#13 Kansas State Wildcats

Team MVP: Nobody will argue the point that Darren Sproles is the best and most important player on this team. Sproles was close to posting 2,000 yards rushing last year and with a new quarterback in the fold his running will be even more important in 2004. Sproles will make a serious push for the Heisman if the Wildcats are in the top 10 at seasons end.

Quarterback: Ell Roberson was the starter for four years and now he is gone. Dylan Meier should take over although there is competition from a number of players. Meier must improve his accuracy and he has not shown the ability to throw on the run consistently. What Meier has is more size than a player like Ell Roberson who constantly seemed to be nursing nagging injuries.

Running Back: Sproles is the man here and nobody will say otherwise. Carlos Alsup is the backup and he is a player that offers some nice hands out of the backfield. What I really like about the Kansas State backfield is that they have a pair of capable fullbacks. Victor Mann and Ayo Saba are great blockers that just seem to be an extension of the offensive line. Look for these guys to get some carries near the goal line and in short yardage situations.

Wide Receiver/Tight End: Antoine Polite is the returning starter of the bunch but look for Davin Dennis to lead this team in receptions. Polite and Dennis both have good size and have speed but neither seem to work the middle of the field well. I think sophomore Jermaine Moreira is the up and coming player in the receiving corp and is the third option to watch for. I also think Moreira is the best blocking receiver of the group even though he is the smallest in stature at 5-11. Brian Casey is back at tight end but his job is to seal the corner for Sproles and get the occasional red zone look.

Offensive Line: While Sproles is very valuable to this team I feel his numbers could dip a bit and it has more to do with the offensive line than the departure of Roberson at quarterback. Jon Doty looks like the most consistent performer on the line at left tackle but overall this unit has some question marks. Malcolm Woodbridge is the largest starter on the line at 320 playing left guard but I have some questions about his leverage and use of hands. The Wildcats need more consistent play this season from center Mike Johnson.

Defensive Line: The strength of this team will be up front and stopping the run. Jermaine Berry is a player who excels at stuffing the run and he can be moved around the line. Scott Edmonds figures to have a big season at defensive end. Kevin Huntley plays the other defensive end spot and at 6-8 he can shut down a passing lane.

Linebacker: There is a lot of turnover for the Wildcats here with Josh Buhl and Bryan Hickman gone. Ted Sims is the lone returning starter but Maurice Thurmond has a lot of experience and Brandon Archer has the potential to be a playmaker down the road.

Secondary: Cedrick Williams doesn’t look physically imposing when you see his 166-pound stature but he is one of the best man-to-man cover corners around. Byron Garvin could win the other cornerback spot as a freshman, look for he and senior David Rose to battle for the spot right up until the first game against Western Kentucky. Marcus Patton and Jesse Tetuan give the Wildcats the physicality they need from the safety spots.

Special Teams: Kansas State would be wise to find someone else to handle the return duties with Sproles being the star on offense. Look for Jermaine Moreira and freshman Bryan Baldwin to be the most likely players to fill that role. Joe Rheem is an extremely accurate kicker who has more leg than he is given credit for.

Final Thoughts: I don’t think this team will be winning the Big 12 Championship Game this year but they will be competitive and could see a Bowl Game on New Years. If all else fails Bill Snyder can do what he has done dozens of times in the past, recruit the best junior college players around.

-- DJ Boyer