(Photo Credit: Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB Will Howard, QB Skylar Thompson, RB Duece Vaughn, WR Chabastin Taylor, OC Noah Johnson, OG Ben Adler, OG Josh Rivas, OT Cooper Beebe, OT Christian Duffie, DE Khalid Duke, DT Eli Huggins, DE Bronson Massie, LB Cody Fletcher, LB Daniel Green, LB Wayne Jones, CB Ekow Boye-Doe, CB Justin Gardner, SS Ross Elder, SS Jahron McPherson, KR Malik Knowles, PK Blake Lynch, PR Phillip Brooks, PK Ty Zentner, and PT Jack Blumer.
Key Players Departing:
TE Briley Moore, DE Wyatt Hubert, DT Drew Wiley, LB Justin Hughes, LB Elijah Sullivan, CB A.J. Park, CB Kiondre Thomas, and PK Blake Lynch.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: QB Jake Rubley (West Des Moines, Iowa).
3 Star Recruits: ATH Davonte Pritchard (Gardner, Kansas), OG Andrew Leingang (Bismarck, North Dakota), S Marvin Martin (Cedar Hill, Texas), DL Brayden Wood (Boulder, Colorado), S Krew Jackson (Queen Creek, Arizona), ATH Darell Jones (Ceffeyville, Kansas), WR R.J. Garcia (Tampa, Florida), CB Omar Daniels (Moultrie, Georgia), and LB Gaven Haselhorst (Hays, Kansas).
2020 Results:
G01 ARKANSAS STATE L 31-35
G02 at #3 Oklahoma W 38-35
G03 TEXAS TECH W 31-21
G04 at TCU W 21-14
G05 KANSAS W 55-14
G06 at West Virginia L 10-37
G07 #14 Oklahoma State L 18-20
G08 at #17 Iowa State L 0-45
G09 at Baylor L 31-32
G10 TEXAS L 31-69
Team Info:
2020 Record: 4-6 (7th in Big XII)
Home: 2-3
Away: 2-3
Neutral: 0-0
B12: 4-5
Non-B10: 0-1
Head Coach: Chris Klieman
Kansas State: 12-11
Career: 84-24
Bowls: 0-1
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Will Howard (90-168, 1178 yards, 53.6%, 7.0 avg., 8 TD, 10 INT)
Rushing: Duece Vaughn (123 car., 642 yards, 5.2 avg., 7 TD)
Receiving: Deuce Vaughn (25 rec., 434 yards, 17.4 avg., 2 TD)
TDs Scored: Deuce Vaughn (9)
Sacks: Daniel Green/Bronson Massie (2.5)
Tackles: Jahron McPherson (54)
Tackles For Loss: Eli Huggins (6)
Interceptions: Justin Gardner/Jahron McPherson (2)
Pass Deflections: Justin Gardner (7)
Forced Fumbles: Bronson Massie (2)
Kick Returns: Malik Knowles (11 ret., 203 yards, 18.5 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Phillip Brooks (11 ret., 261 yards, 23.7 avg., 2 TD)
Kicking: None
Punting: Ty Zentner (28 punts, 1142 yards, 40.8 avg., 14 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 7 Skylar Thompson (RS SR)
RB: 22 Deuce Vaughn (SO)
FB: 36 Mason Barta (RS SR)
WR: 88 Phillip Brooks (RS JR)
WR: 4 Malik Knowles (RS JR)
TE: 00 Daniel Imatorbhebhe (GR/TR)
LT: 50 Cooper Beebe (RS SO)
LG: 76 Josh Rivas (RS SR)
OC: 69 Noah Johnson (RS SR/TR)
RG: 52 Taylor Poitier (RS SO)
RT: 73 Christian Duffie (RS JR)
KR: 4 Malik Knowles (RS JR)
PK: 8 Ty Zentner (RS SR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 90 Bronson Massie (RS SR)
DT: 98 Timmy Horne (GR/TR)
DT: 92 Eli Huggins (RS SR)
DE: 29 Khalid Duke (JR)
LB: 55 Cody Fletcher (RS SR/TR)
LB: 22 Daniel Green (RS JR)
NB: 3 Aamaris Brown (SO)
CB: 23 Julius Brents (RS JR/TR)
CB: 25 Ekow Boye-Doe (RS JR)
FS: 2 Russ Yeast (GR/TR)
SS: 31 Jahron McPherson (RS SR/TR)
PR: 88 Phillip Brooks (RS JR)
PT: 43 Jack Blumer (RS JR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: A
Kickers: C
Punters: C
Schedule:
09/04 vs. Stanford Cardinal | Kansas State lost (13-26) the only prior meeting between schools in 2016.
09/11 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SALUKIS | First meeting between schools.
09/18 NEVADA WOLF PACK | First meeting between schools.
09/25 at Oklahoma State Cowboys | Kansas State trails the series 26-41. The Wildcats are 4-6 since 2011, and their last series win (31-12) was in 2018.
10/02 OKLAHOMA SOONERS | Kansas State trails the series 21-76-4. The Wildcats are 4-6 since 2011, and their last series loss (14-51) was in 2018.
10/16 IOWA STATE CYCLONES | Kansas State trails the series 49-51-4. The Wildcats are 8-2 since 2011, and their last series win (27-17) was in 2019.
10/23 at Texas Tech Red Raiders | Kansas State leads the series 12-9. The Wildcats are 9-1 since 2011, and their last series loss (44-59) was in 2015.
10/30 TCU HORNED FROGS | The series is tied 7-7. The Wildcats are 5-4 since renewing the series in 2012, and their last series loss (13-14) was in 2018.
11/06 at Kansas Jayhawks | Kansas State trails the series 48-65-5. The Wildcats are 10-0 since 2011, and their last series loss (21-52) was in 2008.
11/13 WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS | Kansas State trails the series 5-6. The Wildcats are 4-5 since renewing the series in 2012, and their last series win (24-23) was in 2015.
11/20 BAYLOR BEARS | The series is tied 9-9. The Wildcats are 3-7 since 2011, and their last series win (33-20) was in 2017.
11/26 at Texas Longhorns | Kansas State trails the series 10-11. The Wildcats are 4-6 since 2011, and their last series win (24-21) was in 2016.
Predictions:
Home: 4-3
Road: 1-3
Neutral: 0-1
B12: 3-6
Non-B12: 2-1
Overall: 5-7 (8th in Big XII)
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