K-State's offense finally found its rhythm against KU, but the Wildcats will face another challenge when they travel to Arizona State on Saturday.
With tight end Garrett Oakley expected to miss the matchup against Arizona State, Collin Klein must find a way to keep the offensive momentum going without one of Avery Johnson's most experienced receiving targets.
Oakley's absence is particularly significant considering the Wildcats are already without Will Anciaux, who suffered a season-ending injury earlier this season.
That leaves K-State with limited experience at a position that plays an important role in both the passing and runniing games.
A huge question now is how K-State distributes the workload between Linkon Cure and Lawson McGraw. Cure has been a key tight end all season, but McGraw also saw time during the win over KU in the Sunflower Showdown.
McGraw's involvement is particularly noteworthy, as Klein recently mentioned him in a press conference as a player who impressed the staff during the Wildcats' bye week. The Blue Valley West product could see his responsibilities increase as K-State adjusts to not having Anciaux, and now Oakley.
However, replacing Oakley's production isn't simply about catching passes. He has 16 catches for 196 yards and one touchdown. The trust that Avery Johnson has with him can't be understated, and that is something that you just put the next player in and replace.
The Wildcats did show another interesting angle on Saturday, as freshman Oliver Miller played 29 snaps against KU, serving as an additional blocker with Cure in certain formations.
Miller was a guy who was looked at as someone who would contend for snaps on the offensive line, but he missed a lot of time early because of an injury. Having him on the field definitely helped the Wildcats finish with a season-high 259 rushing yards, with Joe Jackson accounting for 159 of them.
That success could provide a blueprint for Saturday's matchup against the Sun Devils. No one player can fill the void left by Oakley, but the trio of Cure, McGraw, and Miller can all star in their own way.
If there were ever a game for Cure to produce like Wildcats' fans have been hoping for, Saturday against the Sun Devils is the perfect game. McGraw can, with his athleticism, come in and provide depth, and Miller gives the Wildcats the ability to maintain their physical approach in the running game.
Klein and the staff did a good job of managing the situation during the game against the Jayhawks, but the days of preparation will allow them to come up with a couple of wrinkles as well.
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