Team preview: Kansas State

The Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook previews the 2008 Kansas State Wildcats, exclusively on Insider.

Originally Published: July 17, 2008
Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook

Editor's Note: ESPN Insider has teamed with Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook to provide a comprehensive look at the Division I-A teams. To order the complete 2008 edition of Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook, visit www.blueribbonyearbook.com or call 1-866-805-BALL (2255).

(All information as of June 20, 2008)

COACH AND PROGRAM

After last year's poor job performance, Kansas State players got moved to the night shift this spring.

Third-year head coach Ron Prince ran practices from 8:30-10:30 p.m. to give players a chance to focus on schoolwork. He also closed the practices to the public to give players a chance to focus on football.

"You don't go out and play the way we played at the end of last year and feel like things are going to be status quo," he said. "I wasn't pleased with it at all. It's not acceptable. I'm not going to tolerate it."

The Wildcats, who closed 2007 with a four-game losing streak, received the motivational message loud and clear.

"We got home a little bit later, but it kept the guys from going out and doing anything so-called 'stupid.' It made it a positive experiment," senior defensive end Ian Campbell said.

Prince, 38, is one of the youngest Bowl Subdivision head coaches and one of just six African-Americans among 120 programs. He is 12-13 since replacing Bill Snyder. The Wildcats had a winning season and went to the Texas Bowl in 2006, then fielded a record-setting offense and celebrated a road victory at No. 7 Texas last year. His 12 wins in his first two seasons are tied for second-most in school history.


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