Tyler Lockett’s Important Touchdown Return

[Harry]

For our fifth installment of the 100 day countdown to kickoff against North Dakota State University, the number 96 represents the number of yards Tyler Lockett returned a kickoff for a touchdown against North Texas in one of the most overlooked yet pivotal plays of last year. Don’t believe me? Read on.

K-State started the 2012 football season with a bang, beating up on Missouri State, and then Miami 52-13 in a game that was a romp by the end of the first quarter. With a #15 national ranking and demolition of one of the nation’s most storied programs under its belt, the team approached practice with swagger. Unfortunately, it was too much swagger – coaches complained of missed tackles, poor blocking, and general lack of focus due to the belief that the Wildcats needn’t worry about a directional school like North Texas. Coach Bill Snyder remarked,

If you don’t prepare yourself well then most anything can happen. It was the attitude we took into the ballgame. There wasn’t anything else to blame it on.

So with four minutes left in the first quarter, an offense that had run roughshod over the Hurricanes was left with no points while North Texas had just completed an 11 play, 55 yard drive resulting in a 7-0 lead. At this point, K-State was being embarrassed in front of its home crowd. The team’s first possession was a three play, eight yard debacle. The second drive was worst – three-and-out for negative nine yards (the Wildcats finished with -1 net yard in the quarter).

Read more: http://jugofsnyder.com/2013/05/26/96-days-to-kansas-state-football-kick-off-tyler-locketts-important-touchdown-return/?utm_source=FanSided&utm_medium=Network&utm_campaign=Hot%2BTopics