By most accounts, Marques Sigle was one of the best defensive backs in the Big 12 last season.
The North Dakota State transfer made an immediate impact with the Wildcats by making 63 tackles and by breaking up nine passes while playing safety for head coach Chris Klieman.
Those numbers were impressive enough for him to return to Manhattan as a senior with hype surrounding his game. Many think he can be an all-conference player this season, and EA Sports gave him an overall player rating of 86 (out of 100) in its new college football video game. Only one K-State player was rated higher.
Still, there is something missing from Sigle’s resume. As good as he has been in a purple uniform, he hasn’t created many turnovers . He only came up with one interception last season despite being in position to grab several more. Those missed opportunities have haunted him all offseason.
“I dropped a lot of money last season,” Sigle said while shaking his head in frustration at Big 12 Media Days in Las Vegas. “I’m trying to make up for that.”
You could say grabbing more interceptions is his top priority for the upcoming season. He even has a number in mind.
“That is definitely what I am focused on,” Sigle said. “I want more interceptions, anywhere between four and seven. I think I can make that happen.”
Seven is a lofty goal for even the most talented defensive backs in college football. To achieve that pace one must grab an interception in more than half the regular season games they play. Chris Canty holds the program record for interceptions in a season with eight. No K-State player has grabbed seven since Nigel Malone in 2011.
But it seems within reach for Sigle because of his experience with defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman and his talents on the football field.
Creating more turnovers became a priority for K-State during the late stages of the 2023 season, and Sigle responded by coming up with a pick against rival Kansas. Even though he has only spent one year at K-State, he feels like he has been part of the team for much longer. Similar to Klieman and much of his coaching staff, he started off at North Dakota State. That has given them a strong connection.
Sigle knows what it takes to boost his interceptions.
“It is all about your football IQ,” he said. “It’s about being in the right position at the right time and learning what your opponent wants to do. Then you have to beat them off their routes and beat them to different spots. There are plenty of ways you can bait a quarterback into making a bad throw and then you jump a route.”
Sigle actually did a nice job of that last season. Holding onto the ball after he put himself in position to make a play was the difficult part.
To that end, he has spent plenty of time on the practice field working to improve his hands.
But he has also pushed himself to become a vocal leader in the secondary.
“He has definitely stepped up this past year in a leadership role,” defensive end Brendan Mott said, “which is awesome to have a lot of the back-end guys trusting him. He’s also not afraid to come down, lower his shoulder and hit somebody. You gotta love a physical safety.”
Last season, everyone in the secondary looked to Kobe Savage. Now it is Sigle’s turn to take charge. A few more interceptions would allow him to lead by example.
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