Kansas State still adjusting to heavy COVID numbers; Lincoln Riley says, 'I can relate'

As Big 12 Conference play begins, K-State's Chris Klieman and OU's Lincoln Riley face the daunting task of preparing their teams with a limited and shifting complement of players

Kansas State pulled off the shocker over Oklahoma in 2019 because first-year coach Chris Klieman was able to get his team to forget who they were playing and just focus on themselves.

In 2020, the goalposts have moved. Actually, any goalposts teams think they had might not even be there any more.

Motivation has changed. Practice and preparation and getting people ready to play an actual game has changed. Everything has changed.

“We were excited because we were able to get 12 kids back on Monday after (a 35-31 loss to Arkansas State in the season opener,” Klieman said on Monday during the Big 12 coaches teleconference. “Lo and behold, we’ve lost another 10 to contact tracing or positives over the past week. So you take two steps forward and you end up taking a step-and-a-half or two back.”

Forget about shocking the world. It may or may not happen. Klieman is certainly hoping for it this week when the Wildcats travel to Norman for the Big 12 Conference opener. But it’s not something he’s focused on. Not in this climate.

“Last week we broke off into scout teams and we had a tight end playing tackle, we had a fullback playing guard, and a defensive end playing the other tackle because we were just down that many numbers. That’s everybody, not just K-State. I’m cautiously optimistic. We get a couple more kids back, but we have two more tests this week.”

Coaches are creatures of habit. When something doesn’t work, they are compelled to fix it. So how do coaches go about implementing change when they never know from one practice to the next which players are available?

“That’s a good question,” Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said. “I can relate to several of those things that Chris said. I think everybody can right now. No, you just can’t do the things that we’re all so used to doing.”

Klieman took the more traditional approach before his team took down the Sooners 48-41 last year in Manhattan. Now, a traditional approach no longer applies to the situation.

It’s far too early to tell if this year’s K-State team has the kind of moxie that served them well against the Sooners in 2019.

“I don’t know this season, early on, where we’re at,” Klieman said. “But last year, my best recollection, I would say, is we basically said don’t worry about name on the front jersey. They’re a phenomenal football team. Phenomenal culture. All those things. We have to worry about what our name on the front does and just execute what we do, and not say, ‘Oh boy, you’re playing Oklahoma, School X, or whoever it maybe.

“Focus on what your job is and the task at hand that you have of making sure that, whether it’s a blocking scheme, whether it’s a coverage scheme, whatever it may be, don’t worry about who the opponent is, you’ve got to worry about taking care of your own business, and trying to do that for four consecutive days on Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, those practice days for us, to be able to have sound execution on Saturday.

“Can we do that this year? Who knows? We have to attack today and get through Monday and have a great Monday and stack that on top of Tuesday to give us any opportunity on Saturday against a terrific team on the road.”

Klieman explained that his team pushed the established thresholds — 53 players, seven offensive linemen, four defensive linemen, one quarterback— before their game against Arkansas State. He feels better about things going into the Oklahoma game — but it’s only Monday.

“We meet those thresholds to play as of Monday,” he said. “Where as of today, I hope we can still meet ‘em on Wednesday and Friday. Our kids want to play. Whether we’re down guys or not. But we also have to make sure it’s safe for the guys that are out there. And I know that everybody’s kind of waiting on this on a day-to-day basis.

“That’s the tricky part that all of us are dealing with. We don’t even have any tests today, but you have two kids that call in because they don’t feel well. Well, typically, if you call in and say you don’t feel well, we say, ‘Come see the doc, we’ll get you some medicine and we’ll get you back out for meetings and to practice.’ Well, if you call in now and you don’t feel good, man, we’re keeping you away until we can get you tested.

“It’s strange stuff.”

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