It is time for a change.

No, this isn't a Barack Obama campaign slogan—it's the disappointing and anguished end of my faith in Ron Prince's ability to lead Kansas State football. 

This is not a fun column for me to write.  I am not one of the many fans with a rabid hatred for all things Prince.  I am an optimist.  I am a believer.  I am a former walk-on quarterback who never started a football game for the Wildcats.  I went to practice every day and played on the scout team because I loved K-State football.  I had a chance to play for one of the greatest coaches in the history of college football and I learned first-hand how hard it was to make a major college football program successful year-in and year-out. 

I grew up watching dismal Wildcat football teams on Saturday afternoons during the mid-1980's when the wood bleachers were empty and the west parking lot was still gravel.  I played on Wildcat football teams that competed for conference championships.  The bottom line is—we're all afraid to go back.

I honestly thought Ron Prince was a great hire for Kansas State.  He's a young, energetic, articulate football coach who genuinely wants to be in Manhattan, Kansas.  Don't underestimate the power of that last point.  There are very few top-tier football coaches who WANT to be in Manhattan.  It takes the right person to see Manhattan as home and not just a stepping stone.  Coach Snyder spoiled all of us. 

Ron Prince lives just down the street from me.  I was playing with my kids in the front yard last year and he stopped on his way to work and invited us to practice that afternoon.  I've eaten dinner with the man and had a wonderful time.  His kids go to the same elementary school as my kids.  Ron's dad just passed away last week.  Ron is a dad—his kids love him.  Ron Prince is a regular guy like you and me.

The blessing and curse for Ron Prince is that he chose to work in a high-profile, multi-million dollar profession where you either win or move on.  Now before you shed too many tears for the Junction City, Kansas, native remember that he's being compensated handsomely.  In fact, if he's fired after the 2008 season, Kansas State will be forced to pay him a $1.2 million buy-out.  I have a call in to his agent.  I need a buy-out clause in my contract.

The 52-21 loss to the University of Kansas on Saturday was an embarrassment.  It wasn't even close.  I know you can't compare scores week to week, but this wasn't an Orange Bowl bound Kansas team.  KU was thoroughly dominated by Texas Tech 63-21 the week before in Lawrence.  It was a Kansas team that was fortunate to beat Iowa State by two points earlier this season and was only one game ahead of K-State in the Big XII North standings.  For me, losing three consecutive times to KU is unacceptable when you consider how non-competitive the Wildcats were on Saturday.  It is the last straw.

As you begin to conduct an autopsy of Ron Prince's failed tenure in Manhattan problems start at the top.  There is a lack of leadership and talent inside Wildcat football.  The Vanier Football Complex has been turned into a carnival-like coaching carousel that even a CSI investigation couldn't explain.  Ron Prince cannot (or chooses not to) retain or acquire assistant coaches with major college experience and recruiting ties.  Members of the current KSU coaching staff hail from football powerhouses East Central, Cornell, Elon, North Dakota, North Carolina, and Baylor.  Our director of recruiting operations was most recently a graduate assistant at Toledo.  In horse-racing terms we're lacking coaching thoroughbreds, which is translating to an empty stable of on-field talent.  Maybe we continue to sign two-star talent because of two-star assistant coaches?

Why?  Is Ron Prince's ego too fragile to hire experienced assistants?  In politics didn't a young George W. Bush sign up an experienced Dick Cheney?  Barack Obama has turned to a seasoned Joe Biden. 

Is Ron Prince so insecure that people might mistake him as an assistant coach that he has to wear a different color shirt from the rest of the coaching staff on gameday?  What happened to unity?  What happened to our silver pants on the road? Barney the fun-loving dinosaur called—he wants his trousers back.

The bottom line is that a lack of talent and leadership is leading to a lack of victories.  This is costing Kansas State bowl games.  In fact, in the last four years the Wildcats have been to only one bowl game after a stretch of eleven in a row.  Why is this so important?  Bowl games are the holy grail of college football—not because of the revenue generation and notoriety, but rather the extra 25 days of practice you are granted during November and December.  It is essentially an extra spring practice session every year.  In the past four years K-State has lost roughly 75 days of practice to the upper echelon of the Big XII.

Coach Snyder used at least half of these 25 days to develop young players who would be assuming a larger role the following year.  This was a key to continuity from year to year.  Come to think of it, having the same coaching staff from year to year would also help continuity.  Just an idea. 

I truly believe Ron Prince still has great potential in this business, but it can't be at Kansas State.  He's a talented individual who might do things differently next time.  But as it stands, he can't beat KU and he hasn't defeated Nebraska or Missouri.  Just ask Jim Wooldridge—that doesn't work for very long.

Zac Burton is a Manhattan-area developer who played quarterback at Kansas State for Bill Snyder. He wrote a book about that experience. Reach him at fieldhouse10@hotmail.com

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