Big 12 team preview: Why expectations are high for star-less Kansas State football team

Editor’s note: Eighth in a series previewing each team in the Big 12 in 2024

Can the Kansas State Wildcats contend for the Big 12 football title this year with a bunch of good players, but very few great ones?

That’s a question that faces coach Chris Klieman, whose squad was picked to finish second in the Big 12 in 2024 behind conference newcomer Utah.

That respect comes from media members who cover the league comes with a hint of disrespect, however. No Kansas State players were selected by the media to the all-Big 12 preseason team.

Even BYU, which is picked 13th, has a player on the team, defensive lineman Tyler Batty. Utah, despite the bulk of the media knowing little about the Utes, has tight end Brant Kuithe , defensive lineman Junior Tafuna and punter Jack Bouwmeester on the team.

For his part, Klieman isn’t that worried about it, he said at the Big 12 football media days on July 9-10 in Las Vegas.

“We don’t pay a whole lot of attention to it, to be honest with you. Everybody sees it, but it is not something that we talk about an awful lot,” said Klieman, who is in his fifth season in Manhattan, Kansas. “I hope it shows people the overall depth and value of our roster and how important our role players are and how important our players are as far as if you’re a successful team, individual honors at the end of the season are going to come.”

A case could be made that Kansas State running back DJ Giddens deserved to be on the preseason all-league team, but that honor went to Ollie Gordon II of Oklahoma State, the Doak Walker award winner in 2023. Voting was done before Gordon’s well-publicized legal troubles.

“I am sure that our players, if you asked them, they probably saw both (predictions), and I don’t know if they’re excited, disappointed, but I know they were aware that there was nobody from K-State on one of those teams,” Klieman said. “But you still have to perform, and we’ve got a lot of work to do before we get to the end of August.”

Kansas State’s other top players include quarterback Avery Johnson — MVP of the Pop Tarts Bowl — linebacker Austin Moore, cornerback Jacob Parrish and linebacker Desmond Purnell. Watch for those names when the real league honors are announced in December.

“DJ can carry it 30 times, and he did that a few times for us last year, and he did that a few times for us last year,” Klieman said. “DJ is an every down back and underrated in our league. He is going to have a dynamite year for us.”

In addition to QB Johnson and RB Giddens, the KSU offense will also feature a name familiar to Utah, BYU and Utah State football fans, former USU head coach Matt Wells. He has been named the co-offensive coordinator with Conor Riley, promoted from offensive line coach, although Riley will still oversee the OL unit.

“Matt and I have been friends for more than a decade, we always talked, even when he was at (Texas) Tech and I was here at K-State,” Klieman said. “It was maybe the right time for him to get back on the field and truly coach. … He has a wealth of experience and knowledge with quarterbacks, that I have already seen in a short period of time.”

Klieman said the Wildcats “lost four really good senior offensive linemen, but we have four really good senior offensive linemen returning.”

Defensively, there are a few holes to fill on the defensive line and at linebacker, but the secondary is as experienced as any in the league, maybe even the country. Back are cornerbacks Jacob Parrish and Keenan Garber and safeties VJ Payne, Colby McCalister and Marques Sigle.

“You need to be really good in the secondary in this league,” Klieman said.

Kansas State plays at BYU on Sept. 21 in the Big 12 opener for both schools. The Wildcats play those other Big 12 Wildcats — Arizona — on Sept. 13, but that game was scheduled before UofA joined the league and won’t be considered a league game — similar to the Baylor-Utah game on Sept. 7.

“I am hoping that we ultimately get to an even number of conference games, so that we are not in the nine (games) deal, five away, four at home,” Klieman said. “(We) hope that it is more of a four-and-four split of eight games, or even a 10-game (league schedule), because if you have to play a Power Five (opponent), you might as well play it in your league and get five and five.”

Kansas State Wildcats 2024 preview

2023 record: 9-4 (6-3 Big 12)

Local ties:

• Co-offensive coordinator Matt Wells (former Utah State head coach)

2024 Schedule

Aug. 31 — UT Martin.

Sept. 7 — at Tulane.

Sept. 13 — Arizona (non-conference)

Sept. 21 — at BYU.

Sept. 28 — Oklahoma State.

Oct. 12 — at Colorado.

Oct. 19 — at West Virginia.

Oct. 26 — Kansas.

Nov. 2 — at Houston.

Nov. 16 — Arizona State.

Nov. 23 — Cincinnati.

Nov. 30 — at Iowa State.