Barfknecht: Questions remain for KSU's Coffman

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Let there be no doubt who Kansas State’s season-opening football game was all about.

Quarterback Carson Coffman.

The fifth-year senior earned the first-game start for the second straight season, despite career statistics of three touchdown passes and six interceptions.

He lost the job last season after four games because of questionable arm strength, shaky huddle presence and difficulty performing in the clutch.

The game in which those deficiencies showed the most was a loss at UCLA.

So Saturday’s rematch with UCLA provided a perfect chance for Coffman to get some payback and show that Kansas State has the quarterbacking necessary for its veteran offense to thrive.

So how did Coffman do? Uh, well ...

Kansas State won 31-22. Coffman came back after vomiting 10 times in the third and fourth quarters and receiving an IV to throw a 5-yard touchdown pass with 2:03 to play that produced the winning margin.

But now we know why the Wildcats worked this summer on trying to land quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who got booted at Oregon and landed at Ole Miss.

Coffman threw for just 66 yards. He fumbled away a snap at his own 11-yard line that set up a UCLA touchdown. And he was sacked five times — not from poor protection but by struggling to sense pressure, an eerie reminder from a year ago.

Fortunately for grumbling K-State fans, some of Coffman’s best tosses were option pitches to preseason All-America tailback Daniel Thomas.

The returning Big 12 rushing champion powered his way to a career-high 234 yards in 28 carries and touchdowns of 1 and 35 yards.

“If we keep getting him the ball,’’ Coffman said, “we’ll be winning a lot of games.’’

But only if the quarterback play gets closer to that performance level.

“Beyond this game, when teams target D.T. a little more,’’ Coffman said, “we’re going to have to become a more balanced offense.’’

That’s why the spotlight was on Coffman and will follow him every week.

Kansas State coach Bill Snyder’s comments were perfunctory about Coffman, who insiders say is a clear-cut leader over the No. 2 and 3 quarterbacks.

“We need to have more than whatever we got, 60 yards passing,’’ Snyder said. “The thing that he did with a couple of exceptions was manage the ballgame, which is what we want him to be able to do.’’

Coffman led a 55-yard touchdown drive on K-State’s first possession.

The Wildcats got help on fourth-and-goal at the 1 when Thomas was stopped short, but UCLA had 12 men on the field. (Gee, who would have guessed a Rick Neuheisel-coached team would make such a mistake?)

But Kansas State followed with six straight scoreless possessions against the team picked to finish eighth in the Pacific-10.

“It shot back some memories from last year,’’ Coffman said. “But I’m really excited how we finished the game.’’

Coffman left for the locker room for treatment of cramps with 14 minutes to play. He returned with 6:28 left and Kansas State leading UCLA 17-16.

Said Coffman: “I got the guys on the sidelines and said, ‘This is it. Let’s go score.’”

Thomas and backup tailback William Powell combined for 61 yards rushing on the ensuing drive. And Coffman contributed a 4-yard run for a first down to the UCLA 8.

But K-State then got called for delay of game. And two plays later, KSU called time to avoid another delay. Finally, Coffman threw the deciding 5-yard touchdown pass.

The win wasn’t pretty. And it won’t qualify as a “statement.’’ Let’s wait another month, when Nebraska visits on Oct. 7, to see if the Wildcats will have something to say about the Big 12 North title.

UCLA.....................0 10 3 9—22
At Kansas St................7 0 10 14—31
First Quarter
KSt—Dan.Thomas 1 run (Cantele kick), 9:04.
Second Quarter
UCLA—Prince 11 run (Forbath kick), 12:43.
UCLA—FG Forbath 44, 7:45.
Third Quarter
KSt—W.Powell 28 run (Cantele kick), 12:40.
UCLA—FG Forbath 35, 7:39.
KSt—FG Cantele 35, 2:04.
Fourth Quarter
UCLA—FG Forbath 42, 6:28.
KSt—B.Smith 5 pass from Coffman (Cantele kick), 2:03.
UCLA—Marvray 29 pass from Prince (pass failed), 1:19.
KSt—Dan.Thomas 35 run (Cantele kick), :58.
A—51,059.
UCLA KSt
First downs 17 18
Rushes-yards 37-193 54-313
Passing 120 64
Comp-Att-Int 9-26-2 12-17-0
Return Yards 14 39
Punts-Avg. 6-45.7 6-41.3
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 2-2
Penalties-Yards 8-55 6-52
Time of Possession 24:04 35:56

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—UCLA, Franklin 13-60, J.Smith 2-52, Prince 12-31, Coleman 5-29, M.Jones 3-20, Barr 1-1, Embree 1-0. Kansas St., Dan.Thomas 28-234, W.Powell 6-72, T.Thompson 1-9, Klein 3-3, B.Smith 1-2, Hubert 1-0, Team 1-(minus 2), Coffman 13-(minus 5).
PASSING—UCLA, Prince 9-26-2-120. Kansas St., Coffman 11-16-0-66, Klein 1-1-0-(minus 2).
RECEIVING—UCLA, Rosario 3-29, Harkey 1-35, Marvray 1-29, Franklin 1-15, Embree 1-8, Barr 1-5, Coleman 1-(minus 1). Kansas St., B.Smith 3-14, T.Thompson 3-(minus 1), Dan.Thomas 2-15, Harper 2-10, Quarles 1-13, Tannahill 1-13.

Contact the writer:

444-1024, lee.barfknecht@owh.com

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