K-State Q&A: Adrian Martinez, Big 12 QB rankings and preseason hype for Phillip Brooks
It’s time for another K-State Q&A.
Preseason camp is underway in Manhattan, so all of the questions are understandably football related this week. Let’s dive in. Thanks, as always, for your participation.
Let’s go with a solid 5 1/2 on your revolutionary 1-7 scale.
In other words, I am 72% confident that Adrian Martinez will be one of the Big 12’s top five quarterbacks this season.
It’s not a slam dunk, by any means. There are a lot of quality passers in this conference. But he arrives at a good time, following the departures of guys like Caleb Williams and Brock Purdy.
That’s not to say Purdy was all that great. He wasn’t. But we know Martinez is almost certainly going to be better than whomever Iowa State trots out there next month.
There are many more unknowns about the QB position this season. So much so, that I needed help from Google just to figure out who was expected to start for most teams.
Four projected starters are big-time transfers looking for a new start. Two have played before, but not a ton. Two others are totally green. Spencer Sanders (Oklahoma State) and Max Duggan (TCU) are the only true known commodities returning at quarterback.
And neither of them exactly set the world on fire last season with their play, adding even more mystery to the debate.
I’m honestly not sure how to rank them as of today, but I will give it a shot anyway.
My preseason Big 12 quarterback rankings
1. Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma: The former UCF quarterback threw for more than 3,600 yards as both a freshman and a sophomore before an injury derailed his junior campaign. He could be lethal with the Sooners.
2. Blake Shapen, Baylor: He is undefeated as a starter and led the Bears to a win in last year’s Big 12 championship game by completing 23 of 28 passes for 180 yards and three touchdowns against Oklahoma State.
3. Quinn Ewers, Texas: This one could blow up in my face, as he hasn’t technically won the starting job in Austin yet. But he was the No. 1 overall recruit coming out of high school in 2021. I’m thinking he will be good.
4. Adrian Martinez, K-State: Could he have been better at Nebraska? Yes, absolutely. But it’s worth noting that he played behind a suspect offensive line that left him running for his life on every other play. A new offense could bring out the best in him.
5. JT Daniels, West Virginia: He might end up being the best quarterback in the Big 12. Or he could be a bust with the Mountaineers. I really don’t know what to expect here. But he used to play for USC and Georgia. He’s got talent.
6. Spencer Sanders, Oklahoma State: Kudos to him for winning first-team All-Big 12 honors last season. He deserved it after helping Oklahoma State win 12 games. But let’s be honest, he wasn’t much more than a game manager, completing 62% of his passes for 2,839 yards and 20 touchdowns.
7. Max Duggan, TCU: It feels like we have been watching Duggan play forever in Fort Worth. Maybe this is the year he puts it all together under a new coach.
8. Jalon Daniels, Kansas: He looked good for the Jayhawks late last season. How much can he build on that?
9. Hunter Dekkers, Iowa State: Maybe he’s really good. Maybe he’s dreadful. All I can tell you is he’s not Brock Purdy.
10. Tyler Shough, Donovan Smith or Behren Morton, Texas Tech: Who?
The days of Deuce Vaughn and a tight end leading K-State in receptions are over.
At least I think they are.
With Collin Klein now calling the plays, he is going to want to spread the ball around and push it downfield to K-State’s receivers more than we have seen in the recent past.
Go back and look at the Texas Bowl. Skylar Thompson completed 21 passes in that game, and only two of them went to Vaughn (for negative yardage).
Phillip Brooks led all receivers with five catches, while Malik Knowles and Kade Warner both grabbed three passes.
Expect more of the same this season.
It’s probably time to get the hype train started for Brooks. I think he is going to lead the team in receptions this season. He is extremely fast, he has good hands and he can play out of the slot.
Think Julian Edelman or Hunter Renfrow. He’s always open on crossing routes. Adrian Martinez is going to get him the ball.
Knowles is more of a big-play threat, Sammy Wheeler is a bigger target and Vaughn is the home-run hitter. But Brooks knows how to make things happen. When you get him in space, he can make things happen. That’s why he is such a good punt returner.
Add him to the Biletnikof Awards watch list.
I can’t choose just one!
On offense ...
Kade Warner only caught 14 passes for 166 yards last season. I think he will be MUCH more productive this year. He has generated buzz at preseason camp, and he is now reunited with his former quarterback at Nebraska. He will be a factor in the passing game.
I also think Sammy Wheeler could put up nice numbers at tight end.
On the offensive line, keep an eye on Andrew Leingang. He seems ready to help at left tackle, which would allow Cooper Beebe to move to guard.
On defense ...
Kobe Savage will probably start at one of the safety positions. He should contribute right away after transferring in from junior college.
I also predict Missouri transfer Shawn Robinson will make some impressive tackles.
I’m going with Will Howard on this hypothetical prep bet.
Skylar Thompson is apparently killing it at training camp with the Miami Dolphins right now. Log onto to Twitter during any of their open scrimmages and you can always find a Miami beat writer raving about one of his throws.
See for yourself.
Still, I find it hard to believe that Thompson plays as a rookie this season. He’s listed as QB3 on the Dolphins’ depth chart, behind unquestioned started Tua Tagovailoa and veteran Teddy Bridgewater.
He’s not attempting a pass in Miami unless both of them get hurt. Could it happen? Sure, but it’s unlikely.
There are simply more opportunities for Howard. He could see the field this season in the second half of blowout wins or if Adrian Martinez is unable to play for any reason. K-State could also design a special set of plays for him.
The Wildcats can use him in three games and maintain his redshirt.
I think we see him throw for something like 150 yards in mop-up duty. Or he plays because of injuries the way he did as both a freshman and a sophomore.
Anything is more than zero. So my money is on Howard here.
But it is cool to see Thompson showing his stuff at the next level. He had his doubters when it came to making it in the NFL.
Allow me to answer your question with a question.
How would the Big 12 benefit from relocating to a new office building?
Where a conference chooses to have its administrators live and work seems unimportant in the grand scheme of things. Most people couldn’t care less about it.
I have no problems with the Big 12 staying in the DFW area. Even after Texas leaves the conference, the Lone Star State will still be home to Baylor, Houston, TCU and Texas Tech. Oklahoma State is also nearby. And Brett Yormark can hop on a quick flight to anywhere else in the league from there.
Kansas City would not be as centrally located, even though KU, K-State and Iowa State aren’t far away.
As long as the Big 12 keeps its basketball tournaments in Kansas City, its headquarters can stay in Texas.
This story was originally published August 12, 2022 at 11:14 AM with the headline "K-State Q&A: Adrian Martinez, Big 12 QB rankings and preseason hype for Phillip Brooks."