Being a K-State fan in Oklahoma is less than conventional. In fact, it could even be considered unadvisable.

Nevertheless, that was the case for freshman punter Ryan Doerr when he lived in Boomer Sooner territory as a kid.

"Me and my buddy were K-State fans growing up," Doerr said. "We were the only two, I think, K-State fans at our school." Doerr said his friend's parents both went to K-State, and his parents did not go to a big school, so he did not have any big teams to follow. "He was my best friend, so I just went on his side," Doerr said.

Doerr said he played soccer growing up, and when he was 12 years old, his friends recruited him for the football team at recess. While he started out as a wide receiver and tight end, he began kicking the next year.

He said he had all the necessary skills from soccer to kick and punt, and realized that he could probably be pretty good at it, so he started practicing more and focusing on kicking. He said going to camps helped him out significantly. His participation in soccer also gives him an advantage.

"I think soccer helped me a lot," Doerr said. "Just being able to slow the game down a lot and being able to see the ball and have those foot skills and leg swing and everything else."

He wanted to play football in college as soon as he picked it up.

"It's always a kid's dream to play college football," Doerr said. "So I'm just kind of living the dream now."

After his graduation from Katy High School in Katy, Texas, Doerr sat out the 2008 season after transferring from South Carolina while not appearing in any games with the Gamecocks.

In this, his freshman season, Doerr has booted 36 punts, placing 13 inside the 20 and forcing eight fair catches and two touchbacks. The average distance for his punts is 41.2 yards, but he has had five go for over 50 yards.

"It's been a great experience," he said. "[Head coach Bill Snyder] teaches us just a lot about football and a lot about life, helping us grow as young men, not just players. It's a really good experience."

Doerr said Snyder imparts bits of wisdom such as being good teammates at work, being on time, being accountable for what one says or does and sticking up for what one needs to do.

He said after the victory against Kansas, the team was on such an emotional high that it might have distracted them from the game against Missouri, who was then ranked last in the Big 12 North.

"Maybe we just lost a little bit of focus on the next game," Doerr said. "It probably hurt us in the end. It was a great feeling after KU, but it was a horrible feeling after MU. We need to keep our heads level and just go out there and play our game."