Boulder – The Kansas State offense has been a tough study for the Colorado coaching staff.
According to CU coach Gary Barnett, only film from the Wildcats’ past two games has been any help to the Buffs because of a drastic change in offensive identity when redshirt freshman quarterback Allan Evridge was handed the starting job in place of Denver native Allen Webb.
“It’s like they’re two different teams,” said Barnett, whose team plays the Wildcats in a Big 12 North game Saturday in Manhattan, Kan. “It’s hard to get a handle on. They’re throwing it all over the place. With Webb, they were running a lot of the option and he was running the ball on the quarterback keep.”
With Webb as the starter in their first five games, the Wildcats averaged 163.6 yards rushing and 202.6 passing. In the two games with Evridge starting, Kansas State has averaged 70.5 yards rushing and 274.5 passing.
Kansas State coach Bill Snyder attributes the low rushing numbers in the past two games to his team finding itself behind and having to pass in the second half in an attempt to catch up. He is surprised, however, at Evridge’s fast development.
“On Sept. 1, I was thinking he was our third-team quarterback,” Snyder said of the suburban Omaha product. “I can’t tell you I had projected that he would be in this position and that there was any particular goal in mind as to what he should or should not be able to accomplish.”
Evridge is 59-of-106 passing for 831 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions.
“He’s grown up in a hurry,” Snyder said. “He’s been thrown into the fire very quickly without a great deal of repetition, but he’s handled it reasonably well.”
Brown defers to Bohn
CU president Hank Brown will let athletic director Mike Bohn and CU-Boulder chancellor Phil DiStefano handle the decision on whether to extend Barnett’s contract. Brown said no decision will be made until the results of an audit into the football program is released in December. Brown said he has reviewed some of the documents from the investigations of allegations of sex and alcohol being used in football recruiting.
“The investigation isn’t over yet,” Brown said at a Denver Post editorial board meeting Tuesday. “This is not a static situation.”
Footnotes
CU offensive lineman Edwin Harrison (sprained ankle) said he wants to play Saturday, but added that his status is day to day. … The Buffs’ offensive line has only yielded only seven quarterback sacks this season.
Staff writer Art Kane contributed to this report.
Chris Dempsey can be reached at 303-820-5455 or cdempsey@denverpost.com.
