Mailbag: Kansas State training camp reactions

1. What do the Kansas State offensive and defensive line rotations look like?

DY: During the 45 minutes of Kansas State practice that we saw, we never saw the offensive line go up against the defensive line. We also never saw a full offensive line unit or a full defensive line unit, so we’re probably the wrong ones to ask.

However, I’ll share what we have heard.

My expectation at this point is that the offensive line, from left to right, is Easton Kilty, Andrew Leingang, Sam Hecht, Hadley Panzer and Carver Willis. The subs will be John Pastore at tackle and Taylor Poitier on the interior. But a name starting to surface more and more is also Drake Bequeaith.

K-State defensive line projections would include Brendan Mott and Chiddi Obiazor as the starters on the edge and Uso Seumalo as the No. 1 dude on the interior. My second unit picks for defensive end would be Travis Bates and Jordan Allen. But Cody Stufflebean and Tobi Osunsanmi should also play. Damian Ilalio is the second tackle.

2. Who is this year’s Seth Porter on special teams?

DY: Easy, Ty Bowman. He’s always been that kind of dude, but he gets pushed to the front of the line in the absence of the Porter brothers. He’s a scholarship player now for a reason, and this is it.

3. Which K-State defensive player is the key to a good season becoming a great one?

DY: Another easy call. Linebacker Alec Marenco. If he’s as good as they need him to be, the Kansas State defense has little to no holes. It gives them the depth they need on the second level too because it pushes a solid player in Austin Romaine to the second unit.

4. How does Ta’Quan Roberson look at training camp?

DY: Well, we have seen just about 45 minutes total and the longest pass that the K-State quarterbacks threw in that time was about 7 yards. That just illustrates that what we see in practice probably isn’t the best depiction of where things stand or how guys are doing.

I’d just say that I don’t anticipate the No. 2 quarterback being anyone other than Ta’Quan Roberson.

5. Does this look like Chris Klieman’s most talented team at Kansas State?

DY: I probably haven’t seen enough on paper to make that determination. I’ll share what I did in our practice takeaways. On paper they have the most depth of any Kansas State team I’ve covered and it probably isn’t close.

Offensively, it is the fastest team I’ve covered at K-State. Defensively, it is the biggest, longest and deepest.

6. Will Sam Hecht be the starting center?

DY: Yes. That seems like a slam dunk at this point.

7. Who has been the most impressive K-State player outside of Avery Johnson?

DY: The most impressive offensive player on the Kansas State roster the day I saw practice was probably receiver Jayce Brown or running back Dylan Edwards, but I admittedly didn’t see much of the offensive line because of where they were on the field.

Defensively, it was Jordan Allen.

8. How did Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder look?

DY: It is hard to say without really seeing him compete in one-on-ones. We didn’t get that luxury. What I can say about K-State defensive lineman Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder is that he more than looks the part. He was one of the more physically imposing players I saw.

9. Who will long snap for Kansas State?

DY: Not clear. I’d want to say Mason Olguin, as he was the expected replacement for Randen Plattner, but we were told an incoming transfer could take the reins. With that being said, a new long snapper transfer has not popped up on the team’s roster page.

10. Which true freshman has an unexpectedly large impact this season, like Jayce Brown or Austin Romaine?

DY: The best answer is Kansas State wideout Jacques Spradley-Demps. He was the best true freshman I saw at practice and plays a position conducive to it despite the amount of traffic in front of him.

Running back snaps will be hard to come by, safety snaps will be hard to come by and Zashon Rich is probably a little too raw at cornerback. Linemen rarely play early. Both linebackers are projects. If Blake Barnett plays a bit, that probably means something bad happened.

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