Kansas State is already looking all the way ahead to the 2029 class, and the latest name on the board is Colton Laisure, a wide receiver from Sullivan East High School in Bluff City, TN.
Laisure is unranked for now, which fits for a rising high school sophomore, but the offer list is already starting to stack up. Along with Kansas State, he has also picked up offers from Arizona, Florida State, and Kentucky, among others.
That kind of early move fits the moment for the Wildcats, even with the program in a dead period right now. Kansas State still owns one of the stronger 2027 recruiting classes in the country, and getting in early on a player like Laisure is part of laying the groundwork for what could come later.
The bigger recruiting message, though, has been coming straight from Collin Klein. The Kansas State coach has already delivered a few lines that have caught on with Wildcats fans, and he added another during his Big 12 interview.
“I tell recruits it’s going to be hard," Klein said in his Big 12 interview. "I tell them it’s a badge of honor to wear that Powercat.
I tell them that the most valuable things in life you’re going to have to pay the most for. We’re going to make that price really freaking high to play at Kansas State."
Klein knows what it takes to win at a high level as a multi-conference champion, and he’s trying to bring that standard back to Manhattan. Kansas State’s recent season fell well short of what was expected, with injuries piling up, stars underperforming, and the defense slipping badly. Instead of pushing for a conference title or postseason spot, the Wildcats spent much of the year just trying to stack a few wins.
Now Klein is the one steering the program, with the job not just to restore Kansas State’s usual success but to raise the ceiling even higher. Since returning to Manhattan, KS, he has made the expectations and the mindset clear.
In Other News...
This Sunflower Showdown Just Got Personal For Kansas State Fans
The Sunflower Showdown already carries enough edge on its own, but this one has an extra layer after Dylan Edwards winding path through college football brought him back into the rivalry conversation. Edwards arrived at Kansas State with plenty of buzz, then saw his second season in Manhattan disrupted by injury before the next chapter of his career took shape elsewhere. Now the former Wildcats back is part of a Kansas offense trying to sort itself out before the season, with a crowded backfield and a quarterback competition still hanging over the preseason.
For Kansas State fans, the date on the calendar is the part that matters most. The Wildcats and Jayhawks are set to meet on October 17 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, and the matchup already has the feel of one that will draw extra attention because of who Edwards used to be and where he is now. Rivalry games tend to sharpen every storyline, and this one has given both sides a fresh reason to circle it early. [Read more 🡒]
Avery Johnson Finally Addressed Kansas States Controversial Bowl Snub
Avery Johnson finally put a little more detail around one of the stranger episodes of Kansas States offseason, explaining why the Wildcats passed on last years bowl invitation. The quarterback said the decision came in a messy stretch for the program, with coaching changes swirling and players trying to sort out their futures, leaving the roster in a place where not everyone was fully on the same page.
Johnsons comments also help frame why the move drew so much attention beyond Manhattan. Kansas State was hit with a hefty fine for declining the bowl bid before the penalty was later cut in half, and the explanation now points back to the uncertainty around the roster and the transfer portal during that transition period. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Jackson Just Sent A Strong Message About K-State's Backfield
The backfield picture at Kansas State got a little more crowded this offseason, and Joe Jackson does not sound bothered by it. The Wildcats added transfers Rodney Fields from Oklahoma State and Jay Harris from Oregon, giving the running backs room more depth and more competition, but Jackson welcomed the move as something that can help the team rather than complicate his own role.
Collin Klein has already identified Jackson as the leader in the room, while also making it clear the plan is to rotate backs and keep everyone fresh over the course of the season. For Jackson, that means the job is less about protecting touches and more about setting the tone in a group that could be asked to share the load in a bigger way than before. [Read more 🡒]