Steve Hebert/
Kansas State Collegian
KSU’S MICHAEL BISHOP
pushes off University of
Kansas strong safety
Michael Allen during
the fourth quarter at
KU’s Memorial Stadium.
Bishop gained 95 yards
rushing and two touch
downs and 225 yards
passing, including one
touchdown.
Bishop propels Cats to elite status
KSU Coach Snyder says decision to play transfer key to teams success in 1998
By David Wilson
Senior staff water
MANHATTAN, Kan. - It was sometime late in the sum
mer of 1997 when Kansas State Coach Bill Snyder realized
he'd have a good team in 1998.
The key ingredient was a junior college transfer quarter
back named Michael Bishop.
“We made a decision whether or not we’d redshirt
Michael Bishop or not." Snyder said. “That was probably the
defining factor - not necessarily for a national champi
onship, but that we had a chance to be a pretty' good football
team this year.’’
So far, so good.
The second-ranked Wildcats enter Saturday's matchup
with No. 11 Nebraska with an undefeated season on the line.
KSU hasn't defeated the Comhuskers since 1968.
Even Bishop - a guy who doesn’t really know how to
lose at the collegiate level - failed m his first attempt to beat
the Huskers. As a starter at Blinn (Texas) Community
College and in two seasons at Kansas State, Bishop is 44-1 as
q ctartm*
“This guy hates to lose.” KSU senior kicker Martin
Gramatica said. “It makes everybody feel the same.”
But Bishop's one loss, receiver Darnell McDonald said,
was a turning point for the 6-foot-1,205-pound signal caller.
Bishop, who completed eight of 24 passes against NU
last Oct. 4, called his teammates “quitters” following the 56
26 loss.
“After that game, he realized he needed to step up and be
our leader,” McDonald said.
Snyder, on the other hand, felt it would be best to keep
Bishop away from the media after the loss.
A similar restraint was placed by Snyder after an incident
prior to this season's Colorado game. Bishop relayed a quote
to the media from running back Frank Murphy, who was
returning from a suspension. Evidently, Snyder didn't
approve.
But being kept from the press hasn't kept Bishop, a
Heisman Trophy candidate, from leading Kansas State emo
tionally this season on and off the field.
"I feel if he is pumped up and ready to win, we all should
be,” McDonald said. “It makes us play a lot better.”
This season, Bishop ranks sixth in the nation in pass effi
ciency with 164.3 rating points, while leading an offense that
averages 477 total yards per game.
He has completed 113 of208 passes, and thrown just one
interception and tossed 18 touchdowns.
“He can not only pass the ball. He can also beat you with
the run,” NU linebacker Jay Foreman said. “He's definitely a
great player. He's the kind of guy the team
thnves on. Obviously, you have to con
tain him if you’re going to try to stop their
offense.”
Kansas State notes:
■ While KSU Coach Bill Snyder
emphasizes controlling emotion among
his football players, emotion is what
Wildcat kicker Martin Gramatica thrives
on - sometimes to excess.
Gramatica, who booted a 65-yard
field goal earlier this season - the longest
in NCAA history without a tee, missed a
25-yard attempt against Baylor last week.
The senior is now 15 of 21 for the season
after making 19 of 20 last year.
“1 know I can kick,” said Gramatica,
who celebrates after every successful
boot. “I just can't get too excited.
“When I miss, 1 try to forget about it
right away. I don’t let it affect my next
kick.”
Though he said he is excited for his
last chance to defeat Nebraska, the
Argentina native said he won’t let himself
- or his teammates - get too pumped for
Saturday’s game.
“You could get too excited to play
Nebraska, but we have a lot of seniors
that know how to stay focused,”
Gramatica said. “1 think the best thing 1
can do is just stay relaxed.”
■ Saturday will mark the last time 25 Kansas State
seniors will play a game at Wagner Field. The semors will be
honored in a pre-game ceremony that will take approximate
ly 4/2 minutes, Snyder said.
“I’m a man, and I’m sure I’ll shed a few tears,” said
Jeremy Martin, a 6-foot-4, 305-pound offensive lineman.
“But as far as team objectives, you can’t let emotions overrun
a game.”
I
Football Starters
* TV ABC
Nebraska starters ~ ^ 4 o i290am
90 3 KRNU
Offense Defense
Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt.
QB 7 Eric Crouch 6-0 200 LR 57 Chad Kelsay 6-3 250
IB 38 Dan Alexander 6-0 250 NT 99 Jason Wiltz 6-4 310
FB 45 Joel Makovicka 5-11 240 DT 91 Loran Kaiser 6-5 280
WB 5 Shevin Wiggins 5-11 200 RR 84 Mike Rucker 6-6 260
SE 6 Kenny Cheatham 6-4 210 SLB 37 Tony Ortiz 6-0 215
TE 88 Sheldon Jackson 6-4 245 MLB 44 Jay Foreman 6-1 240
LT 69 Adam Julch 6-5 315 WLB 27 Eric Johnson 6-1 205
LG 63 James Sherman 6-2 295 LCB 16 Erwin Swiney 6-0 185
C 59 JoshHeskew 6-3 290 FS 19 Clint Finley 5-11 200
RG 55 Russ Hochstein 6-3 280 ROV 21 Mike Brown 5-10 205
RT 65 Jason Schwab 6-1 300 RCB 22 Ralph Brown 5-9 180
PK 35 Kris Brown 5-10 205 P 23 Bill Lafleur 5-11 200
Kansas Si starters
Offense Defense
Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt.
WR 22 Aaron Lockett 5-7 155 DE 46 Joe Bob Clements 6-3 245
LT 76 Ryan Young 6-6 330 DT 56 Andrae Rowe 6-0 290
LG 73 Brien Hanley 6-2 325 DT 77 Damion McIntosh 6-4 290
C 58 Randall Cummins 6-3 285 DE 49 Darren Howard 6-4 270
RG 78 Jeremy Martin 6- 4 305 LB 50 Travis Ochs 6-3 225
RT 65 Thomas Barnett 6-5 300 LB 8 Jeff Kelly 6-0 245
TE 86 Justin Swift 6-3 250 LB 42 Mark Simoneau 6-0 230
QB 7 Michael Bishop 6-1 205 FS 1 Lamar Chapman 6-0 180
RB 24 Eric Hickson 5-8 200 CB 17 Gerald Neasman 5-9 180
FB 30 Brian Goolsby 6-2 250 SS 40 Jarrod Cooper 6-1 205
TE 86 Justin Swift 6-3 250 CB 35 Dyshod Carter 5-10 175
Jon Frank/DN
