Kansas State Football: Help is on the way for 2021 season
By John McCarty
These position groups still need help to address for future seasons if the Wildcats are to achieve program goals.
Wide Receiver
Perhaps no position group lacks both talent and depth quite like the receiver group. Wkeen Gill was lost in the Texas Tech game for the season and Joshua Youngblood was lost to transfer as the season begun. The star of 2019, Malik Knowles has been injured and inconsistent all season. The group lacks the depth to make an impact.
Compounding the loss of starting quarterback Skylar Thompson is the complete dearth of playmakers at the position trying to get passes from a true freshman in Will Howard, a quarterback who may not be ready has no helping in receivers unable to create separation.
The Wildcats have two receiver commitments, RJ Garcia from Tampa and Brenen Hawkins of Texas. It would be nice to see the Wildcats add another receiver, possibly a JUCO or transfer capable of stepping in and contributing early. Knowles and sophomore Phillip Brooks are scheduled to return next season, and hopefully, their presence helps the passing game make an impact.
Defensive Back
No position group has felt the impact of departures and injuries quite like the defensive backs. Since the start of the past offseason, the Cats have lost Logan Wilson, Will Jones, Tyronne Lewis, Walter Neil, Jonathan Alexander to transfers and T.J. Smith was lost to a season-ending injury.
The issues speak for themselves, as the losses to transfer not only guts the depth this year, but many of those were hoped to help contribute for next season. The Cats have looked to add bodies in the defensive backfield, with commitments from Texas safety Marvin Martin, Georgia corner Omar Daniels, and Kansas products Desmond Purnell and Darrell Jones.
No position group would benefit more from a transfer (or two) than the cornerback group. With AJ Parker AND Jahron McPherson set to graduate, the Cats could use help at defensive back. While the conference isn’t quite as pass happy as it had been in years past (which was more a product of quarterbacks than a lack of defense) the Cats need more help than a few freshmen can provide.