ESPN College Football

Experience might be a little overrated, especially when a talented replacement is waiting in the wings.

But that didn't make Kansas State coach Ron Prince's quarterback decision any easier to make after his first conference game.

KSU floundered in a 17-3 loss at Baylor, as freshman phenom Josh Freeman completed only 11 of 33 passes and was intercepted three times in a sputtering relief performance.

Steady senior Dylan Meier won the starting job in training camp and led the Wildcats to a 3-2 start. Prince knew that switching to Freeman would pay long-term dividends by getting him on the field and rushing him into some early playing experience. But it wasn't expected to result in immediate success while Freeman learned.

"I hoped that Dylan would be able to do the things to help us to win," Prince said. "But in seeing what Josh could do in practice and the throws he could make, I knew we needed to get him in there. There might be some rocky moments along the road. But I thought our best chance for success would be by putting him in there."

KSU, picked to finish last in the Big 12's North Division in virtually every preseason poll, likely will go bowling for the first time since its Big 12 championship season of 2003. The Wildcats still have a slim hope of claiming the North Division championship heading into Saturday's game against South Division leader Texas.

The quarterback switch was the biggest change, but it was only part of a massive midseason offensive overhaul by Prince. Three new starters were added on the offensive line and a new tandem was installed at tailback.

"I could see the improvement with those guys in practice," Prince said. "I thought if I added them to the lineup, we would have a chance to get better as the season went on."

The changes have led to steady improvement for the Wildcats in conference play. Back-to-back wins over Iowa State and Colorado in the last two games have led to unexpected bowl eligibility. While their 6-4 mark (3-3 Big 12) may be as attributable as much to the weak state of play in the North Division as anything else, it still is much better than most expected before the season.

"There's been a host of things, down to small details, to get us there," Prince said. "Some of these seniors have been part of a Big 12 championship, but the circumstances the last couple of years haven't built a lot of confidence for them. There have been a lot of little things, but I don't know if there has been one major thing that has added to our efforts. We still have plenty of improving to do."

After struggling much of the season, Freeman responded by completing 22 of 26 passes in the Wildcats' victory at Colorado this past week. His big game was a surprise, as he didn't realize his statistics were that strong until after the game.

"I wasn't even paying attention to that," Freeman said. "We got on them pretty quickly and we had a lot of early success. When they told me my numbers, I didn't really believe it. It was a good day and the receivers made some great plays."

His big game is a huge turnaround from some of Freeman's early struggles, which mirrored the KSU offense. Left for dead after producing three offensive touchdowns in a four-game span earlier this season, the Wildcats erupted for a season-best 439 yards against the Buffaloes.

In his past two games, Freeman has completed 36 of 46 passes for 412 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Before that, he had completed only 41 percent of his passes with no TD passes and eight picks.

"I don't exactly know what's caused it," Freeman said. "We're just playing good football and everything has starting clicking for us."

Prince said he expected Freeman's improvement.

"When he arrived, we recognized he was a very gifted player," Prince said. "I knew from recruiting him what he could do for us and the element he would bring to our team. It was just a matter of growing him into the system."

Freeman, a 6-6, 238-pounder, has a blend of size and speed that is unlike any quarterback who has previously played for the Wildcats. His recent proficiency has rekindled memories of Bowl Championship Series game appearances and the glory days of the KSU program under Michael Bishop and Ell Roberson. And the excitement level among Wildcats fans is palpable considering that Freeman still has three years of college eligibility remaining.

Another key for the recent transformation has been the development of a consistent running game. KSU's ground attack stalled after tailback Thomas Clayton, the most experienced back in Prince's rotation, was benched after the Baylor game. He has not had a carry in KSU's last five games.

Clayton's departure has been offset with the emergence of freshman Leon Patton and junior college transfer James Johnson into an explosive tandem with breakaway speed and power. Each ran for 100 yards against Missouri and chipped in with a combined 159 yards against Colorado.

"To be able to run the ball like we did allowed Josh to do what he did," Prince said. "I was very pleased with how the game was conducted."

Another element in the recent surge has been the return of wide receiver Jordy Nelson, who snagged 45 receptions to lead the team last season. A variety of injuries limited him to 19 catches this season before he broke through with a big game against Colorado. His 74-yard TD reception provided the clinching score early in the fourth quarter against the Buffaloes.

The early offensive struggles and massive turnovers prompted some fan unrest earlier in the season. There was enough commotion that former KSU coach Bill Snyder penned an open letter of support for Prince to fans of the school.

Two victories in the last two weeks have calmed that unrest very quickly, as most fans see Prince growing into his job quicker than expected.

Prince, 37, came to KSU after serving as an offensive line coach and coordinator on Al Groh's staff at Virginia. He immediately raised eyebrows when he hired James Franklin as his offensive coordinator and Raheem Morris as his defensive coordinator. Neither had experience in those jobs.

"My first thought was I wanted guys who were great teachers," Prince said. "Obviously, all these guys have résumés at their particular positions and have been excellent at what they do. We all have challenges that we have to do for the first time in our careers. Guys can grow into their position as players do."

Much like Prince himself. His 13-year coaching career has seen him rise from a volunteer coaching position in the Kansas community college system to the KSU job. He's the second-youngest Division I-A coach in the country.

With his clean-shaven head and massive build, Prince looks like he could dominate in the trenches like he did at Dodge City (Kan.) Community College and Appalachian State.

"Sometimes, coach Prince gets his point across very effectively because of his size," Freeman said, chuckling. "We understand he's just our coach and everybody respects him because of that."

Facing a glowering, demanding coach is one thing. But a visit by the defending national champions might be another, even if the young quarterback insists otherwise.

"It's exciting to have them here," Freeman said. "Coach always says that the teams we are playing have got their own personalities. Nebraska doesn't have Turner Gill anymore. Texas doesn't have Vince Young. They are just another team. They are gifted, fast and talented, but we always think we have a shot on Saturday if we can play well."

The Wildcats can claim the North Division title if they can win out and Missouri and Nebraska both lose their remaining games. That prospect has raised the stakes even higher for Saturday's game against the Longhorns.

"In our mind, November is a time for playoff football," Prince said. "November is what we think college football is all about."

Tim Griffin covers the Big 12 for the San Antonio Express-News.