Tulsa World: Wildcats armed at quarterback

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Wildcats armed at quarterback
K-State's Gregory is efficient passer who will run, too.

Oklahoma's Brian Jackson and Travis Lewis celebrate with defensive coordinator Brent Venables after their football game. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World

By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
Published: 10/30/2009 2:22 AM
Last Modified: 11/1/2009 6:11 PM

NORMAN — Brent Venables has a word for Josh Freeman, the Kansas State quarterback who strafed Oklahoma for 478 yards and three touchdowns last October in Manhattan: "creature."

"It was like one of our defensive ends playing quarterback," said Venables, the Sooners' defensive coordinator, "with a huge arm."

Now, Freeman gets to unleash his 6-6, 250-pound mass on the NFL. He'll start his first game for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Nov. 8 against Green Bay.

That leaves Kansas State coming to OU with a new quarterback, Grant Gregory, playing for a new coach (sort of) who has different ideas about what a QB should do.

Bill Snyder has replaced Ron Prince, and he tries using the quarterback run game much as he did throughout his first stint with the Wildcats.

"Quarterback powers and counters," Venables said.

Gregory can throw — he's second in Big 12 Conference play in passing efficiency — but he'll be asked to run. He has just 12 fewer rushing attempts than passing ones.

"Coach Snyder is always going to have a runner and a thrower, somebody that can run a very complex offense," Venables said. "They will always want to be right on offense, and that takes somebody that mentally can accept that challenge. For you to be the starter at Kansas State says you're pretty good."

Gregory isn't in the same class as Ell Roberson, who totaled 372 yards against one of OU's best defenses in 2001, or Michael Bishop, the All-American who took K-State to the

brink of a national championship.

"I remember when he came on the scene in '97, just totally wrecked shop on the entire Big 12," said Venables, a K-State assistant at the time. "Nobody had an answer for the guy. Those were good days. You know how much fun that is to watch happen? I mean, just brutalize people."

It won't be so much fun if Gregory or the Wildcats' running game brutalizes OU Saturday night. It's an unlikely prospect, given how angrily the Sooners' defense is playing, but Venables has enough respect for Snyder to realize it can happen.

"They force you to beat them fair and square," he said. "It's a game that will be pretty simple when it's all said and done. Why you won or why you lost will come down to fundamentals and basics of the game."

Banks on it: One very important element of last year's K-State offense remains — wide receiver Brandon Banks. The 5-7, 150-pound dynamo burned the Sooners for 145 yards last year, with 77 coming on a blitz-beating catch-and-run touchdown. "It doesn't take much. He just needs a sliver to get away and turn nothing into a whole lot of something," Venables said. "On special teams he's a game-changer, and at receiver whether he's catching a three-step pass or some kind of double move or going over the top on a post. We're going to have our hands full to try to contain him. There will be a few guys that have to cover him."

It will take a group effort covering Banks' kickoff returns as well, seeing as how he has brought back three for TDs this season to lead the nation.

Guerin Emig 581-8355
guerin.emig@tulsaworld.com By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer

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OU@BVAR, Bella Vista (10/30/2009 9:54:07 PM)

I think we have a good chance to stop them because our coaches know Snyder and respect him. We have a pretty good defense this year. Hope the offense has improved enough
Go Sooners

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