Conor Riley has been with KSt head coach Klieman for a dozen years now, going back to their NoDakSt days — nearly all of which has involved the rushing attack on offense, with OL responsibility until this past year when promoted to OC.

The passing game coordinator is our buddy Matt Wells, by way of USU, TTech, and with the Sooners until this year when he joined the KSt staff.

Hill has proven to be the real deal by putting together a defense that shows both discipline and aggression. He took SMU by complete surprise, and it will be a great credit to him if he can produce a similar game design that takes away the strength of the opposing offense.

KSt has the horses on the line and in the backfield to control the game on the ground, and they have multiple years of proven success with their style. It would be asking for the moon to hope to rattle them to the degree that the SMU passing offense was erased. But I hope we can neutralize it enough that their running game is only a mild advantage, rather than the critical factor. If Hill’s D can do that, I think the other elements of the game have a shot to pull us ahead.