This Week in Historical past (1997): Three QB’s battle for beginning spot

Throughout this week in 1997, School Soccer Corridor of Fame Coach Invoice Snyder needed to determine between three quarterbacks to start out for his ninth workforce at Kansas State. The three gamers up for the beginning place had been Adam Helm, Jonathan Beasley and Michael Bishop. 

Adam Helm

In his three years at Kansas State, Helm made 24 appearances, finishing 41-75 passing makes an attempt for a 54.7 % completion charge. The makes an attempt tallied to 489 yards, with zero touchdowns and three interceptions for a 101.4 profession passer score.

Sadly, his effort earned him a third-string quarterback place on the depth chart, behind what would turn out to be Okay-State legends. 

Jonathan Beasley

For those who analysis Jonathan Beasley within the Kansas State document guide, you’ll see his identify all over the place. The whole lot quarterbacks are accountable for, he cracked the highest 10: profession passing yards, profession passing touchdowns, single-season passing yards and single-season passing touchdowns.

Beasley’s listed as seventh in profession speeding touchdowns and fifth in single-season speeding touchdowns. He used his single-game speeding landing document of 5 to carry him to these heights.

Beasley appeared in 37 video games all through his 4 years with the Wildcats from 1996-2000 and recorded a profession passer score of 132.7. Nonetheless, the sophomore gunslinger solely obtained 9 passing makes an attempt because the back-up to Michael Bishop.

Michael Bishop

Lastly, we now have the primary ever Kansas State Heisman trophy finalist, Michael Bishop. As the primary Heisman finalist, Bishop often seems within the Wildcat document books, reaching eighth in profession passing yards, fourth for single-season passing yards and third in single-game passing yards.  

Bishop additionally torched single-season passing landing information. He sat in fourth with 36 profession touchdowns, 23 in his 1998 marketing campaign. The trouble launched him into second place for all-time single-season passing touchdowns. 

His ultimate document is being high 10 in speeding touchdowns, totaling 23 to land him ninth all-time in Okay-State historical past. After a really profitable two years at Kansas State, Bishop completed with a profession passer score of 147.2, larger than ring of honor candidates Colin Klein and Ell Roberson.

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Snyder’s Determination

Forward of the 1997 season, Coach Snyder relished every quarterback’s capabilities, acknowledging their strengths and struggles.

 “It’s obvious to all of us that all of them are succesful younger guys,” Snyder mentioned to the Mercury in 1997. “Every one has had his good days and every one has had his unhealthy days.” 

Snyder decided that might influence the whole season and arguably his profession by selecting Bishop because the starter transferring ahead. He threw for 1,557 yards and 13 touchdowns to cement his spot because the 1998 starter, and completed second in Heisman voting to Ricky Williams.