Kansas State enters Saturday’s opener against Nicholls with a couple of proven pieces at the skill spots, but the Wildcats are also making it clear those jobs won’t be handed out on reputation alone.
At running back, Joe Jackson is the familiar name. At tight end, it’s Garrett Oakley. Both were productive last season, and both showed up on the depth chart this week with an “or” next to their names - the kind of detail that usually means the room is about to get interesting.
First-year coach Collin Klein sounded ready for that competition to play out.
"Again, I think that's what will really, really take shape here in these first couple weeks," Klein said during his weekly press conference ahead of the season opener against Nicholls Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. I'm excited to see those guys compete.
I think depth there is really, really good. How they've competed, how they've worked together has been really, really good.
I'm excited to see them make some plays for real."
Jackson has already lived through a depth-chart shuffle. Last year, he started out behind Dylan Edwards before eventually taking over and finishing with more than 900 rushing yards and honorable mention All-Big 12 recognition. Even with that production, Kansas State brought in transfers Jay Harris and Rodney Fields, both of whom have had success at Oregon and Oklahoma State and didn’t come to Manhattan to ride the bench.
Oakley’s situation looks just as crowded. He’s dealing with competition from Will Anciaux and Linkon Cure, and Cure brings a different kind of buzz.
The five-star freshman is the first in K-State history, a player who drew interest from nearly every major program in the country. Injuries slowed his freshman season, but he’s healthy now and put together a solid preseason.
Oakley also drew attention from NFL scouts during training camp, which only adds another layer to a tight end room that should see plenty of rotation.
If there’s a theme here, it’s that Kansas State believes it has enough depth at running back and tight end to keep fresh legs on the field and the pressure on the starters. Saturday should be the first chance to see how that rotation actually starts to take shape.
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Kansas States season opener on Sept. 5 brings the kind of nonconference matchup that has become routine in college football, and the price tag attached to it is no secret. Nicholls will receive a $500,000 guaranteed payment to make the trip to Bill Snyder Family Stadium, another example of how the Wildcats use these early-season games to fill out the schedule while also committing real money to get them on the field.
The broader picture around those arrangements is harder to ignore. Kansas State has other guarantee payments lined up in future seasons as well, and the business side of scheduling can shift quickly when bigger checks enter the picture. Missouri State already backed out of a game with Kansas State after landing a larger guarantee from Texas A&M, a reminder that for programs in this lane, the schedule is often about more than just who is willing to play. [Read more 🡒]
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Kansas States Biggest Strengths And Concerns Are Already Taking Shape
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The ordering is useful because it reflects more than just talent, it reflects where the Wildcats appear to have certainty and where they still need answers. The backfield and special teams give the team a foundation heading into the first game, but the defensive second level stands out as the area that could shape a lot of the seasons early conversation if it does not settle quickly. [Read more 🡒]