Kansas State’s offensive line was one of the biggest questions hanging over the Wildcats entering the season, especially after injuries thinned the group during camp. But after the opener, Collin Klein sounded encouraged by what he saw in the 71-3 win over Nicholls.
The Wildcats rolled up 556 total yards, and Klein said the first unit handled its assignments cleanly.
"The first group had no MA's (missed assignments), which was really, really good," Klein said earlier this week. I think there was a clean understanding of what we were trying to get accomplished.
It wasn't perfect, but we were trying to do the right thing. So, I thought that was really, really good from that group.
I thought there were a couple missed fundamental fits early in that first possession, but I think they really settled after that first surge. I thought they played well."
That progress matters for a group that took some early hits. Preseason All-Big 12 selection John Pastore is out for the season after a lower leg injury, and George Fitzpatrick is headed into his second straight missed season because of a medical emergency.
Elsewhere around the program, Willie The Wildcat is having his own moment. The mascot went viral after cranking out 394 push-ups during Kansas State’s win over Nicholls at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, and the attention has only grown since then. The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum has now turned Willie into a bobblehead.
Klein is also keeping an eye on the future on the recruiting trail. He recently offered a scholarship to Jekai Lee, a defensive lineman at Butler County Community College.
Lee isn’t rated by most recruiting services, but Kansas State likes his frame and upside. He’s listed at 6-foot-6 and 280 pounds and also has offers from Florida International, Georgia State, Southern Mississippi and the University of Texas-San Antonio.
In Other News...
Jerome Tang Just Reopened A Painful Kansas State Chapter
Jerome Tang has finally started talking about the chapter Kansas State fans have spent months trying to make sense of. Appearing on Baylors podcast, the former Wildcats coach spoke publicly for the first time about his firing, looking back on his time in Manhattan, the teams performance and the path that led him back to Baylor as an associate head coach.
For Kansas State, it only reopens a messy stretch that never really got a clean ending. Tang was dismissed in the middle of the season after a controversial press conference, and the fallout has not stopped there, with a settlement still being pursued over his termination buyout. Even with the move to Baylor now in place, the circumstances around his exit remain a painful and unresolved part of the programs recent history. [Read more 🡒]
Willie The Wildcat's Viral Rise Just Added To Kansas State Buzz
Willie The Wildcats latest round of attention has turned a game-day staple into a full-on talking point around Manhattan. The Kansas State mascot was honored with a bobblehead doll by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum after his viral 394 push-ups during a football game, a burst of publicity that arrived on the heels of the Wildcats high-scoring win over Nicholls.
For a program that has already given its fans plenty to enjoy early, the timing only adds to the buzz as Kansas State turns its focus to Washington State. Willies rise has become part of the broader feel-good backdrop around the team, and its the kind of quirky extra jolt that tends to linger when a season starts with momentum. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas States Latest Offer Push Reveals What Collin Klein Wants Up Front
Collin Kleins latest round of recruiting offers gives a clear look at where Kansas State is still pressing to add depth and talent, especially along the line of scrimmage. Among the players the Wildcats have targeted is Butler Community College defensive lineman Jekai Lee, a move that fits into a broader push to strengthen the front with more size and development pieces.
The list of recent offers also includes tight ends Brady Reeves and Sloan Blackwell, offensive lineman Jerry Richmond and offensive tackle Asher Megonnell, showing that Kansas State is casting a wide net while still keeping an eye on the trenches. It is the kind of ongoing recruiting work that can shape a roster months down the road, even if the immediate payoff is still to come. [Read more 🡒]