By Mark Janssen
K-Staters, please allow me to take a timeout from the day-to-day routine of profiling the Wildcats to ask a favor.
It's time to get behind No. 14 and eliminate the shabby comments about the Wildcat quarterback that have been littering Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
If Carson Coffman can't hear the gibberish, his family can.
K-Staters, please allow me to take a timeout from the day-to-day routine of profiling the Wildcats to ask a favor.
It's time to get behind No. 14 and eliminate the shabby comments about the Wildcat quarterback that have been littering Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
If Carson Coffman can't hear the gibberish, his family can.
Chuckling at this past week's press conference, Coffman related, "I think it was the Missouri State game that someone was mouthing off about me, and my brother turned around and confronted him. I thought it was pretty funny. I believe in myself, and my family believes in me, and that's all that matters."
And, his teammates believe in him, starting with the Wildcats that matter most to a quarterback.
"We are solidly behind him," said center Wade Weibert. "He steps into the huddle and has a command about him."
Guard Zach Kendall added, "We're best friends off the field, and on the field we have a total belief in Carson. He has us 4-0 ... what more do you want?"
Nope, CC likely won't be a First Team All-Big 12 quarterback and be invited to New York for the 2011 NFL Draft.
But the fact is, Kansas State is exactly where every Wildcat fan wants them to be, which is 4-0. Not necessarily in play, but the record is a perfect 4-0, which is what matters most. Going into the weekend, only 23 other D-I teams could make such an undefeated claim.
And while his play has not been pristine, Carson Coffman has been instrumental in that 4-0 record.
• It was Mr. Coffman who orchestrated an eight-play, 80-yard drive with 2:03 left in the game to give the Cats an eight-point cushion on UCLA.
• It was Mr. Coffman who directed two final-period drives against Iowa State with one of those being a nine-play, 83-yard march for the go-ahead points in a seven-point win.
• And, it was Mr. Coffman who directed a 13-play, 67-yard drive, which included his own 7-yard run to cap the march at the 24-second mark in K-State's 17-13 win over Central Florida.
On that one play that had Daniel Thomas as a first option on a shovel pass and Tramaine Thompson as the second pick on a screen pass, it was Coffman who displayed the maturity and the savvy and the guts to make the play himself.
"Big players make big plays in big situations, and that's what he did," said Thompson.
But afterward, Coffman deflected the credit to his coach for making a big-time call.
"I just did what I'm coached by Coach (Del) Miller to do."
It was yet another demonstration of class by Carson Coffman.
Just for fun, here are the two "senior" college quarterbacks picked to go in the first couple rounds of the 2011 NFL Draft:
• Jake Locker, Washington - 51-percent completion rate, six touchdowns, two interceptions, and a 127.30 quarterback rating.
• Christian Ponder, Florida State - 61-percent completion rate, seven touchdowns, three interceptions and a 131.55 quarterback rating.
Carson Coffman, you wonder?
The Wildcat senior has completed 61-percent of his passes with five touchdowns, two interceptions and a 159.8 quarterback rating, which is second in the Big 12.
No, not second in being flashiest, but in efficiency.
Oh, Ponder's team is 3-1, and Locker's team is 1-2, while Coffman's team is ... 4-0.
It's quickly become apparent that the Big 12 this season is not super loaded as only two teams - No. 6 Nebraska and No. 8 Oklahoma - are ranked in the Top 20.
The Big 12 North appears to be a three-team chase with each of those entries demonstrating glitches in their play. At home, Nebraska defeated South Dakota State, 17-3; at home, Missouri defeated San Diego State, 27-24.
Nope, the Coffman name won't be in the conversation with the lads named Dickey, Bishop and Roberson 15 years down the trail. But the fact is old No. 14 has K-State right where you want them one-third of the way into the season ... a perfect 4-0.
In part, that's due to the play of Carson Coffman.
He is K-State's quarterback. He is the best quarterback in the 2010 Wildcat camp. And, he is "your" quarterback.
Thursday night when the Big Red comes visiting, everyone clad in purple and white needs to be pulling in the same direction, which includes "for" Carson Coffman.
If not, Coffman has the moxie to be okay with it.
"I really don't care what they think of my performance. I'm really just playing for the guys on the team, and the coaches, and my family, and God. And that's enough for me."
And for me, and should be for you.
We hope you enjoy K-State Sports Extra. We would like to hear your comments and any story ideas for future emails, so fire them our way. Contact either Mark Janssen at mjanssen7@cox.net, or Kansas State Director of Athletic Communications/SID Kenny Lannou at klannou@kstatesports.com.
And, his teammates believe in him, starting with the Wildcats that matter most to a quarterback.
"We are solidly behind him," said center Wade Weibert. "He steps into the huddle and has a command about him."
Guard Zach Kendall added, "We're best friends off the field, and on the field we have a total belief in Carson. He has us 4-0 ... what more do you want?"
Nope, CC likely won't be a First Team All-Big 12 quarterback and be invited to New York for the 2011 NFL Draft.
But the fact is, Kansas State is exactly where every Wildcat fan wants them to be, which is 4-0. Not necessarily in play, but the record is a perfect 4-0, which is what matters most. Going into the weekend, only 23 other D-I teams could make such an undefeated claim.
And while his play has not been pristine, Carson Coffman has been instrumental in that 4-0 record.
• It was Mr. Coffman who orchestrated an eight-play, 80-yard drive with 2:03 left in the game to give the Cats an eight-point cushion on UCLA.
• It was Mr. Coffman who directed two final-period drives against Iowa State with one of those being a nine-play, 83-yard march for the go-ahead points in a seven-point win.
• And, it was Mr. Coffman who directed a 13-play, 67-yard drive, which included his own 7-yard run to cap the march at the 24-second mark in K-State's 17-13 win over Central Florida.
On that one play that had Daniel Thomas as a first option on a shovel pass and Tramaine Thompson as the second pick on a screen pass, it was Coffman who displayed the maturity and the savvy and the guts to make the play himself.
"Big players make big plays in big situations, and that's what he did," said Thompson.
But afterward, Coffman deflected the credit to his coach for making a big-time call.
"I just did what I'm coached by Coach (Del) Miller to do."
It was yet another demonstration of class by Carson Coffman.
Just for fun, here are the two "senior" college quarterbacks picked to go in the first couple rounds of the 2011 NFL Draft:
• Jake Locker, Washington - 51-percent completion rate, six touchdowns, two interceptions, and a 127.30 quarterback rating.
• Christian Ponder, Florida State - 61-percent completion rate, seven touchdowns, three interceptions and a 131.55 quarterback rating.
Carson Coffman, you wonder?
The Wildcat senior has completed 61-percent of his passes with five touchdowns, two interceptions and a 159.8 quarterback rating, which is second in the Big 12.
No, not second in being flashiest, but in efficiency.
Oh, Ponder's team is 3-1, and Locker's team is 1-2, while Coffman's team is ... 4-0.
It's quickly become apparent that the Big 12 this season is not super loaded as only two teams - No. 6 Nebraska and No. 8 Oklahoma - are ranked in the Top 20.
The Big 12 North appears to be a three-team chase with each of those entries demonstrating glitches in their play. At home, Nebraska defeated South Dakota State, 17-3; at home, Missouri defeated San Diego State, 27-24.
Nope, the Coffman name won't be in the conversation with the lads named Dickey, Bishop and Roberson 15 years down the trail. But the fact is old No. 14 has K-State right where you want them one-third of the way into the season ... a perfect 4-0.
In part, that's due to the play of Carson Coffman.
He is K-State's quarterback. He is the best quarterback in the 2010 Wildcat camp. And, he is "your" quarterback.
Thursday night when the Big Red comes visiting, everyone clad in purple and white needs to be pulling in the same direction, which includes "for" Carson Coffman.
If not, Coffman has the moxie to be okay with it.
"I really don't care what they think of my performance. I'm really just playing for the guys on the team, and the coaches, and my family, and God. And that's enough for me."
And for me, and should be for you.
We hope you enjoy K-State Sports Extra. We would like to hear your comments and any story ideas for future emails, so fire them our way. Contact either Mark Janssen at mjanssen7@cox.net, or Kansas State Director of Athletic Communications/SID Kenny Lannou at klannou@kstatesports.com.
