K-Stated

David Garrett will likely return kicks for Kansas State on Saturday. He is listed as the Wildcats’ main return man on kickoffs next to wide receiver Chris Harper on the team’s depth chart, and he couldn’t be happier about the new responsibility.

“My whole life I’ve been carrying the ball,” said Garrett, a senior defensive back. “When I got here was the first time ever I just played defense.”

It will be interesting to see what Garrett brings to K-State’s return game. He is fast, and given his size (5-foot-8) he should be elusive with the ball in his hands.

He will try to keep it simple.

“Just run,” he said. “Don’t try to dance. Just hit a hole if it’s there.”

But he, along with everyone else who will return kicks and punts this season for the Wildcats, will have a tough act to follow.

A year ago, William Powell returned 21 kickoffs for 726 yards and a touchdown. When Aubrey Quarles filled in for him, he returned 18 kicks for 459 yards and a touchdown. The year before that, Brandon Banks was a threat to score on seemingly every kick.

Can Garrett duplicate those impressive accomplishments? He’s going to try his best.

“If I’m back there I don’t want to be back there and not be great,” Garrett said. “They’ve had all these great returners. If I’m back there and am given the opportunity to do something, that’s what I’m going to do.”
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By now, it’s pretty obvious that players such as Tysyn Hartman, Arthur Brown and Collin Klein are excelling at Kansas State’s voluntary summer workouts. All three have been voted captains by their teammates, and all three were invited to Dallas for Big 12 Media Days by coach Bill Snyder.

But what about the players further down the depth chart? What about some newcomers? Who came into the offseason flying under the radar (excuse the cliche) but now has a chance to turn a few heads during games?

I asked those questions earlier this week, and came away with a handful of answers.

On the offensive line … “A lot of guys are working hard up front,” said Klein, a junior quarterback. “Clyde Aufner, B.J. Finney, Colten Freeze, I could go on and on.”

Aufner started eight games a year ago at tackle and as a senior should be one of the leaders on K-State’s line. Finney received great reviews from teammates at the end of spring practices. I will be surprised if he doesn’t start at center as a redshirt freshman. Freeze played in all 13 games last season in a reserve role, but could make a run at starting right guard this year.
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Without Brodrick Smith in the lineup, Kansas State will have to go the remainder of the season without one of its top wide receivers and best red-zone target.

That is not good news for the Wildcats. Their passing game was already struggling, and now they will have to get Chris Harper and Adrian Hilburn acclimated to more regular usage.

The adjustment will be easy for Harper, who has caught five passes for 50 yards and a touchdown this season. He started against Nebraska and has handled heavy workloads in the past. But Hilburn has just three catches for 21 yards to his name. He will be asked to do more in the coming weeks.

K-State coach Bill Snyder expects the entire receiving core to be up for the challenge of responding to Smith’s injury.

“Like everybody else they were pained by it,” Snyder said. “They’re the guys who sit in the same meeting rooms together every day and communicate and work together on the field. It’s painful. It’s like an injury to a family member, a brother. But all of our players respond the same way. They feel bad and realize they have to move on.”
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Who will replace Brandon Banks as Kansas State’s main kick returner?

That is a question that has been asked countless times heading into the upcoming football season.

On Tuesday, Wildcats coach Bill Snyder gave us an answer. On kickoffs, Terrance Sweeney and Brodrick Smith will line up nearest the end zone. For punts, Tramaine Thompson and Smith will do most of the sprinting.
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