Eight Honored by Preseason Magazines

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Eight members of the Kansas State football program have been honored by preseason publications as both Lindy’s and Phil Steele’s magazines announced their 2009 Preseason All-Big 12 teams.

Senior wide receiver/kick returner Brandon Banks and sophomore defensive end Brandon Harold were named to both squads as Banks garnered second team wide receiver honors from Lindy’s and third team receiver and kick return accolades from Phil Steele. Harold earned second team preseason honors from Lindy’s and third team honors from Phil Steele.

Banks, the 2008 Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year, had one of the best seasons in school history for a junior wide receiver in 2008 after collecting 67 receptions for 1,049 yards and nine touchdowns. The Garner, N.C., native became the sixth player in school history to reach 1,000 receiving yards in a season and his 67 catches and 1,049 receiving yards were the most by a Wildcat junior for a single season.

Harold, a 2008 consensus freshman all-America selection and native of East St. Louis, Ill., totaled 45 tackles, 10.5 for loss, with 3.0 sacks en route to honorable mention all-conference honors last season for the Wildcats.

Phil Steele, which also picked the Wildcats to finish in a tie for second in the north in 2009, also named junior defensive back Joshua Moore and senior transfer defensive tackle Jeffrey Fitzgerald to its second team defense and senior tight end Jeron Mastrud to the second team offense.

Senior defensive end Eric Childs was named to the third team defense, senior offensive tackle Nick Stringer to the third team offense and senior defensive tackle Daniel Calvin to the fourth team defensive quad.