Austin Romaine didn’t need long to make an impression on Texas Tech.
Ben Roberts remembers a moment from last season’s game against Kansas State, even if he can’t pin down the exact play that triggered it. What stuck with him was the reaction on the sideline at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
“That guy,” he said, “is pretty good.”
Romaine backed that up with 11 tackles that day for K-State, doing it while playing with a massive bandage wrapped around a broken hand. Kansas State still fell 43-20 as Texas Tech pulled away late, but Romaine left enough of a mark that the Red Raiders had a head start on knowing what they were getting when he arrived as a transfer this offseason.
Now he’s in Lubbock, adjusting to a new defense and already drawing praise from teammates who see the same edge that made him such a problem for opponents.
“When he got here, I knew he was a ballplayer,” Roberts said. “He’s one of those guys that comes in and just fits the program the way he’s supposed to.
He’s very intentional about the way that he goes about things. He’s competitive, and he wants to be great.
I have nothing but good things to say about him.”
For Kansas State fans, losing Romaine stung, especially with a conference rival involved. He piled up 184 tackles over three seasons with the Wildcats before deciding to finish his college career somewhere else. That kind of move has become part of the landscape in college sports.
Dylan Edwards is now playing running back for Kansas. Tre Spivey is now a wide receiver at Arizona. And Romaine is now part of the top defense in the Big 12 in Lubbock.
Texas Tech expects him to matter right away. AJ Holmes said Romaine’s spring work stood out.
“He is locked in,” Texas Tech defensive tackle AJ Holmes said. “During spring ball, his effort was amazing. Every time I turned around, I would see him playing like he was ready to take somebody’s head off.”
Roberts said Romaine has also brought a competitive, questioning mindset to the linebacker room. That’s helped him learn the defense, and it’s given his teammates a chance to learn from him, too.
“He asks a lot of questions, because he’s learning the defense, but it’s good because we get to pick his brain, too,” Roberts said. “He’s playing a different position than me, so I also have questions for him. He pushes me on and off the field.”
That same approach helped Romaine grow into an all-conference linebacker at K-State. At Texas Tech, he’s chasing more.
In Other News...
Joe Jackson Embraces New Backfield Competition At Kansas State
Joe Jackson is back in the role Kansas State wants him to own, coming off a breakout junior season that put him on the All-Big 12 radar and made him the Wildcats featured runner again. After rushing for 911 yards and eight touchdowns a year ago, Jackson has every reason to view the backfield as his, but he is approaching the next step with the kind of confidence that usually comes from knowing what he can do.
Kansas States additions of Rodney Fields and Jay Harris only seem to have sharpened that mindset. Jackson has talked up the way their skill sets fit together and the relationship the three have already built, a sign that the Wildcats are trying to create more than a simple depth chart battle. For Jackson, the competition is part of the appeal, and how that rotation settles in could shape one of the more important position groups on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Collin Klein Just Set A New Tone For Kansas State Football
Collin Kleins first Big 12 media days as Kansas States head coach offered a clear glimpse of the standard he wants to set. The former Wildcats quarterback leaned hard into toughness, energy and grit, framing his program around a more physical, more demanding identity while also leaning on the same steady presence that made him such a natural fit for the job in the first place. It was the kind of appearance that reminded everyone why Kansas State hired him, because he sounded like someone intent on carrying the programs edge forward rather than simply preserving it.
Avery Johnson is right at the center of that vision, and Klein made it clear the quarterbacks next step is about playing with more freedom and aggression in 2026. Kansas State also has some early momentum behind the scenes, with Kleins first recruiting class drawing strong national respect and giving the staff a foundation to build on. The bigger question now is how quickly that tone turns into results once the Wildcats get back on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Is Already Pushing Hard To Build Its Next Wave
Kansas State is not waiting around to see how the next few recruiting cycles unfold. The Wildcats have already been active with offers across future classes, including 2027 cornerback Riley Lewis, 2027 quarterback Ty Snell, 2029 wide receiver Colton Laisure and 2029 tight end Caiden Snow, a sign the staff is trying to get in early on players who are already drawing attention from Division I programs.
Lewis and Snell are both deep into crowded recruiting battles, while Snow is also hearing from some of the biggest names in the sport. Even the younger names in the mix show how wide Kansas State is casting its net as it tries to stack talent well ahead of time, and the real question now is how many of these early relationships the Wildcats can turn into something more down the road. [Read more 🡒]