Surprises, Surprises

Yesterday at Bring on the Cats, we first brought you a preview of the 2016 K-State defensive line. Then BracketCat continued our countdown to kickoff with #16 Matthew McCrane, who looks to bounce back after an injury sidelined him for part of 2015. Then to get us going this morning, BracketCat dropped to countdown to #15 Walter Neil Jr.

We are continuing our roll downhill towards opening weekend. Yesterday, Kellis Robinett via the KC Star dropped a story about the K-State running back race. While three of the names in the race are unsurprising (Charles Jones, Justin Silmon, and Dalvin Warmack), the fourth mentioned by Co-OC Dana Dimel was perhaps a bit more surprising. It appears that Pittsburg, KS native Alex Barnes has pushed himself into the already loaded backfield competition for K-State. We can only hope that all this competing actually pushes these guys to greatness.

In news that apparently completely slipped under the rug at the time, K-State Associate Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator Andy Sawyers left Manhattan at the end of July to take the top sport for the Southeast Missouri Redhawks. After assisting at Nebraska (where he coached Alex Gordon), and K-State and Texas A&M twice each, this will be Sawyers first head coaching gig.

This came to our attention yesterday, because apparently the rumor is that recently-departed Alabama head coach Mitch Gaspard will be coming to Manhattan to be Sawyers replacement as Brad Hill’s chief assistant.

Gaspard, who resigned from Alabama at the end of May, went 234-193 during his seven seasons leading the Crimson Tide, and also was the head coach at Northwestern State from 2002-2007.

Also in baseball news, Pittsburg, KS product 2017 Jake Webb has verbally committed to K-State to play baseball. The 6’4”, 195lb RHP can reach into the 90’s, so expect his name to get called during the MLB Draft next spring. Let’s just hope he favors school over a signing bonus.