Welcome to Tuesday Takes, where I give you five takes from the Big 12. It was a jam-packed week full of action, but here were several things that caught my attention from this past weekend.
Kansas State is Done
I feel like I am a broken record at this point when talking about Kansas State. They are sitting at 1-3 midway through the month of September, and it feels like all hope is lost. Avery Johnson has regressed, the run game is non-existent, and the receivers aren’t on the same page as their quarterback.
On top of all that, the defense and special teams are just as bad as the offense. I just don’t understand how this team is this bad. Did the trip to Ireland mess them up? Or were expectations simply too high for this team? Either way, things aren’t going smoothly in Manhattan, Kansas, and if Chris Klieman and his staff don’t figure it out soon, then he may need to find another job.
Colorado Needs to Change Quarterbacks
Colorado’s decision to start Ryan Staub, a former third-string quarterback, against Houston last week was certainly interesting to say the least. And to nobody’s surprise, it didn’t work out well for the Buffaloes. Staub went 19/35 for 204 yards and two interceptions. The only thing I was surprised about was the fact that the coaching staff left him in the entire game without bringing in Kaidon Salter or Julian Lewis.
The problem with Colorado is that they struggle to run the football and don’t have many playmakers at receiver. So if the quarterback is getting no help, at least bring in someone who can make plays with his legs to move the chains.
Houston Will Make a Bowl Game
It’s just year two of the Willie Fritz era in Houston, and so far, I have been impressed with the Cougars. I knew their defense would be good as usual, but the addition of Connor Weigman at quarterback has provided a much-needed spark for the offense.
Against Colorado last week, Weigman as efficient in the passing game and scored twice on the ground. It’s been years since I have been impressed with a quarterback from Houston, and Connor Weigman will be the reason the Cougars are going bowling this season and will be competitive in the conference.
Rich Rod is the Right Man for the Job
Sometimes bringing back a head coach can be disastrous, and sometimes it’s the right move. After Saturday’s win over Pitt in the Backyard Brawl, I feel a whole lot better about West Virginia bringing back Rich Rodriguez to turn the program around.
Even after losing to Ohio and losing star running back Jahiem White, West Virginia came ready to play against Pitt and controlled the game with their physical presence up front. It may not always look pretty, but I love the hard hat and lunch pail attitude this program has under Rich Rod. The emotion he had after the game was incredible, and that is exactly what West Virginia has been missing over the years.
Arizona is Better than Expected
Coming into the season, I wasn’t sure if Brent Brennan would keep his job, and I didn’t think the Wildcats would even finish inside the top ten of the conference. But through the first few weeks of the year, I have been impressed with Arizona’s improvement so far.
Noah Fifita looks a lot more comfortable this season in the pocket. It’s probably because he isn’t back there running for his life anymore. Even though he doesn’t have a first-round pick at receiver out there like he did last year, it seems like he has more help overall.
Last season, Arizona couldn’t run the ball at all, and that has changed. Ismail Mahdi looks like an excellent running back, and he rushed for nearly 200 yards last week against Kansas State. Even the defense looks much improved from 2024. While I am not expecting this team to make it to Arlington, they aren’t going to be a pushover like they were last year.
