Kansas State finally took a step forward last season.

The Wildcats previously were non factors in the Big 12 title race. But everything changed last season. K-State was a confident team that had great balance.

The Wildcats finished in the top half of the Big 12 and also reached an NCAA regional, where they lost to perennial power Rice in the Houston Regional title game.

Now K-State hopes to build off last season's success.

Accomplishing that goal may be difficult.

KSU is in the midst of fall workouts without all three weekend starting pitchers. It also must replace five key hitters.

Though KSU has some huge holes to fill between now and the spring, there's no question this team will be confident.

Perhaps that again will be the difference. Kind of like last season.

Kansas State's five fall keys

1. Build off last season -- It goes without saying, but the Wildcats need to build off the momentum they gained last season. The Wildcats shocked the Big 12 and some may believe they're a one-year wonder. However, this is a program that has recruited some talented players the past few seasons. K-State also has a very solid coaching staff with Brad Hill, Andy Sawyers and Sean McCann leading the way. KSU has a strong foundation in place. And after last season, this program is expected to be a postseason contender each season. We'll see if they rise to the occasion.

2. Replace ace pitcher A.J. Morris -- Yeah, accomplishing this goal will be easy. OK, not really. The Wildcats have an incredibly tough chore in replacing the stud right-handed pitcher. Morris had a junior campaign to remember last season. He earned All-American honors and compiled a 14-1 record and a 2.09 ERA in 116 1/3 innings. He also struck out 100 and walked 30. Teams hit him at a .222 clip. Also worth noting, Morris recorded five complete games last season. Replacing Morris won't be easy, but the Wildcats must do it in some form or fashion to return to the postseason.

3. Rebuild the weekend rotation -- Losing Morris to the MLB draft is only the tip of the iceberg for the Wildcats. K-State also must replace fellow weekend starters Lance Hoge and Todd Vogel, which accounted for 27 starts last season. Hoge was 6-4 with a 4.54 ERA in 71 1/3 innings. He also struck out 46 and walked 22 and teams hit .294 off him. Vogel, meanwhile, started 12 games and compiled a 5.13 ERA in 54 1/3 innings. He also struck out 29 and walked 12 and teams hit .288 off him. Replacing all three starting pitchers won't be an easy task, but it's something the Wildcats must do.

4. Reload at the plate -- Much of last season was the A.J. Morris show on the mound, but the Wildcats also had a potent offense and finished the campaign with an impressive .317 batting average. The Cowboys return some productive hitters in Carter Jurica, Nick Martini and Jason King, but also have several key hitters to replace. The list includes Justin Bloxom, Drew Biery and Jordan Cruz. Bloxom led the team with a .361 batting average, 12 homers and 63 RBIs. Biery hit .329 with nine homers and 44 RBIs and Cruz hit .324 with 11 homers and 52 RBIs. The 32 homers the trio blasted last season accounted for 55 percent of K-State's power production. That's simply amazing.

5. Build pitching depth -- The Wildcats certainly have a tough chore in formulating a weekend rotation between now and the spring. But perhaps just as important is the fact the Wildcats must build some pitching depth. They return a few arms, including Matt Applegate, Josh Crockett, Ryan Daniel and Kayvon Bahramzadeh. Thomas Rooke, though, is the top returning pitcher. Rooke made 32 appearances and one start last season, and had a 4.33 ERA in 54 innings. He also struck out 58 and walked 14 and teams hit him at a .239 clip. K-State will be just fine if it can create some depth on the mound.