Kansas State is about to hand Casey Alexander a brutal assignment, and the smartest thing anyone can do right now is give him time.
The Wildcats open the Alexander era Nov. 3 at Bramlage Coliseum against South Dakota State, but this isn’t the kind of situation that gets fixed overnight. Kansas State has spent the last three seasons missing the NCAA Tournament, a sharp fall from the heights it reached under Jerome Tang in 2023, when the program surged all the way to the Elite Eight and climbed as high as No. 5 in the rankings.
Now Alexander walks into the mess left behind, and he got only a mid-March start to try to piece things together in a transfer portal and NIL world that doesn’t leave much room to breathe. The roster turnover tells the story. Kansas State is down to just one returning player from last season: Andrej Kostic.
Kostic is a useful piece, but he can’t carry this rebuild by himself. That’s why patience has to be part of the conversation this season, and maybe even next season too.
Alexander is stepping into what may be the toughest repair job in the Big 12, but he has a track record that suggests he knows how to build. At Belmont, he went 102-33 in four seasons and won the Missouri Valley Conference.
That success will have to be translated to a much harder league now, and the hope around Manhattan is that Kansas State’s administration and fan base give him the runway to do it.
The Big 12 slate won’t make life any easier. Kansas State’s conference schedule includes trips to Baylor on Jan.
2, West Virginia on Jan. 12, Arizona State on Jan.
19, Iowa State on Jan. 30, Utah on Feb.
10, BYU on Feb. 13, Cincinnati on Feb. 20 and Central Florida on March 3.
The Wildcats also host Houston on Jan. 5, Arizona on Jan.
9, TCU on Jan. 16, Kansas on Jan.
23, Oklahoma State on Feb. 3, Colorado on Feb.
6, Arizona State again on Feb. 16, Texas Tech on Feb. 24 and Cincinnati on March 6.
In Other News...
K-State Must Rework A Key Offensive Spot After Costly Blow
Kansas State now has to sort through a significant adjustment on offense after senior tight end Will Anciaux was ruled out for the rest of the season with a lower leg injury. Collin Klein confirmed the news and said the Wildcats will have to rework that part of the attack, a tough break for a team that has leaned on Anciauxs presence and experience.
Garrett Oakley, Linkon Cure, Lawson McGraw and Owen Harrington are among the names expected to see more chances as Kansas State fills the void. Anciaux still has one year of eligibility left, so there is at least a path for him to return next season, but for now the Wildcats have to move forward without a veteran piece in a spot that was built to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Is Sending A Clear Recruiting Message About Its Future
Collin Klein is wasting no time putting Kansas States recruiting footprint on future classes, extending scholarship offers to a growing list of high school prospects across multiple years. The latest wave includes Noah Gigger from the 2030 class, a reminder that the Wildcats are thinking far beyond the immediate cycle as they continue building relationships with young talent at a range of positions and schools.
The names on the offer sheet show just how broad that approach has become, with Kansas State jumping in early alongside other programs already tracking many of the same players. For a staff trying to shape the roster several years down the line, the message is clear: the Wildcats want to be in the conversation early and stay there, even if the real payoff is still a long way off. [Read more 🡒]
K-State's First Real Test Brings Extra Stakes Back To Manhattan
An idle week gave Kansas State a chance to catch its breath and get healthier before a much different kind of Saturday in Manhattan. The Wildcats now come out of the break to host Houston, bringing back the sort of spotlight that has been missing early in the season, with a ranked opponent finally on the schedule and a little more weight attached to every snap.
Houston arrives at No. 22 with Conner Weigman steering the offense, which sets up a key matchup against K-States top-ranked pass defense. The game also adds a familiar face on the other sideline, with former Wildcats quarterback Michael Bishop in his first season on Houstons staff, giving this one a bit of extra edge beyond the standings. [Read more 🡒]