Miller’s chance
to shine arrives
at Kansas State
By Trevor Parks
Senior Reporter
For Kansas State quarterback
Matt Miller, the time has come.
It is finally his time to lead
the Wildcats offense.
The past two seasons, Miller
watched from the sidelines as
quarterback Chad May threw for
5,063 yards.
That first season, Miller
watched while sitting out a year
as a transfer from Texas A&M.
Last year, Miller played in eight
games completing of 12 passes
for 37 yards.
Now the 6-foot-1,250-pound
senior will be the starting quar
terback when Kansas State opens
the season Sept. 2 in Manhattan
against Temple.
Miller said he had a choice of
what to do on the sidelines the
last two seasons watching May.
“You can look at my situa
tion two ways: You can stand
there and say I want to be out
there or you can sit on the side
line and learn something,” Miller
said, “that’s the way I went after
it.”
What Miller learned may be
the most important key in the
success of the Wildcat offense.
“I learned how to keep my
poise and how to be a good
leader,” Miller said. “He (May)
taught me how to read some de
fenses, and how to be a confi
dent quarterback.”
The San Diego native may
have learned something from
May. Miller had a successful
performance in the Kansas State
spring game. He threw for 181
yards completing 15 of 24 passes
and rushing seven times for 69
yards.
But Miller had a similar per
formance in the 1994 spring
game. Filling in for an injured *
May, he completed 16 of 23
passes for 199 yards and two
touchdowns.
Miller may be pushed this
season by junior college transfer
Cody Lee Smith. Smith, who
was an All-American an Mount
San Antonio, (Calif.) junior col
lege, has been bothered by an
assortment of injuries over the
past few months.
But once he returns to full
health, coach Bill Snyder said,
Smith will be more than an ad
equate backup for Miller.
Miller said his more versatile
game would give opponents
trouble instead of having them
focus on a dropback passer.
“It’s a good combination to
have,” Miller said. “I’m pretty
elusive, and that’s good. I’ll do
anything I can to get that first
down and get the job done.”
Miller, who is also a catcher
on the Wildcat baseball team,
said he knew there would be a
lot of pressure to fill May’s suc
cessful shoes.
“I think any time you’re in a
Top 20 program there is going to
be pressure on you,” Miller said.
“I mink it’s a good challenge.”
By Trevor Parks
Senior Reporter
Kansas State finally has reached a
level of success, but the W ildcats don’t
want to become too complacent.
In 1989 when Bill Snyder took over
the program, the Wildcats were com
ing off consecutive seasons without a
victory. Since then, the Wildcats are
36-31-1 and have gone to two bowl
games.
This year Kansas State wants to
continue to improve on its 1993 and
1994 combined record of 18-5-1.
But quarterback Chad May is gone.
Snyder said the loss of May would
put pressure on new quarterback Matt
Miller. Junior college transfer Cody
Lee Smith was supposed to challenge
Miller for playing time, but Smith is
still suffering from a stomach illness
that began in January.
“You don’t really replace an indi
vidual like Chad,” Snyder said. “Matt
needs some game experience, and there
is only one way to come by that, and
that’s why it will be so important in
non-conference.”
That non-conference schedule may
not adequately prepare Miller for the
tough Big Eight. The Wildcats play
host to Temple, Akron and Northern
Illinois and travel to Cincinnati.
Together those four teams com
bined for a record of 9-34-1 in 1994.
Although Snyder admitted the
schedule was weak, he said it should
help prepare his team before the Big
Eight season starts.
“We always schedule in the best
interest of our football team,” Snyder
said. “We’re very difficult to schedule
because a lot of teams don’t want to
come to Manhattan.”
•t With a new quarterback, Snyder
said, the defense may be called upon to
keep the Wildcats close in games this
season.
Kansas State returns eight starters,
four of which are part of what could be
l
1 I
WR 83 Kevin Lockett 6-0 175
LT 63 Chris Oltmanns 6-6 300
LG 68 Brian O'Neil 6-3 275
C 64 Jason Johnson 6-3 270
RG 74 Kendyl Jacox 6-2 295
RT 71 Scott Heun 6-4 295
TE 80 Brian Lojka 6-7 260
WR22 Jimmy Dean 5-10190
QB 6 Matt Miller 6-1 205
RB 24 Eric Hickson 5-10190
WR 89 Mitch Running 6-0 185
PK 39 Martin Gramatica5-9 160
_I
DE 44 NyleWiren 6-1 245
DT 92 Tim Colston 6-1 275
DT 98 Ray Eagle 6-2 275
DE 94 Dirk Ochs 6-4 250
LB 50 Travis Ochs 6-3 215
LB 8 DeShawn Fogle 6-2 235
LB 9 Percell Gaskins 6-1 215
CB 2 Chris Canty 5-10190
FS 4 Mario Smith 6-0 185
SS 21 Chuck Marlowe 6-1 190
CB 1 Joe Gordon 5-9 175
P 15 Scott Collins 5-8 180
Kansas State
1995 Schedule
Date: Opponent
Sept. 2 4 Temple
Sept. 9 at Cincinnati
Sept. 23 Akron
Sept. 30 Northern Illinois
Oct. 7 Missouri
Oct. 14 at Oklahoma State
Oct. 21 at Nebraska
Oct. 28 Kansas
Nov. 4 Oklahoma
Nov. 11 at Iowa State
Nov. 18 Colorado
one of the best secondaries in the
country.
Comerbacks Joe Gordon and Big
Eight defensive newcomer of the year
Chris Canty return with free safety
Mario Smith and All-Big Eight defen
sive back Chuck Marlowe.
That group led the Big Eight and
was seventh m the nation, allowing
94.3 yards passing per game.
Three of four starteis return on the
defensive line with two first team All
Big Eight selections, Nyle Wiren and
Tim Colston, leading the way. Joining
them up front are Ray Eagle and Dirk
Ochs.
The Imebacker position could be
the big question mark.
Only Percell Gaskins returns after
starting the last two seasons. Joining
him in die 4-3 defense will be junior
DeShawn Fogle and redshirt freshman
Travis Ochs.
Gaskins said he didn’t agree with
the idea that the defense may have to
carry the offense.
“Our offense can carry its own
weight,” Gaskins said. “Whenever the
defense has to go on the field, it’s our
DN graphic DN graphic
“We’re very difficult to schedule because a lot of
teams don’t want to come to Manhattan. ”
BILL SNYDER
Kansas State football coach
job to take care of our business.”
Snyder said the 1995 defense had
the potential to be very good.
“We have a chance to be a pretty
decent defensive football team,”
Snyder said. “However, depth can be
an issue at some spots.”
On offense seven starters return,
three of whom are the top returning
wide receivers in the big eight from
1994.
Kevin Lockett, Mitch Running and
Tyson Schwieger all return after com
bining for 1,588 yards on 114 recep
tions for 12 touchdowns. Tight end
Brian Lojka also returns.
On the offensive line three starters
return. Ross Greenwood and Chris
Oltmanns return to fill the left side
along with center Jason Johnson.
TTie right Side of the line should
include 1994 part-time starter Kendyl
Jacox and senior Scott Heun, who has
never started a game.
At running back three sophomores
will try to replace J.J. Smith’s 1,073
yards fromayear ago. Mike Lawrence,
Eric Hickson and Andre Anderson
should all see playing time but lack
experience with only 25 carriers be
tween them.
Snyder said this team had the po
tential to reach the level of a Nebraska
or Colorado this season.
“Every year is a different scenario
and we haven’t reached their level at
this time,” Snyder said. “I don’t know
when we will reach that level.”
I
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