Forgive me if the first few paragraphs of this week’s K-State Q&A mailbag makes it seem like I am president of The DJ Giddens Fan Club, but I am sick and tired of seeing people use the word “underrated” to describe the Big 12’s leading rusher.
The folks over at Pro Football Focus had this to say about Giddens earlier this week: “DJ Giddens is quietly one of the most elite running backs in the country.”
While I agree Giddens is elite, I feel the need to point out that there is nothing “quiet” about what he is doing on the football field. The senior running back from Junction City has rushed for 786 yards and two touchdowns on 108 carries this season. Only three players in all of college football (Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson and North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton) have put up better numbers.
On top of that, Giddens has caught 10 passes for 129 yards and a score.
He has also eclipsed 200 all-purpose yards in consecutive games. His newfound ability to make people miss with juke moves in the open field has allowed him to break away for explosive runs this season.
I would argue he has loudly become one of the best running backs in the country.
No one should be surprised. Giddens put up big numbers as a workhorse runner last season on his way to 1,226 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Let’s not forget he also ran for 518 yards and six touchdowns when he was backing up Deuce Vaughn as a freshman.
Giddens is a quiet person who loves to go fishing more than anything else in the world. He doesn’t show much emotion. And he was a zero-star recruit coming out of high school. So I can see how some experts deemed him as a surprise player last season.
But Giddens has been good for a while now. If you’re just noticing him, you weren’t paying attention.
Rant over. Now let’s dive into your questions. Thanks, as always, for providing them.
Is the offensive line outperforming expectations or is DJ just that good? -@ChadFullington via X.
Yes.
One word is probably enough to answer that question, even though it came in two parts. The offensive line has been better than most expected and Giddens is forcing a ton of missed tackles. They have a symbiotic relationship.
The offensive line, especially with Conor Riley calling plays, has done a superb job of opening up holes for Giddens. But Giddens is doing an extraordinary job of making people miss.
Many safeties have tried to tackle him one-on-one this season, and Giddens has consistently broken their ankles.
Giddens is proving that he is more than just a power runner who gains yards between the tackles. He can also be an explosive runner who is capable of catching the ball out of the backfield.
Does this coaching staff decide DJ Giddens deserves more touchdowns? - @doctor_darrell via X.
It is a bit unusual to see Giddens run for so many yards and score so few touchdowns.
That should naturally even out as the season progresses.
The problem with offensive coordinator trying to create more touchdown opportunities for Giddens is that he likes to spread the ball around in the red zone. I don’t see that changing.
Avery Johnson and Dylan Edwards have both rushed for three touchdowns. Four different tight ends have caught touchdown passes. I won’t be shocked if he figures out a way for one his offensive linemen to get in the end zone. Unpredictability in the red zone seems to help the Wildcats.
How concerning is it that Kansas State ranks 15th in the Big 12 when it comes to both pass defense and pass efficiency defense? - Andrew B. via e-mail.
I’m not going to sit here and tell you it’s a good thing that K-State is allowing 268.2 passing yards per game. The Wildcats haven’t been able to stop explosive plays through the air all season. That is most definitely a problem.
Still, I don’t think it’s a major red flag for this team.
Believe it or not, the Wildcats are 3-0 when they allow more than 300 passing yards this season. They beat Tulane when Darian Mensah threw for 342 yards. They beat Oklahoma State when Alan Bowman threw for 364 yards. And they beat Colorado when Shedeur Sanders threw for 388 yards.
The one game K-State lost was at BYU when the Cougars only threw for 149 yards .
Go figure. I guess pass defense is overrated.
Here is what defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman had to say when I asked him about his secondary this week.
“It bothers me, but, at the same time, I think we’re doing the right thing in taking away what needs to be taken away,” Klanderman said. “That is Colorado’s identity. They are going to drop back and throw it 60 times. You know they’re going to get numbers ... I don’t think we’re necessarily doing anything wrong. I think we just need to be a little bit more smooth about how we do it.”
As long as K-State is stopping the run and the other team is forced (or willing) to become one dimensional with its passing offense then it’s not a huge deal for the Wildcats to give up big yardage. Bowman’s yards, in particular, meant nothing in a game that K-State won easily. He was only throwing because the Cowboys tried and failed to run the ball.
Colorado, perhaps foolishly, also tried to establish the run early on against K-State and then totally focused on passing in the second half.
When K-State knows the other team is going to pass that gives it an opportunity to get sacks and interceptions. The Wildcats have done a good job at both this season.
As long as that continues, the Wildcats can keep winning with a suspect pass defense.
Mr. Robinett, halfway through the season I recall K-State was picked high to win the Big 12 in preseason. But none of the players made the preseason All-Big 12 Team. Who would be on the All-Conference team at the halfway point? DJ? Mott? Garber? Godspeed. - @PowercatEng via X.
DJ Giddens deserves to be on the All-Big 12 Team right now.
He needs to keep putting up excellent numbers, because Cam Skattebo and Tahj Brooks are also excellent running backs. But if the season ended today I hope voters would favor the conference’s leading rusher.
Dylan Edwards would be a candidate as an all-purpose player, because he has helped K-State as both a running back and as a punt returner.
Brendan Mott currently leads the Big 12 in sacks, so he has an excellent shot at making the All-Big 12 team .
Hadley Panzer is also having a strong year on the offensive line, but I haven’t studied enough other offensive linemen in the conference to tell you where he ranks.
Who in the Big 12 has the toughest remaining football schedule? - @RobHud3 via X.
You could made a strong case for Iowa State, which is bad news for everyone in the Big 12 currently trying to catch the undefeated Cyclones.
- UCF
- Texas Tech
- at Kansas
- Cincinnati
- at Utah
- Kansas State
Matt Campbell’s team should be favored in all six of their remaining games, four of which will be played at home. The cherry on top here is that one of Iowa State’s “road” games will be played against Kansas in Kansas City. Will anyone be surprised if Iowa State has a fan advantage at that game?
What is the over/under on Brett Yormark becoming the next CEO of LIV Golf? Brett has created tremendous value for the conference in his brief tenure during the latest conference realignment process. The Saudi PIF seemingly has unlimited money to acquire talent. - @shanekrull1 via X.
I’m not worried about Yormark leaving the Big 12 to replace Greg Norman as the CEO of LIV Golf.
The report linking Yormark to LIV noted that the Big 12 commissioner declined to pursue the job opening.
That being said, if he were to leave the Big 12 I think the conference would be well-positioned to hire a great replacement. The league is in a good spot behind the Big Ten and SEC right now.
Why does football allow its players to compete in four games and still redshirt, but we can’t do one game for basketball? What would your preference be? Do you think either of them get changed (seems like FB might with mid-season opt outs)? - @garretts_myth via X.
I don’t understand why those sports treat redshirts differently, either.
My solution would be to give every college athlete five years of eligibility and get rid of redshirts. That would solve a lot of problems.
Will the B12 tiebreaker process end up with the right teams in the title game? Three weeks in and it may end up with three teams one loss bunched together. Do you like the no-pod, no division look? - @abe_smith via X.
This seems like an excellent question for Future Kellis.
I’m not ready to project tiebreakers between three and four teams with half the season remaining. You’re right, though. Things could get messy if, say, we have a tie between BYU, Iowa State, K-State and Texas Tech. Unbalanced scheduling will make tiebreakers very awkward in a 16-team conference.
Let’s just hope the Big 12 doesn’t have to make up rules as we go along this year.
If you’re on the football field during a game, will you take a selfie with us? - @bfullingt1 via X.
Well, it wouldn’t be nearly as cool as the impromptu selfie that Avery Johnson took with fans on the sideline during last week’s game at Colorado, but the answer is yes. I would never decline that type of request.
It would probably have to be before the game or after the press conference, though. Unless K-State is winning by 50 I’m usually busy in the press box writing up takeaways until the final whistle.
Local News
