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To improve the defense, the Wildcats signed numerous junior-college players, a recruiting strategy that drew lots of criticism this offseason. Prince eventually had 19 jucos commit to K-State. Not all of them will qualify and enroll in the fall. But it was a record number of juco signings for the school.
“You know which K-State team had the second-most junior-college signings?” Prince asked. “The 1998 team that we’re honoring this fall. That team was helped by 13 junior-college players in 1997. We have a philosophy that we’re following. I sat down with Dr. Wefald and Coach Snyder when I got this job, and we talked about the number of junior-college kids we needed to recruit every two to three years.
“If you look at what Coach Snyder did in his early years, you will see a very similar pattern. We’re staying the course. It’s very consistent. You can’t just look at a snapshot.”
OK, I get it. It makes sense. But the Wildcats, 5-7 a year ago, won’t beat good teams unless Josh Freeman blossoms into a playmaker as consistent and deadly as Chase Daniel and Todd Reesing. Freeman threw for more than 3,000 yards and tossed 18 TDs last season. But he also threw 11 interceptions and failed to move the ball at critical junctures.
Prince contends that first-year quarterbacks coach Warren Ruggiero will greatly improve Freeman’s sometimes-inconsistent mechanics. And while Prince understands the graduation of receiver Jordy Nelson will hurt, the third-year coach sees Freeman benefiting from having more weapons to dump the ball to and more time to survey the field due to improved line play.
“I don’t know if there’s a quarterback in the country who can do what our quarterback can do,” Prince said. “I wouldn’t trade him for any quarterback in the country. He’s a different kind of athlete at 6-foot-6, 250 pounds. In terms of being an athlete and his body, he is maybe being compared to guys who play a different kind of game.”
Yep, unfair comparisons have hurt Prince and the Wildcats all offseason. They could place things in proper perspective by winning eight games.
To reach Jason Whitlock, call 816-234-4869 or send e-mail to jwhitlock@kcstar.com. For previous columns, go to KansasCity.com
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