Kansas State's Collin Klein Is The Big 12's Unheralded Star

He isn't the most hyped player in the Big 12 this season, but Collin Klein is demanding that you take notice. Everyone agrees that Robert Griffin III is the best player in the Big 12. He wrapped up all the awards weeks ago and is now starting to show off. That being said, people are not taking proper notice of the amazing season Collin Klein is having for the K-State Wildcats. So let's play a fun game of Name that Quarterback.

QB #1 Stats:
Passing: 129 of 219 - 58.9% for 1,504 yards 10 TDs & 5 INT
Rushing: 241 attempts for 1,009 yards and 24 TDs

QB #2 Stats:
Passing: 105 of 189 - 55.6% for 1,510 yards 7 TDs & 10 INT
Rushing: 203 attempts for 1,115 yards and 18 TDs

So who do you like better?  Before you answer that what if I told you QB #1 still had 2 games left to play?  Then hands-down QB #1 is the guy you take, right?  I'm sure you figured out that QB #1 is Collin Klein.  The kicker of this exercise is the numbers for QB #2 are those of former Nebraska QB Eric Crouch in his Heisman winning season. 

Clearly I am not saying that Collin Klein should be winning the Heisman this season. Everyone knows that Andrew Luck had that award in the bag since he decided to not enter the NFL draft last season. I am willing to bet that Collin Klein isn't even invited to New York for the award ceremony. If I had to bet money I would say Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Kellen Moore, Brandon Weeden, and Justin Blackmon would all be invited to New York before Collin Klein.  It's sad, but that's the way things work. K-State's success this season is directly related to the remarkable numbers that Klein is putting up this season. 

So Collin Klein is having an amazing season, a showing like no one expected from him or from K-State this season.  The question has to be asked; how did Carson Coffman play over Collin Klein last season? Seriously. I watched several KSU games last season, and seeing Collin Klein sit behind Carson Coffman is truly one of the greatest coaching gaffes I have seen. Iam a fan of the genius of Bill Snyder, but he completely missed the boat on that one.

I know Coach Snyder's reason had to do with rewarding the senior player who also grasped the playbook better, but Coach Snyder's mindset cost his team wins last season. Starting Klein against Nebraska would not have stopped the beatdown that the Huskers put on KSU but it would have tilted contests against Baylor, Oklahoma State, and Missouri. In those games the Wildcats were walking in with a knife to a gunfight at the QB position. KSU wouldn't have won all those games necessarily but they may have won at least one of them.

Again, I am not trying to say that Collin Klein is the end-all be-all at the QB position in the Big 12. I had someone tell me that he has a slight hitch in his throwing motion the other day to which I retorted by saying that if that's a slight hitch then George Costanza has a slight issue with hair loss. When people begin to praise Bill Snyder and the success of his team this season they need to give a lot of praise to their starting QB as well. It isn't pretty but it doesn't have to be pretty in order to give some due credit to the underrated superstar, Collin Klein.