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KSU's Coffman seizes second chance at QB

Published 9/2/2010 in Sports

By ARNE GREEN

Special to The Telegram

MANHATTAN — Carson Coffman would like to believe he's a changed man.

If nothing else, winning then losing the Kansas State quarterback job last year gave him plenty to think about.

"For me personally, I think I struggled with pressure and confidence," said Coffman, now a fifth-year senior and again the Wildcats' starter for Saturday's season opener against UCLA. "Those are things that are tough to work on, but it's just a mental side of the game that I think I've improved on."

His first starting assignment lasted four games as the Wildcats went 2-2 with both victories coming against Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) opponents. Grant Gregory, a senior transfer from South Florida, took over for the Big 12 opener, led the Wildcats to a 24-23 victory over Iowa State and never let go.

"Coach told me that Wednesday before, but that caught me off guard big time," Coffman said of coach Bill Snyder's decision to make a change. "I didn't have any idea because the week before we had a big win versus Tennessee Tech (49-7) and I thought I played pretty well, and then I wasn't starting the next week.

"That hurt, but it happens."

It also made Coffman more determined to get it right the second time around. He had a solid spring, carving out a slim lead over sophomore Collin Klein and redshirt junior college transfer Sammuel Lamur, then gaining the starting nod.

"He just kept his head in there and day in and day out just kept grinding it out," sophomore fullback Braden Wilson said of Coffman. "He's really coming along and he's doing a great job for us.

"I could actually see (losing the job) being a benefit for him because he realized that he just had to work that much harder for it. You can just tell he doesn't want that to happen to him again, so he's going to do everything in his power to not let it."

Coffman insists he's more confident and more comfortable as he prepares for the UCLA game, scheduled for 2:30 p.m. at Snyder Family Stadium.

"Week one last season I just didn't know what to expect," he said. "It was my first time ever starting and there was a lot of pressure on me.

"This week I just feel a little more confident and know what to expect."

Senior offensive guard Zach Kendall has seen it throughout preseason camp.

"When he calls the huddle up, you don't see that look in his eyes anymore," Kendall said. "He's calm, sometimes he's smiling with us and it's fun."

Last year, after the initial rush, was not much fun for Coffman. But he got high marks from Snyder for his willingness to help Gregory, who had arrived at K-State mere days before the start of camp.

"He really tried to help Grant with getting familiar with the system and I think that is what good caring teammates do," Snyder said. "He is certainly one of those.

"I think Carson had an impact on how well Grant played."

Coffman admits it wasn't always easy.

"In the back of my mind I kind of wanted him to play bad so that I could get that shot," he said. "But I was just thinking if that was me in that situation, what would I want my teammates to do, so I just kind of gutted it out and helped him because that's the right thing to do."

Painful as it was, he even recounted the story during a recent team meeting.

"I really gained a lot more respect for him for saying that, because most people that lose their spot probably just go off in their own little corner and do their own thing," said junior defensive back David Garrett. "That's one thing about him.

"He's worked hard, he's not going to miss a rep in anything, he's going to be at every practice and he's going to own up to it if he messes up."

Coffman, who had not yet secured the starting job at the time, said his message to the team was simple

"Basically the theme behind the story was just being a good teammate and putting the team ahead of yourself," he said.

Though Coffman seldom lets down his guard in public - an exception was last month's fan appreciation day when the team captains addressed the crowd and he pretended his microphone didn't work - teammates know him as a bit of a prankster.

"He's probably the funniest kid on the team and no one really knows it," Kendall said with a laugh. "He's fantastic.

"You'll be in a regular conversation with him and all of a sudden he'll start telling you this story that's a complete fabrication. It's just a story and it's not until halfway through the story you pick it up."

Coffman also has entertained them with his photo shop skills, posting pictures of teammates in the locker room. And last spring he got tight end Jeron Mastrud, his roommate, without Mastrud knowing it.

"We had a sports banquet and I accepted an award for Jeron, an academic award," Coffman recalled with a smile. "I got up there and acted like I was him and was being arrogant, 'I'm Jeron Mastrud and I'm the best ever, blah, blah, blah.'

"People got a kick out of that. We were talking about it earlier and probably half the people in there thought I was Jeron Mastrud."

But Coffman said when it comes to his mischievous side, he tries to pick his spots.

"I probably don't come off to you guys (as funny), but I try to lighten the mood in the locker room a lot and keep things fun," he said. "I think some of the jokes and some of the things I've done, I don't know if coach Snyder likes them too much.

"That's why I'm not like that with you guys probably."

Besides, Coffman knows he has his detractors among skeptical K-State fans who fear a repeat of last season.

"It bothers me a little bit," he said. "They don't really know what's going on.

"For those people out there who are saying that, it just gives me motivation to prove them wrong."

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