defensive player, defensive MVP and I've said this every single episode I think I could make the case for eight to nine different guys for this one so who are you going to rock with for defensive MVP this season. Well be anxious to hear who you pick at the end of this after I answer but I really do this is probably taking another easy way out I'm going to take Marky Siegel and in a large part of the reason is it's just like hearing the way the coaching staff has been talking about Siegel this offseason and really even last year Chris climate said going into last year that Siegel was going to be the next guy out of the transfer guys to be drafted eventually and he made that a point of emphasis to say again this year at Big 12 media days and just continued to hammer I was listening to an interview he did with a North Dakota state guy that was actually in Vegas at Big 12 media days and and climate just randomly brought up to the guy and I forget his name so I apologize but brought up like go talk to Siegel. You got to talk to Siegel man he's he's going to be the next great get safety here Joe Clanderman said on the pod me like he wouldn't trade Siegel for another guy in the country. So people think about Siegel and they remember like a couple of the coverage bus early in the year at Missouri, of course that was Luther burden let's be fair like toughest maybe the fastest wide receiver in college football as it turns out. And then also is this third year or his second game actually in playing because he missed the first game last year second game and adjusting to the speed after coming from the FCS level. And he had the dropped interceptions last year people harp on that too much I like to look at the fact that he was in position to make the plays, which I think is what matters most and it probably gotten his head a little bit flooky drop the ball. You know if if he's in that position again this year I think he ends up with five plus picks. All around complete guy and I'll take him as the MVP team on the defense. Yeah I, I cheat for my predictions I wait until like the final week but like on my short list right now is Siegel you mentioned it perfectly. I'm really starting to buy into some cheating obase or hide I think you know maybe maybe double digits acts I don't know that I might be getting ahead of myself. Well so I'm, I'm Desmond Purnell's biggest fan as well so that's my short list right now but again I, I'm, I still, I'm still, it's my show I'm going to give myself two, three more weeks. You know I might be making my official prediction on you know Thursday the 29th right before the season so I put all my guests behind the eight ball having to do it a little orderly so you can, you can go with a lot of different names especially in the secondary I could say Jacob Parrish too I could say I think you're gonna say all three safeties if you I'm DJ, I mean Jordan Riley like he is going to be a stud as well. Yeah they're, they're excited about Riley and I think Vijay Payne has kind of gotten under the radar isn't mentioned as much but I expect a big jump from Vijay Payne going into year three now. I don't forget that he played as a true freshman and now he's got a third year he's going into his third year to get under his belt and he's got the tools to be an elite safety I mean he's one of the fastest guys on the team and he's big. Strong powerful I think Vijay Payne could have a really good year and you know I just heard Chris Klein and talk about how vocal he's become as a leader too so in that secondary. You can name him you could say Austin more 12 and half tackles for loss last year you know can you make another jump heading into year six and man I'm excited about those young dns that's, that's one of the most exciting things I'm looking forward to watching is those guys and see which ones excel this year at the defensive end position. All right and then my favorite question what's the pendulum game of the season what's going to swing it's you know from good to great or possibly bad to horrible. Really really good question because you can go down the lake you need to avoid the noncon loss this year you got to keep the energy in the high pie and you don't want to have you know that lost down at two lane or you don't want to lose that Friday night game against Arizona and so you know I could make a case for that but given the college football playoff and how that operates you know you could lose a noncon game and still be fine because if you win your conference you're getting into the college I'm not going to pick a noncon game because you know I just think the point of emphasis is so much more on you know the regular you know big 12 schedule now you can make a case that like strength to schedule play a part and if two lane has a good year in Arizona has a good year and you win both those games maybe you have a little bit more cushion you know to lose a game in big 12 play not win the big 12 championship but you still won 11 games getting a large berth and to the playoff you know as I think about it like I'm not that worried about BYU to open big 12 play on the road I like I like playing road games against teams that I feel pretty confident in beating so I like having Houston on the road I like having BYU away I think Colorado's a fraud I'm not that worried about the buffs so I'm not picking any of those I think the two hardest games on the season are well you could say Oklahoma State being at home being a gigantic game but I'll be honest like I think the swing game comes down to me to West Virginia Iowa State on the road because I think both of those like if you look at the advanced metric rankings like those probably rank is the most challenging games on K state schedule in terms of win probability when you look at like Kelly Ford's metrics so I I'll take at West Virginia and I know a lot of people will be like why don't you take at Iowa State but I think I honestly anticipate K state winning the first six I think they're going to be at Oklahoma State at home I think they're going to win at BYU at Colorado and West Virginia correct me if I'm wrong Scott is right after Colorado so you play an altitude you play in Boulder then you got to go on the road out to Morgantown kind of a wonky trip and they got Garrett green back at quarterback they got some talented pieces off a nine win season it's going to be West Virginia gets off to a good start and they got Penn State at home in the noncon that'll be a fun early season game they could have some hype around them if they win a couple of those games and so I think that'll be a really difficult game if you can beat West Virginia you've got room for cushion I don't want to lose at Iowa State I definitely don't want to lose the names if you give me a choice which one I can pick to win I take Iowa State over West Virginia just because I don't want to listen to Iowa State fans but I think if you win at West Virginia like you're in the driver's seat at that point in my mind and you've got room for air as the rest of the season unfolds because I think you need to win one of those two games and you're going to make it to the big 12 championship and that was Virginia game sandwiched between the game it seems like everyone's looking forward to on the team Colorado and I believe ke right after that so it really is that's been a popular pick I'll get I'll get this next one these are the these are the three big ones everyone's going to want it's the money predictions I think you've already gone on the record on your show but we'll get you on here what is K States regular season record is what I'm going to take so you want the loss because I think it'll probably be Iowa State that's not a gag that would be horrible but it is what it is that probably hopefully knock on what would still yes in Arlington although I've been playing around with some season simulators and I've come up with scenarios where we go eight and one and don't get to Arlington I'm I've said that a couple times I would I would cry if that happened as a 32 year old adult so hopefully that doesn't happen but I'm assuming you have us in the big 12 championship game who are we playing you know this is boring because I got him playing Utah and I've got him winning the game and winning the big 12 championship and being a buy in the college football playoff you know now if K State what would be a really interesting hypothetical which I don't want we don't want to go down this road I mean we want to go down the road winning 11 regular season games that'd be a hell of an accomplishment but it'd be interesting if they're 11 and one and they don't make the conference championship that put them in a large playoff team I don't know like it'll depend on what the loser of the big 12 championships record is do they get punished more for losing in that game and getting a second or third loss potentially I'd sure hope in an 11 and one K state team that is playing a tricky game at Tulane and then playing an Arizona team it's a preseason top 25 Scott would be enough to get you into the playoff as in at large and then maybe you can host a college football game in Manhattan playoff game that would be fun I don't think that's going to happen because again I think you know I think amongst your top four teams I think you're going to have the ACC and big 12 champion they won't be like number four teams so I think you're going to see like maybe the college football ranked number two and number three teams maybe finishing second or third in their conference and then I think that in that scenario you have to be what number six or seven yeah it's not going to be a big 12 teams not going to get in a large spot in all likelihood unless unless you lose 12 and 0 winced yeah unless you went 12 and 0 like let's say like in a hypothetical K state in Utah just had miraculous seasons and they both go into the conference championship 12 and 0 and they're both ranked like top five top six teams in the country and the you know you lose that game maybe maybe you have a chance at 12 and 1 losing to a top four top five Utah team and that's a scenario but yeah that's probably an unlikely dream there and so I think 11 and 1 Utah big 12 championship game K state wins four seed in the college football playoff boom excited about that and then a possible depending on how the big templates possible matchup in the Fiesta Bowl with superhero Will Howard will move on quickly past that and I'll ask you this since we've had this podcast grant and I started it there's been one job that seemingly comes out of nowhere to shake college football in the opening we've seen it happen with Oklahoma a couple times LSU Notre Dame some some jobs massive jobs that no one sees coming shakes everything throws the goal is to make a prediction and I got to give a shout out to Drew Galloway helped me come up with this question so if you had to make a prediction on what that job is going to be this upcoming year what would you say it's going to be I mean you speak of Will Howard I mean they're putting a lot of pressure on Will Howard's shoulders to pressure he doesn't want a legend yeah yeah yeah well we could we can go more in depth about that that was an interesting comment yeah yeah we don't need to tie I like it would end up being a two hour long podcast and I like Will you know he came on the show a few times he's a nice dude and you know we'll always be grateful for big 12 championship and he loves K state so I'm not I'm not going to go down that rabbit hole but it was an interesting comment I think it's a lot of statement Ryan Day has been under a lot of pressure and scrutiny and DY obviously being on three mall being in Ohio State fan like there's there's frustration there with the losses to Michigan and you know if they go and I can't remember is that game in Ann Arbor or in Columbus issue I think it's in Columbus it is it's in Columbus yeah it is so if they lose that one and I here's my take I think Michigan's going to be asked and I think they're going to be like three coming into that game that they lose that one at home boom I you're right I mean I I don't I don't think Michigan's going to have near the season with Sean Moore and his first years they had coach on it to know who the home Michigan's going to play a quarterback. I think their offense is going to be pretty dysfunctional this year and so yeah if Will Howard in Ohio State lost that game Ryan Day would have a hard time surviving losing at home to what should probably be a little bit of a down Michigan team comparative to where they were this last couple of years so yeah I think Ryan Day I mean the fans have rumored it's crazy to think about because I mean he'd be sought after by everybody in the country if he did get let go anybody with an opening that can afford him is going to call Ryan Day. But yeah I think I'd choose that one I think that could be one that would really shake up the college football world. I don't think like Florida or anything would be a job that would necessarily do that in today's era. It wouldn't be surprising I mean I think I think I think down Florida they're hoping for you know their own version of West Virginia season last year you know everyone already you know coming up their hot board trying to figure out not if but when he's fired and then they end up with a 911 season so that'll be an interesting one to follow as well because at least one pundit that came on the Kane City sports stock radio circuit was saying that Florida's number one target would be Eli Drinkwood so it would be interesting to watch how Missouri handled that so that would be fun for me. Yeah that would be a firearm but it would be fun for me to watch Missouri fans deal with that so yeah that I wouldn't hire me either man I don't know what Missouri schedule I think I've seen that it's a pretty easy Alabama and Oklahoma. Oh they've got those two okay yeah I mean I think Oklahoma's at home Alabama on the road I mean we'll see what Alabama looks like. I think outside of that's pretty easy I think if they were nine and three I think there would be disappointed Tiger fans which is pretty funny but it's still funny to think about like you know everybody now being all high on drink a wits but yet he got away with letting the play clock expire against Kansas State to take into play again and like you can just see that you can see me in in the stands and I don't know because you were on the opposite side Scots I don't know if you can see it as well but I'm watching drink a wits and I'm looking at the play clock like a 10 and he's still huddled up with this team and I'm like he doesn't even know he doesn't know it was well and I saw Chris Klein and almost called a timeout before that but oh well here we are getting back in again I'm sorry yeah it's okay it's okay so I think everyone knows where to find your work but if they don't work can they find you and John and Derek and all your great work that you guys are doing over with Casey Essen. Yeah so we're on all your podcast platforms you got apples apple pods Spotify Google podcasts we're on YouTube as well we've got a YouTube channel that is now we just transitioned we shared a YouTube channel on KCSN with KU and Missouri shows previously but now it is KCSN K-State Athletics on the YouTube channel so you can subscribe there if you want to watch on YouTube and for some reason want to look at me and DY and John I don't know why you'd want to do that but for some reason some people do otherwise you can hear us all on Apple Spotify Google podcast same thing you can just Google you can probably look search three mom but you know I think it's really really easy to find if you just type in KCSN K-State Athletics and it should pop up and subscribe if you enjoy it want to check it out give it a listen and then subscribe or rate it you know however you deem best you know we're available out there for everybody so I think a K-State content for everybody between Bosca's boys fits is our show like encourage everybody to listen to all the K-State content because there used to be a time when there wasn't much you don't have to rely on good sports radio anymore to it and that's not a shock because I you know Mitch and the K-Man guys like they do a good job covering K-State living in KC as you do Scott and me I don't listen to 810 anymore because why would I I can listen to K-State specific content that I want to hear on podcasts like this so it really is the Golden Age and you know kind of fan you know I consider myself a fan podcasters a few of us out there and then there's some great professionals doing it as well it may not be your day job anymore but you're always going to be a professional in my book so you know it's great stuff going on with you guys and again Fitz does a great show you know Derek's pulling double duty and all the guys over on K-State online a lot of stuff on YouTube and again all sorts of great stuff whether you want fans whether you want professionals you can you can get whatever your flavor of K-State content is in the podcast. Yeah Mason drew they kill it over at KSO with DY and then cocaine willy guys I hate when I start naming because I know I'm going to lead people off just like I did with Joe Clanderman I was leaving guys off the list and players so I apologize if I didn't name you got anyone you know I'm a podcasting realm but appreciate all of you and all the content so definitely well that's all we have again I always feel foolish when I say yeah it's something it's gonna be 30 40 minutes now I mean I can't remember when we actually hit record but I know you and I have been talking for well over I always appreciate you coming on Cole so again folks make sure you're following all the stuff that they got going on with KCSN 3 mall and yeah that's all we have be sure to tell Cole you know when his overs and under's aren't good I'm sure he appreciates that a lot but no for for Cole Manbeck for Chauncey the best dog in the world my name's Scott McFarland we love you guys and go cats it's time to get set for the cat attack you can feel the excitement you can feel it coming on for Kansas state the feelings growing strong you can join in the action this is where you want to be with Kansas state come on set your spirit free Kansas state our pride is with the cats Kansas state come on join the cat attack Kansas state excitement in the air Kansas state the fun is being there having a good time there purple and white we share show what it colors everywhere Kansas state our pride is with the cats Kansas state Kansas state come on join the cat attack Attack! 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