Play Makers: The Star’s 2015 football preview
Our special football preview this year explores the combination of strategy and superstars. If you didn’t pick up a printed copy of The Kansas City Star on Sunday, Aug. 30, for the whole package, four sections totaling 42 pages, check out the content here:
Chiefs and the NFL
▪ As Andy Reid enters his third season as coach of the Chiefs, he’s faced with the prospect of proving himself all over again as a play caller, a job he had to cede in Philadelphia before he was ultimately fired.
▪ Five memorable plays in Chiefs history, including “65 Toss Power Trap.”
▪ We selected the best playmaker on every NFL team.
▪ Terez Paylor makes his NFL playoff and Super Bowl picks.
▪ Terez Paylor predicts the Chiefs’ season, game-by-game.
▪ Vahe Gregorian column: Jamaal Charles is the Chiefs’ most indispensable playmaker.
▪ Sam Mellinger column: Justin Houston’s pass-rush prowess explained, in one four-second clip.
▪ A comparison of Houston and Derrick Thomas through the first four years of their careers.
▪ Vahe Gregorian column: Life experiences, including exodus from Philly, strengthen Jeremy Maclin.
▪ Chiefs are counting on Maclin to deliver in the key “Z” receiver position.
▪ The evolution of the West Coast offense includes Kansas City.
▪ Video: Terez Paylor explains the West Coast offense and why the “Z” is so important.
▪ The final countdown: What happens on the sideline and in the huddle as the play clock ticks down.
Want more Chiefs? Download our Red Zone Extra mobile app for iOS and Android for instant Chiefs alerts, scores, features, videos, photos and more wherever you are. And follow @TerezPaylor and @BlairKerkhoff on Twitter.
Mizzou and the SEC
▪ Maty Mauk has been honing his skills as a pocket-passing quarterback as Missouri looks to claim a third straight SEC East title.
▪ Our outlook for Mizzou’s season, with game-by-game predictions by Blair Kerkhoff.
▪ Five memorable plays in Mizzou football history.
▪ Which Mizzou players pass Gary Pinkel’s “Law of the Playmaker” test?
▪ Who will be Maty Mauk’s top targets on offense this year?
▪ SEC teams have revolving door at defensive coordinator.
▪ SEC Blitz: Blair Kerkhoff predicts the conference order of finish, top players and games, with team-by-team schedules.
▪ Five memorable plays in SEC history.
Want more Mizzou? Follow @todpalmer on Twitter and bookmark our Tigers page.
K-State, KU and the Big 12
▪ After years of success, Kansas State coach Bill Snyder is on his way into the College Football Hall of Fame. But he is showing no signs of slowing down, even at age 75.
▪ K-State is seeking more balance on offense a year after going to the air.
▪ Our outlook for the Wildcats’ season, with game-by-game predictions by Blair Kerkhoff.
▪ Five memorable plays in K-State history.
▪ The Air Raid offense has helped many colleges take off, but will it work for Kansas?
▪ Our outlook for the Jayhawks’ season, with game-by-game predictions by Blair Kerkhoff.
▪ Five memorable plays in KU history.
▪ Big 12 Blitz: Blair Kerkhoff predicts the conference order of finish, top players and games, with team-by-team schedules.
▪ Five memorable plays in Big 12 history.
Want more K-State? Follow @KellisRobinett on Twitter and bookmark our Wildcats page.
Want more KU? Follow @rustindodd on Twitter and bookmark our Jayhawks page.
Other colleges
▪ Blair Kerkhoff column: The path to the College Football Playoff should be the same distance from every major conference.
▪ Larry Wilcox, Benedictine football have been right fit for nearly a half century.
▪ Kansas City-area Division II and NAIA college football schedules
High schools
▪ Triple options: High school coaches want their best players on the field as much as possible.
▪ We asked area coaches and players to describe their favorite play.
▪ Eastern Kansas League preview
▪ Suburban Conference Gold preview
▪ Suburban Conference Red preview
▪ Suburban Conference White preview
▪ Suburban Conference Blue preview
▪ Team-by-team Kansas City-area high school football schedules
Want more KC-area high school sports? Follow us on Twitter @KCStarHS and bookmark our website and our scores and summaries page.
This story was originally published August 28, 2015 at 1:53 PM with the headline "Play Makers: The Star’s 2015 football preview."