Kansas State Football: Help is on the way for 2021 season
By John McCarty
Offensive Line
The 2019 Kansas State offense saw their entire starting offensive line graduate. All of them. So the Cats had to replace the entire starting unit during an offseason that saw no spring workouts and limited fall practice.
Injuries have compounded those issues, but help and reinforcements are on the way. Freshmen Carver Willis and Witt Mitchum should compete for regular playing time next season. Interior linemen Sam Shields, Talor Warner, and Hadley Panzer are redshirting and will provide depth along the interior. JUCO transfer Dawson Delforge has provided versatile interior depth and should be back in 2021 to help along the line.
Perhaps the most fought-for recruit the Wildcats will welcome to campus is offensive lineman Andrew Leingang of Bismark, North Dakota. With offers from North Dakota State, Stanford, Minnesota, and Arizona State, the Wildcats won the battle for the coveted lineman. Along with legacy Austin Weiner, the Cats bring a pair of athletic offensive linemen to the squad for 2021.
Defensive Line
A position group that was rebuilt in similar fashion to the offensive line, the defensive front has grown into perhaps the strongest position group on the team. Sophomore Khalid Duke and Wyatt Hubert are a pair of really good edge defenders. Junior Eli Huggins has been solid as a starter this season, and returning will be youngster Jaylen Pickle with JUCO transfers Robert Hentz and Kirmari Gainous.
To support the group, the Wildcats have three new faces scheduled to head to Manhattan next season. Defensive tackle prospects Brayden Wood and Dominic Ilalio headlines the list along with edge prospects Ozzie Hoffler and Gavin Hasslehorst. The hope obviously is the Cats won’t need their presence immediately and can allow them to develop.