Kansas State’s Week 2 depth chart barely moved after the Wildcats’ 71-3 rout of Nicholls, but there was one tweak worth watching: Rodney Fields is now listed at the top of the running back group.
Fields moved ahead in a backfield that still includes Joe Jackson and Jay Harris as possible starters. The change comes after a look at the snap counts from Week 1, though Kansas State had already pulled its starters a little after halftime in that win.
The Wildcats will host Washington State on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 11 a.m. at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
Elsewhere, the offense mostly stayed put. At wide receiver, Jaron Tibbs, Brandon White and Josh Manning remain the starters, with Adonis Moise, Izaiah Williams and Derrick Salley Jr. listed behind them.
Up front, the offensive line is unchanged as well. Ryan Howard is listed at left tackle, while Charlie Adams or Tanner Morley is at right guard, Dylan Villarouel at center, Keiton Jones at right guard and Gus Hawkins at right tackle. Tyler Johnson backs up at left tackle, Michael Capria at center, Chase Duarte at right guard and Delvin Morris at right tackle.
The note on the line is the same as before: same group, same order. Morley was banged up during the preseason and played 14 snaps against Nicholls, while Adams started and played 32.
On defense, Kansas State kept the same look at cornerback with Zashon Rich, Kaleb Patterson and nickel back JoJo Scott as the starters. Garrick Dixon, Damion Miller and nickel backs Nick McClellan or Michael Graham are listed behind them. Donovan McIntosh is still absent.
At safety, Wesley Fair or Koy Beasley is listed at free safety next to Logan Bartley at strong safety, with Ja'Son Prevard as the backup. Beasley played 32 snaps against Nicholls, compared with 19 for Fair, while Prevard logged 20.
The linebacker and edge-rusher groups also stayed unchanged. Wendell Gregory and Jordan Allen are the starters at edge, with Darien Whitaker and Jayden Bryant behind them.
At defensive tackle, Kamari Burns and Travis Bates remain the starters, followed by Eli Jackson and Austin Ramsey. The note there is that Allen played 14 snaps with that group while also taking 22 at defensive end.
Special teams didn’t change either. Simon McClannan remains the starter at kicker and punter, with Dylan Davidson as the backup.
In Other News...
Collin Klein Had The Perfect Reaction To K-States 71-Point Outburst
Kansas States 71-point outburst against Nicholls was the kind of offensive showing that still feels rare enough to draw a little extra celebration around the program. It also brought out one of the more lighthearted traditions tied to big scoring nights, with Willie the Wildcat on push-up duty for three hours after the game. Since it was the first time the Wildcats had topped 70 points since 2000, the whole thing carried a little extra weight, even if the mood around it stayed mostly playful.
Collin Klein noticed the toll it took on the mascot and said he could relate to the physical grind, a fitting response from a coach who knows exactly how much effort those kinds of nights can demand. It was a small moment, but one that captured the energy around Kansas State after an offense explosion the program does not see often, and one that left the celebration with a familiar question attached to it: what happens when the next big scoring night comes around? [Read more 🡒]
Darien Whitaker Is Giving Kansas State Reason To Feel Better Up Front
Darien Whitakers move from linebacker to defensive end is already giving Kansas State a different kind of presence up front. In the Wildcats 71-3 win over Nicholls, he turned in two tackles and a sack, a small line that still carried real weight for a defense trying to build depth and impact on the edge.
Collin Klein has noticed the work Whitaker has put in as the transition has taken hold, and Kansas State can use more of that kind of growth as the schedule tightens. The Wildcats head home next for Washington State, where the test will be less about cleanup and more about whether those early signs up front can hold up against a tougher challenge. [Read more 🡒]
Collin Kleins K-State Debut Delivered The Statement Fans Wanted
Collin Kleins first game on the sideline as Kansas States offensive coordinator had the kind of clean, forceful start that usually settles a fan base down in a hurry. The Wildcats rolled past Nicholls in the opener, piling up 559 total yards while limiting the Colonels to 122, and the offense looked sharp enough from the outset to suggest the offseason changes have already taken hold.
Avery Johnson was at the center of it, completing 15 of 21 passes for 199 yards and three touchdowns while directing an attack that never seemed to lose its edge. The win also gave Kansas State a lopsided statement to open the year, the sort of performance that matters beyond the box score because it hints at how much room this group still has to grow once the schedule tightens. [Read more 🡒]