Note: Starters are bolded, stats from Pro Football Focus and ESPN
Wendell Gregory: Snaps– 50 – Tackles– 2 – T.F.L.– 1
Jordan Allen: Snaps– 39 – Tackles– 1
Darien Whitaker Jr.: Snaps– 32 – Tackles– 2 – T.F.L.– .5
Jayden Bryant: Snaps– 20 – No Stats
Kamari Burns: Snaps– 22 – Tackles– 4 – T.F.L.– .5
Travis Bates: Snaps– 53 – Tackles– 5 – T.F.L.– .5
Eli Jackson: Snaps– 26 – Tackles– 5 – T.F.L.– .5
De'Arieun Hicks: Snaps– 13
Grade:B+
That was a much better game from the defensive line, and that starts with Travis Bates. I've been waiting for this level of activity all season. Kansas State is giving up size on the interior, but Bates can overcome that if he uses his quickness and tenacity to beat opposing guards and centers and find the ball. That's what he did on Saturday, recording a season-high 5 tackles, 2 of which were "stops," and 3 quarterback pressures. That's far and away his most productive game.
Nose tackle Kamari Burns also stepped up with his best game of the season. He was more active on the interior, and while he only had 11 snaps of run defense, his average tackle depth was -1 yard.
Eli Jackson has taken over the starting role from Burns, and the late-roster addition from junior college continues to shine. Kansas State would be in a much worse spot if they hadn't snagged Jackson at the last possible moment. He was in the middle of seemingly every tackle when he was on the field, and even helped out some in the pass rush.
While the interior was more active, the defensive ends were key to this performance. Wendell Gregory is the talent on this defense. He's destined for the NFL and needs to play like it week in and week out, despite being the top line on every K-State scouting report. He played like a future NFL player on Saturday. Even though he didn't technically record a sack, PFF credited him with 5 quarterback pressures and 2 hits. He lived in the Kansas backfield and was credited with 2 "stops" in run defense, with an average tackle depth of -1 yard. That's the type of disruption this defense needs out of their star player.
Gregory wasn't alone in getting after the quarterback either. Jordan Allen finally showed up and showed out, with a season-best 4 quarterback pressures and a quarterback hit. Darien Whitaker Jr. returned to his early-season form with an additional 4 pressures. Then there's Jayden Bryant. Even though he didn't play as much as the other three defensive ends I listed, he made the most of every snap. In 13 pass-rush opportunities, he pressured the quarterback 3 times, including a hit. All combined, the defensive end position was responsible for 15 quarterback pressures.
This was a bounce-back performance for a group dominated by both Cincinnati and Houston.
Gabe Powers: Snaps– 56 – Tackles– 1
Weston Polk: Snaps– 1
Mekhi Mason: Snaps– 43 – Tackles– 5
Rex Van Wyhe: Snaps– 22 – Tackles– 2
Grade:B-
The linebacker stats look a little strange. I was surprised Powers had only 1 tackle, but then I realized he spent 32 of his 56 snaps in coverage and allowed only 1 reception, which he promptly stopped at the line of scrimmage. I do wonder if he is still a little nicked up from last week because he wasn't nearly as active in the run game and missed a team-high 2 tackles.
Meanwhile, his fellow starting linebacker, Mekhi Mason, was free to attack the quarterback. Mason was tied with Gregory for the team lead in quarterback pressures with 5. They blitzed him 5 times, and he got after the quarterback every time. In run defense, his 5 tackles all occurred at or slightly past the line of scrimmage. He played a more attacking role than I've seen this season, and he produced results. Against Cinci and Houston, the Kansas State linebackers were getting hit. In this game, they did the hitting.
Rex Van Wyhe continues to do a good job against the run, but let's just say his coverage skills leave something to be desired. Kansas did their best to target him when he was in the game.
Powers struggled but held up well in pass coverage, and Mason thrived around the line of scrimmage. The Kansas State linebackers didn't play their best, but this performance was far from their worst.
JoJo Scott: Snaps– 64- Tackles– 1 – Targeted– 3 – Rec Al. – 0
Donovan McIntosh: Snaps– 47 – Tackles– 3 – Targeted– 4 – Rec Al.– 2 – Yds– 23 – Td– 1
Nick McClellan: Snaps– 44 – Tackles– 3 – T.F.L.– 2 – Targeted– 4 – Rec Al.– 1
Zashon Rich : Snaps– 31 – Tackles– 1 – T.F.L.– 1 – Sacks– 1 – Targeted– 1 – Rec Al.– 0
Ben Osueke: Snaps – 4
Nick McClellan: Snaps– 44 – Tackles– 3 – T.F.L.– 2 – Targeted– 4 – Rec Al.– 1
Corner Grade:A
What a difference a week makes. I thought Zashon Rich looked a little nonchalant against Houston. His coverage was uncharacteristically soft, and he didn't tackle well. The coaches may have noticed too, since the longtime starting corner began the game on the bench.
While Rich didn't start, Kaleb Patterson, a starter in the first 5 games, didn't get off the bench. Whatever the defensive staff saw on the Houston tape was bad enough to warrant a total revamp at the position. Freshman Nick McClellan replaced Rich in the starting lineup, with JoJo Scott moving from slot corner to the outside. Donovan McIntosh stepped in at the other starting spot.
Combined, the new starting secondary allowed 3 receptions for 45 yards, which included Scott pitching a shutout. Even better, Rich came off the bench, didn't allow a reception (he was flagged for a penalty), and looked more engaged. It will be interesting to see if the changes stick against Arizona State.
Koy Beasley: Snaps– 64 – Tackles– 2 – Targeted– 2 – Rec Al.– 1 – Yds– 22
Adrian Maddox: Snaps– 8 – No Stats
Logan Bartley: Snaps– 64 – Tackles– 9 – Targeted– 6 – Rec Al.– 4 – Yds– 46
Safety Grade:A-
Wendell Gregory stepped up on the defensive line. Mekhi Mason stepped up at linebacker. JoJo Scott stepped up at corner, and Logan Bartley played the best game of his career at safety. Bartley plays like a linebacker who someone left in the dryer a little too long. Outside of Mason, he may be the most physical defender on the field. He led the team in tackles, including a couple that involved stopping the Kansas runner in a very abrupt and, from my vantage point at home on the couch, painful manner.
Kansas targeted him more than any other defender in coverage, and while he allowed 4 receptions and 2 first downs, his late-game endzone interception was a deciding factor in the outcome. The defense needed someone to step up and make a play, and Bartley delivered.
Koy Beasley and Bartley made a solid pairing in this game. Bartley plays more like a linebacker than a safety, and Beasley plays more like a corner than a safety, with his elite speed and smaller stature. I like Beasley much better when teams aren't attempting to run the ball down Kansas State's throat. When the opposition wants to pass, defensive coordinator Jordan Peterson can play Beasley as a single high safety, spin Bartley down into the box, and blitz linebacker Mekhi Mason.
I've been critical of Beasley over the previous 2 games because he's not a good run defender. He missed 2 tackles in this game, which is why I'm dropping this grade to an A- instead of an A, but his back-end coverage lets the defense play more aggressively up front. Keeping a lid on the opposing offense doesn't show up on the stat sheet, but it's key to a successful defense.
Bartley and Mason filled up the stat sheet because Beasley provided the deep coverage.
