Kansas State got a welcome bit of injury news this week, and it centered on linebacker Mekhi Mason.
On Monday, Wildcats coach Collin Klein updated reporters on Mason, who left Saturday’s win over Nicholls at Bill Snyder Family Stadium with an unknown lower body injury. Klein’s message suggested the issue may not be as serious as it first appeared.
"I don't think it's going to be as bad as what was maybe initially thought," Klein said. "So, very, very positive on that front."
Mason opened the season with one solo tackle and has already carved out a key role in Kansas State’s linebacker group. The transfer from Louisiana Tech arrived with a résumé that included second-team All-Conference USA honors, and he started next to Gabe Powers in the opener.
That spot mattered because the Wildcats are trying to absorb the loss of All-Big 12 linebacker Austin Romaine, who transferred to Texas Tech. Mason was expected by some to be pushed by Rex Van Wyhe for a starting job, but the coaching staff came away impressed with Mason during spring work and training camp.
Klein, in particular, sounds sold on what Mason brings. He even drew a comparison to former Wildcats standout Arthur Brown, the All-American and 2012 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year who played with Klein at K-State.
"His twitch and snap to the football and instinct is special," Klein said. "To be at his size, have his level of physicality, while still having the ability to run in an inside backer position is like somebody I played with."
The Wildcats are in a better spot than they were a year ago after opening with a loss to Iowa State in Ireland. They are above .500 for the first time since the end of the 2024 season and will be back on the field Saturday against Washington State at home.
That matchup will be the second game of the Klein era. Kansas State then meets Tulane the following week before opening Big 12 play against Cincinnati.
In Other News...
Collin Klein Knows Exactly How K State Should Remember Chris Klieman
Chris Kliemans retirement did not send Kansas State into a search for a stranger. Instead, the Wildcats handed the program to one of its most familiar figures in Collin Klein, who was named head coach after Klieman stepped aside following seven years on the job. Klieman also gave his blessing to the move, endorsing Klein as his successor and staying around the program in an advisory role.
For Klein, the transition has made the messaging around his predecessor pretty simple. He has spoken with clear appreciation for the mentorship Klieman provided and pointed to both the man and the resume as reasons the Wildcats should think of this as a continuation of a standard already set, not an ending. In Manhattan, that matters because Klieman leaves behind more than a coaching vacancy. He leaves a template for how the program expects to be led. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Heads Into Road Test With One Big Health Concern
Kansas States trip to Washington State comes with the usual early-season injury watch, and the Wildcats have at least one notable situation to monitor on the other sideline. Cougars senior receiver Tony Freeman is likely to miss the game after hurting his knee in the previous matchup, a blow that could alter how Washington State approaches its passing game against a Kansas State defense trying to settle in on the road.
The Wildcats have some health questions of their own, though the outlook appears better than it first looked for starting linebacker Mekhi Mason after he left a recent game with an injury. Left guard Tanner Morley is also still working back from a fall camp injury and was limited in his snaps, leaving Kansas State with a few moving parts as it prepares for a tricky road test and tries to get as close to full strength as possible. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State May Have Found A Crucial Answer On The Offensive Line
Ryan Howard got his first start at left tackle for Kansas State after the season-ending injury to the player who had been holding down the spot, and the Wildcats needed that kind of stability up front in a hurry. He settled in well enough to be part of a dominant showing against Nicholls, with Kansas State pounding the ball for 312 yards and finding the end zone six times on the ground.
There was also a little extra family support behind the scenes, as Howards older brother, Will, went over game film with him before the matchup. For a line that suddenly had to absorb a major change, the debut mattered not just because of how the Wildcats played, but because it offered a first look at whether Howard can be part of the answer at a critical spot moving forward. [Read more 🡒]