SE: Fall Camp Quotables – Unpacking the K-State Offense in 2021
Aug 13, 2021 | Football, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
As fall camp rolls on from Manhattan and college football returns across the country, it's easy to get lost in the wave of soundbites, quotes, and interviews.
But it's also the most exciting time of the season. Everyone is undefeated and hope - remember hope? – feels as plentiful as all those team accounts tweeting out the 😤 emoji this month.
To cut through the noise, here are a few of the most interesting, insightful and entertaining quotes to come out of K-State camp this week. On Wednesday afternoon, offensive assistants Collin Klein, Brian Anderson, Jason Ray and Conor Riley met with the media.
Quarterbacks Coach Collin Klein – On Will Howard
"He is going to be a heck of a football player, but he's a heck of an individual, as you guys already know. His character and mental fortitude are off the charts. That was a tough gig last year with all the dynamics when our whole team was thrown off and what he was thrown into."
Klein talked at length about Howard on Wednesday, who is part of a fascinating quarterback room in Manhattan ahead of the 2021 season.
Among their options this season, the Wildcats have a sixth-year senior in Skylar Thompson, a sophomore in Howard with seven starts under his belt and four years of eligibility, along with a true freshman in Jake Rubley, the program's highest rated recruit since 2007 (247Sports).
Howard had some impressive performances last season against Texas Tech and in a win over TCU that saw him bring home Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honors. It's enough for Klein to at least entertain the idea of working two quarterbacks into the K-State offense this season.
"I think I'm here and there with it," he said. "We're going to put the best guy out there, and if there's a skill set or a niche to make it blend together, then great. I know both [Thompson and Howard] are competitors."
After Klieman also mentioned his options under center at Big 12 Media Days - "we have two starting quarterbacks returning" – this seems like a good problem for the Wildcats to have.
Running Backs Coach Brian Anderson – On Taking the RBs to a Woodshop Class
"I want to see those guys get out of their comfort zone. They have never done anything like that before. They never thought of doing anything like that before. Then once they got there, they enjoyed themselves…It's important for those guys to see who I am as a man and as a husband and a father, because I'm not just a football coach. I'm also a mentor to those guys."
It had nothing to do with football, but Anderson's answer on why he chose one of the more unique offseason activities among the K-State position groups is worth reading. Along with the team's defensive backs, his players headed to a woodworking class in Manhattan last month.
"My job is not just to coach them about football but to coach them about life," he said. "I think those things are important for us as coaches to continue to build great relationship with those guys off the field."
Tight Ends/Fullbacks Coach Jason Ray - On Daniel Imatorbhebhe
"He's moving really well. He takes care of his body. I'm very pleased with what he's brought to the table early in camp…He's still picking up the system. It's just the verbiage right now. He understands what we're doing. Now it's just tying all the words together, some of the different verbiage that we use. But you can tell that he's been around a lot of offensive schemes."
One of K-State's most interesting additions of the offseason came in seventh-year tight end Daniel Imatorbhebhe. Arriving from Illinois, Imatorbhebhe has battled injuries throughout his career, after his freshman season at USC landed him on several Freshman All-American teams.
Ray said that none of those issues seems to be impacting Imatorbhebhe early in camp, specifically highlighting the athleticism of his new tight end.
"He's physical. It's something he's done in his past, something that he's not afraid of," Ray said. "So, his skill set is one that, at tight end, one that you want. It's one that our room really has."
The Wildcats have a track record of success when it comes to transfers at the position, after Briley Moore arrived from Northern Iowa in 2020 and was the team's second-leading receiver.
Ray made it sound like Imatorbhebhe has all the tools to replicate that success in the fall.
Offensive Line Coach Conor Riley - On Noah Johnson Returning for a Fifth Season
Wichita Eagle/Kansas City Star Reporter Kellis Robinet: "How excited were you when Noah Johnson said he was coming back?"
Conor Riley: "Are you married? How did you feel when your wife said yes?"
Look, this was a humorous exchange, but it's tough to overstate how important Noah Johnson's return was for everything the Wildcats hope to accomplish on offense in 2021.
In his first season as the team's starting center, Johnson was a second team All-Big 12 anchor for the Wildcats on a rebuilt offensive line.
His chemistry with Thompson was evident when Johnson explained his decision to come back was "a guarantee," once Thompson decided to return after a season-ending injury in 2020.
This was always going to be a deep group, but Johnson's decision means the Wildcats will go into the season without losing a single start on the offensive line.
Not quite wedding bells, but for Riley, it's close.
"The kid is a phenomenal leader and he's a smart football player," Riley said. "The guy works his (butt) off, and you can't say enough good things about him. You really can't."
As fall camp rolls on from Manhattan and college football returns across the country, it's easy to get lost in the wave of soundbites, quotes, and interviews.
But it's also the most exciting time of the season. Everyone is undefeated and hope - remember hope? – feels as plentiful as all those team accounts tweeting out the 😤 emoji this month.
To cut through the noise, here are a few of the most interesting, insightful and entertaining quotes to come out of K-State camp this week. On Wednesday afternoon, offensive assistants Collin Klein, Brian Anderson, Jason Ray and Conor Riley met with the media.
Quarterbacks Coach Collin Klein – On Will Howard
"He is going to be a heck of a football player, but he's a heck of an individual, as you guys already know. His character and mental fortitude are off the charts. That was a tough gig last year with all the dynamics when our whole team was thrown off and what he was thrown into."
Klein talked at length about Howard on Wednesday, who is part of a fascinating quarterback room in Manhattan ahead of the 2021 season.
Among their options this season, the Wildcats have a sixth-year senior in Skylar Thompson, a sophomore in Howard with seven starts under his belt and four years of eligibility, along with a true freshman in Jake Rubley, the program's highest rated recruit since 2007 (247Sports).
Howard had some impressive performances last season against Texas Tech and in a win over TCU that saw him bring home Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honors. It's enough for Klein to at least entertain the idea of working two quarterbacks into the K-State offense this season.
"I think I'm here and there with it," he said. "We're going to put the best guy out there, and if there's a skill set or a niche to make it blend together, then great. I know both [Thompson and Howard] are competitors."
After Klieman also mentioned his options under center at Big 12 Media Days - "we have two starting quarterbacks returning" – this seems like a good problem for the Wildcats to have.
Running Backs Coach Brian Anderson – On Taking the RBs to a Woodshop Class
"I want to see those guys get out of their comfort zone. They have never done anything like that before. They never thought of doing anything like that before. Then once they got there, they enjoyed themselves…It's important for those guys to see who I am as a man and as a husband and a father, because I'm not just a football coach. I'm also a mentor to those guys."
It had nothing to do with football, but Anderson's answer on why he chose one of the more unique offseason activities among the K-State position groups is worth reading. Along with the team's defensive backs, his players headed to a woodworking class in Manhattan last month.
RBs 🤝 DBs
— K-State Football (@KStateFB) July 30, 2021
Trusting the process 🎨#KStateFB pic.twitter.com/IvEOD7ZE2e
"My job is not just to coach them about football but to coach them about life," he said. "I think those things are important for us as coaches to continue to build great relationship with those guys off the field."
Tight Ends/Fullbacks Coach Jason Ray - On Daniel Imatorbhebhe
"He's moving really well. He takes care of his body. I'm very pleased with what he's brought to the table early in camp…He's still picking up the system. It's just the verbiage right now. He understands what we're doing. Now it's just tying all the words together, some of the different verbiage that we use. But you can tell that he's been around a lot of offensive schemes."
One of K-State's most interesting additions of the offseason came in seventh-year tight end Daniel Imatorbhebhe. Arriving from Illinois, Imatorbhebhe has battled injuries throughout his career, after his freshman season at USC landed him on several Freshman All-American teams.
Ray said that none of those issues seems to be impacting Imatorbhebhe early in camp, specifically highlighting the athleticism of his new tight end.
"He's physical. It's something he's done in his past, something that he's not afraid of," Ray said. "So, his skill set is one that, at tight end, one that you want. It's one that our room really has."
The Wildcats have a track record of success when it comes to transfers at the position, after Briley Moore arrived from Northern Iowa in 2020 and was the team's second-leading receiver.
Ray made it sound like Imatorbhebhe has all the tools to replicate that success in the fall.
Offensive Line Coach Conor Riley - On Noah Johnson Returning for a Fifth Season
Wichita Eagle/Kansas City Star Reporter Kellis Robinet: "How excited were you when Noah Johnson said he was coming back?"
Conor Riley: "Are you married? How did you feel when your wife said yes?"
Look, this was a humorous exchange, but it's tough to overstate how important Noah Johnson's return was for everything the Wildcats hope to accomplish on offense in 2021.
In his first season as the team's starting center, Johnson was a second team All-Big 12 anchor for the Wildcats on a rebuilt offensive line.
His chemistry with Thompson was evident when Johnson explained his decision to come back was "a guarantee," once Thompson decided to return after a season-ending injury in 2020.
This was always going to be a deep group, but Johnson's decision means the Wildcats will go into the season without losing a single start on the offensive line.
Not quite wedding bells, but for Riley, it's close.
"The kid is a phenomenal leader and he's a smart football player," Riley said. "The guy works his (butt) off, and you can't say enough good things about him. You really can't."
Players Mentioned
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