Huskers must contain Freeman

Nebraska returns to action Saturday when it travels to Manhattan to take on the Kansas State Wildcats.

The game is set for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff and will be televised on a Pay-Per-View basis. The Huskers have reached bowl eligibility with a record of 6-4, while the Wildcats are struggling with a record of 4-6.

Kansas State will be looking for a new coach for the 2009 season as current coach Ron Prince won’t return to run the football program next season. Nebraska had its biggest win last year over the Wildcats 73-31. The Huskers have won the last three games in the series and leads the all time matchup 75-15-2.

The Wildcats’ key offensive player is quarterback Josh Freeman (6-feet-6, 250 pounds, Junior), who’s a talented athlete that originally committed to Nebraska before changing his mind to play at Kansas State. Freeman is solid both running and throwing the football and leads the team with 369 yards and 14 touchdowns rushing. His passing numbers are also impressive. On the season, Freeman is completing 59.9 percent (200-of-334) of his passes with 15 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He passes for over 255 yards per game. If Freeman plays well, the Wildcats will stay in the game.

The running game has not been as productive as Wildcat fans would like. Two backs do the job on the ground for Kansas State. Lamark Brown (6-3, 225, So.) has the size to be effective running the ball. He averages 41 yards per game with four touchdowns. Logan Dold (6-0, 195, Fr.) is more of the speed back in the Wildcat ground attack. He averages 37 yards per game with three scores. As a team they average 136 yards per game running the ball.

The receivers are a dangerous group for Kansas State. The big-play man is Brandon Banks (5-7, 142, Jr.). While he is small in stature, he can score from anywhere on the field in having 57 catches for 917 yards and eight scores this season. Those totals lead all Kansas State receivers. His speed will be something the Blackshirts always have to account for. Tight end Jeron Mastrud (6-6, 253, Jr.) is a big target for the Wildcats. He has 36 grabs for 412 yards on the season. Aubrey Quarles adds 34 receptions to the Kansas State passing game. Another wide receiver, Deon Murphy (5-10, 170, Jr.) has 30 catches and four touchdowns. This group has the potential to cause problems for the Husker defense.

The Kansas State offensive line has the job of keeping pass rushers away from Freeman. His athleticism helps the offensive line keep their sack total low. For the season the Wildcats have only allowed 11 sacks. As a group this is one of the lightest lines the Huskers will see all season long. Center Jordan Bedore (6-3, 310, Sr.) is a quality leader for an otherwise young group. From tackle to tackle, Kansas State averages nearly 6-5 and 291 pounds per man. The Nebraska defensive front should have an advantage against this unit for Kansas State.

Defensively, the Wildcats have struggled recently. Kansas State allows 210 yards per game on the ground and 240 yards through the air per game. The Wildcats employ a 3-4 look on defense. The leader of the defense is senior end Ian Campbell (6-5, 255), who has the talent to play next year on Sundays. He leads the team with 4.5 sacks and is second on the team with eight tackles for losses.

The leader of the linebackers is junior Ulla Pomele (6-1, 228) who is third on the team with 52 total tackles. The linebackers will be tested because Nebraska will likely really look to utilize their running game against an opponent that gives up a lot of yards on the ground.

The secondary doesn’t have a great deal of experience. The group has two main leaders. Cornerback Joshua Moore (5-11, 184, So.) leads the team with 60 total tackles. He also paces the team with two interceptions. Strong safety Courtney Herndon (6-0, 211, Jr.) is second on the team with 53 total stops. Overall, the defense has some holes the Nebraska offense should be able to take advantage of.

Kansas State has some playmakers on special teams. Banks and Quarles are very good kickoff returns. Murphy and Herndon both have returned punts for touchdowns. Kicker Brooks Rossman (6-0, 182, Sr.) is 8-of-11 (72.7 percent) on field goals including a 53-yarder. The punting game is unsettled for the Wildcats. George Pierson (6-0, 201, Jr.) and D. J. Fulhage (5-9, 180, So.) split time as the punter. The Wildcats average 37.4 yards per punt. This area appears to be an even matchup between the two teams.

Nebraska appears to be the better football team in recent weeks. The loss of Cody Glenn will hurt the team speed of the Husker defense. Kansas State has nothing to lose and may play well at home. The Nebraska offense has a major edge over the Wildcat defense. Josh Freeman’s athletic ability will keep this game close into the fourth quarter. I look for Nebraska to defeat Kansas State by a score of 42-31 Saturday.

Jim Dolezal is a local Husker football fanatic as well as a part-time sports writer for the Telegram. He will analyze the Huskers’ opposition from a hometown perspective every Thursday throughout the season.