Kansas State Football: Will Wildcats bounce back in 2019?

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NORMAN, OK – OCTOBER 15: The Kansas State Wildcats mascot Willie performs during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners October 15, 2016 at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated Kansas State 38-17. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) *** local caption *** /

Wildcats offense aims to improve

Kansas State’s offense struggled last year, finishing last in the Big 12 in scoring (22.5 points per game), passing yards, and total yards.

The Wildcats return several key wide receivers and junior quarterback Skylar Thompson. New offensive coordinator Courtney Messingham will try to build on the success he found with Chris Klieman in Fargo, N.D., where he also dialed up plays.

NDSU averaged 471 yards of total offense and scored nearly 42 points per game in 2018, the latter mark ranking as the sixth-best in country while playing the FCS’s best teams. The Bison also averaged 286 yards on the ground per game under Messingham.

Kansas State loses its top offensive playmaker last season in running back Alex Barnes. The junior led the Big 12 in rushing on the season with 1,355 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging 5.3 yards per carry.

The Wildcats have several options to try to replace Barnes. First and foremost will be James Gilbert, a graduate transfer from Ball State who rushed for 2,806 yards in his career with the Cardinals.

K-State’s second and third leading rushers from 2018 were two quarterbacks, interestingly enough, in Thompson and his backup, Alex Delton. The pair combined for 607 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. That trend is not expected to continue in Messingham’s new system.

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