Kansas State Football: Preview -K-State’s Defense vs Houston’s Run Game.
Cincinnati gave the Wildcats their first loss of the season largely because it dominated the line of scrimmage. Houston will look to do the same on Saturday. How the defense responds could determine the outcome.
The Kansas State Wildcats' defense faced a challenging test against Cincinnati Bearcats' powerful rushing attack in their September 26th game at Nippert Stadium. Cincinnati's running game dominated the Wildcats, rushing for 1,154 yards on 190 carries and averaging 5.95 yards per carry. This performance was even more concerning when considering their 155-yard, 3.6 yards per carry outing against UCF the previous week.
The Bearcats' offensive strategy was effective, using both Makhi Hughes and Re’Shaun Sanford II to exploit Kansas State's undersized defensive line. Hughes, a 210-pound power back, and Sanford II, a 190-pound speed back, were key contributors to the success. The Bearcats' ability to run the ball inside the offensive line while utilizing Sanford's speed outside demonstrated their versatility in the running game.
Despite Cincinnati's success, the Wildcats' defense showed resilience, with Travis Bates and Kimari Burns stepping up in key moments. However, the overall defensive performance raises concerns about potential issues with the coaching staff's approach, especially in addressing the team's fundamental run defense weakness. The article concludes with a suggestion for a potential solution, featuring a 3-man offensive line and a stand-up defensive end on the weak side.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
