SE: Freshman Wyatt Hubert Settling in as Disruptive Defense End for K-State

By Corbin McGuire

K-State redshirt freshman defensive end Wyatt Hubert did not take long to establish a positive reputation on his team. His work ethic, it became obvious, was top notch. His energy was nonstop.

His teammates and coaches knew it was only a matter of time before these traits carried over to games. Recently, they have.

Hubert recorded a pair of sacks and a career-high five tackles in K-State's 21-6 win over Texas Tech last Saturday. He had a sack the week before against Kansas. For the season, he has 4.5 to rank second on his team and 11^thin the conference. Among freshmen only, he ranks first in the Big 12 and second nationally.

Again, this was not unexpected to those close to him.

"He's got one speed," K-State head coach Bill Snyder said earlier this season, "and it's the one that you like."

"I remember when he first came in, just the motor that he had and how hard he always worked. It stuck out right away," junior safety Denzel Goolsby added. "Older guys on the team started to call him out on it and say, 'You're really doing some great things. We know you're going to be a player here in the future.' He just stuck with it."

Junior linebacker Justin Hughes witnessed Hubert's drive up close last offseason.

"Coming into the winter, he and I lifted together, and I knew then his work ethic was on another level," Hughes said. "He was determined to get on the field this year. I see his work ethic every day. He's out there trying to get extra work in with his d-ends, his d-line. He's put in the work, and it's paying off."

"He's a great football player. He's a great leader on the team," senior right tackle Dalton Risner added of Hubert. "He does things right. He goes to class. He works extremely hard, never shows up on a list, and that's what you get. Coach (Snyder) tries telling guys, 'If you do things right, you work hard, good things happen.' Wyatt Hubert is a spitting image of that."

Hubert, when asked about his personal improvement, pointed to two other factors: Experience and confidence. The game is not moving as fast as it did early in the year. He trusts his instincts more, too.

"I feel like I'm a lot better player today than what I was in Week 1, 2 and 3. That just comes from experience, learning the game and the pace of it. It's really starting to slow down for me," he said. "I definitely feel like it clicked a few weeks ago. I really calmed down and told myself to just relax, go out there and do what you've been coached to do. Things are really starting to slow down. I'm really starting to go out there and be super confident."

The 6-foot-3 Shawnee Heights High School product went his first four games in a K-State uniform without a sack or tackle for loss. He's now on an impressive stretch, however, as K-State closes out the regular season at Iowa State on Saturday at 6 p.m., on FS1. Hubert has recorded at least one tackle for loss in four of his last five games. He has also tallied all of his sacks in Big 12 play, starting with 1.5 against Baylor on October 6.

"I'm definitely way more comfortable. I'm just glad I've been getting better every single week as a player and developing a lot more confidence in myself because that's really been a main thing, something that's really important to going out and being a good player," he said. "Now I know what I'm capable of doing."

His teammates knew it all along.

"He kept going, he kept grinding, and everything he's getting right now, all the success, is paying off because that's stuff he's been working for this whole time. It's all deserved on his end. It's all been earned," Goolsby said. "Any time a young player is in that type of a position, it just takes a bit before they settle in. He's really starting to take off, so that's exciting to see. It helps our defense out. It helps me sleep more at night, for sure."

"I love playing with that guy," Hughes added. "He turns around, gets the call from me and he executes and does his job, and more. It's easy to play behind a guy like that."

Hubert's season sack total is tied for third in K-State history among freshmen with current San Francisco 49er Elijah Lee. Hubert also nabbed an interception against Mississippi State, making him the only Big 12 player and one of 16 across the country to have at least 4.5 sacks and a pick this season.

These numbers and information mean little to Hubert, however.

"I'm not worried about stats and the accolades and stuff like that," he said. "I just want to go out there, do my job and do what's best for my team and what puts our team in the best position possible."

Kansas State University Athletics

SE: Freshman Wyatt Hubert Settling in as Disruptive Defense End for K-State

Players Mentioned

Denzel Goolsby

Wyatt Hubert

Justin Hughes

Dalton Risner

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