SE: Fall Camp Quotables – Talking Defense as Camp Wraps Up
Aug 27, 2021 | Football, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
You get this feeling walking into the Shamrock Zone, a little rush of game day energy in Manhattan. It's something about the field poking through the windows, the giant TVs and concessions in the newly renovated south endzone at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
It was the perfect place for Chris Klieman and his assistants to talk about another newly renovated addition to K-State Football this season – the team's defense.
Klieman and three defensive coaches - Buddy Wyatt, Steve Stanard and Mike Tuiasosopo - met with the media inside the Shamrock Zone on Tuesday.
After covering a wide range of topics, including the major pieces on this K-State defense in 2021, here are the most interesting, insightful and entertaining quotes from the coaching staff.
Head Coach Chris Klieman - On Offensive Playmakers:
"You hear about the Malik (Knowles) and Philip (Brooks) and Deuce Vaughn, but you throw in Tyrone Howell and [Sammy Wheeler]. Joe Ervin has been really, really good this fall. So, we have more bodies there. You have an experienced quarterback which helps too, so I know we're deeper with explosive players."
It's been a recurring theme throughout fall camp: Ask Klieman about Deuce Vaughn, and you're also going to hear about guys like Joe Ervin and Jax Dineen. Curious about Malik Knowles? Klieman is happy to talk about him, but not without mentioning Tyrone Howell and Sammy Wheeler.
"I feel a lot better, obviously, than last season with the limitations we had at a variety of positions on both sides of the ball," Klieman said. "But it still comes down to being able to make plays when you get in the game."
One guy to watch is Howell, who arrived at K-State from Hutchinson CC this summer, where he led the Blue Dragons to an NJCAA national title. Not many receivers were better last season, as Howell earned first team all-conference honors with 301 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
"We're excited about what he can do," Klieman said.
Defensive Ends Coach Buddy Wyatt - On Replacing Wyatt Hubert
"Getting right to the point, huh? Okay, well obviously Wyatt had a very successful career here. It's going to be hard to hard to replace him, but I think we have some guys that can step up. It's going to be more by committee, probably, than just one person. I'm excited. The guys have been working really hard. They've really improved. Guys like Felix Anudike, Nate Matlack, 'Boom' Bronson Massie. We know him as 'Boom,' and also Spencer Trussell. Those guys have really stepped up and had a really good camp."
There isn't a bigger name K-State Football will need to replace this season than Hubert, after the Cincinnati Bengals selected the All-Big 12 defensive end in the 2021 NFL Draft.
In that sense, Buddy Wyatt has one of the toughest jobs on the K-State coaching staff this season. But the sheer number of names who have stepped up at the position - and Wyatt said a few minutes later he forgot to mention Khalid Duke - might be the answer.
"By committee" was how Wyatt described his approach at defensive end in 2021, with Massie projecting as one of the group's returning leaders. But Duke is also worth watching, after bursting onto the scene with an eight-tackle performance against No. 3 Oklahoma last season.
The challenge for the junior? He won't be sneaking up on anyone in 2021.
"He's still going to make the dynamic plays, the splash plays because he's a dynamic guy," Wyatt said. "Now, people are going to be looking at him more and preparing for him more just because that's who they see on film. I think he has to continue to just be consistent."
Linebackers Coach Steve Stanard - On Daniel Green
"I'm really excited. Daniel has had an outstanding fall camp. He's playing extremely fast right now, and he's playing more physical. Daniel has really applied himself in the offseason, in the weight room and on the field."
A big storyline early in 2021 will be K-State Football's next chapter at linebacker. Daniel Green should have one of the first opportunities to write it this season.
He took about a third of K-State's snaps at linebacker in 2020, but Stanard said it was easy for Green to be overshadowed by big personalities like Justin Hughes and Elijah Sullivan.
That won't be a problem this season. Green and Cody Fletcher have separated themselves at the position throughout fall camp, with Stanard talking at length about Green's development.
"He has really worked hard," Stanard said. "He's sprinting through his leverage right now, and he's developed into a really good blitzer. So, I'm really pleased with Daniel."
Defensive Tackles Coach Mike Tuiasosopo - On the Stability of the D-Line
"It just felt like there were times where we weren't completely loaded. We weren't playing with a full hand if you will. There was a lot of shifting and moving things around. This year, I told the guys this in our room, this is the best shape I've ever seen our D-linemen in since I've been here."
The K-State defensive line offers an intriguing mix of returning talent - Eli Huggins, Jaylen Pickle - and a potential difference-maker in Charlotte transfer Timmy Horne.
And if the unit shakes out anything like 2020, Tuiasosopo has reason for optimism. Huggins was a player who came up in fall camp last year as a rotation player poised for a breakout season.
He ended 2020 among the top three 'Cats in tackles for loss. Now, Huggins is paying it forward.
"He's a great compliment to everyone around him," Tuiasosopo said. "Speaking of Eli, those older guys have been tremendous for our young players, developing them, nurturing them, putting their arms around them, loving them. They've been unbelievable in that way."
So, who could be the Eli Huggins of the 2021 season? Start with Robert Hentz II - Tuiasosopo said he's been "knicked up" in camp, but Hentz appeared in 10 games last season.
Entering his senior year, the former JUCO transfer has a big fan in Tuiasosopo.
"I'm looking for great things from him," Tuiasosopo said. "Not only just maturity wise, but really honing in on some details that we talked about at the end of last season. He's in better shape, (he's) stronger, plays much better technique. We're really looking forward to his work."
You get this feeling walking into the Shamrock Zone, a little rush of game day energy in Manhattan. It's something about the field poking through the windows, the giant TVs and concessions in the newly renovated south endzone at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
It was the perfect place for Chris Klieman and his assistants to talk about another newly renovated addition to K-State Football this season – the team's defense.
Klieman and three defensive coaches - Buddy Wyatt, Steve Stanard and Mike Tuiasosopo - met with the media inside the Shamrock Zone on Tuesday.
After covering a wide range of topics, including the major pieces on this K-State defense in 2021, here are the most interesting, insightful and entertaining quotes from the coaching staff.
Head Coach Chris Klieman - On Offensive Playmakers:
"You hear about the Malik (Knowles) and Philip (Brooks) and Deuce Vaughn, but you throw in Tyrone Howell and [Sammy Wheeler]. Joe Ervin has been really, really good this fall. So, we have more bodies there. You have an experienced quarterback which helps too, so I know we're deeper with explosive players."
It's been a recurring theme throughout fall camp: Ask Klieman about Deuce Vaughn, and you're also going to hear about guys like Joe Ervin and Jax Dineen. Curious about Malik Knowles? Klieman is happy to talk about him, but not without mentioning Tyrone Howell and Sammy Wheeler.
"I feel a lot better, obviously, than last season with the limitations we had at a variety of positions on both sides of the ball," Klieman said. "But it still comes down to being able to make plays when you get in the game."
One guy to watch is Howell, who arrived at K-State from Hutchinson CC this summer, where he led the Blue Dragons to an NJCAA national title. Not many receivers were better last season, as Howell earned first team all-conference honors with 301 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
"We're excited about what he can do," Klieman said.
Defensive Ends Coach Buddy Wyatt - On Replacing Wyatt Hubert
"Getting right to the point, huh? Okay, well obviously Wyatt had a very successful career here. It's going to be hard to hard to replace him, but I think we have some guys that can step up. It's going to be more by committee, probably, than just one person. I'm excited. The guys have been working really hard. They've really improved. Guys like Felix Anudike, Nate Matlack, 'Boom' Bronson Massie. We know him as 'Boom,' and also Spencer Trussell. Those guys have really stepped up and had a really good camp."
There isn't a bigger name K-State Football will need to replace this season than Hubert, after the Cincinnati Bengals selected the All-Big 12 defensive end in the 2021 NFL Draft.
In that sense, Buddy Wyatt has one of the toughest jobs on the K-State coaching staff this season. But the sheer number of names who have stepped up at the position - and Wyatt said a few minutes later he forgot to mention Khalid Duke - might be the answer.
"By committee" was how Wyatt described his approach at defensive end in 2021, with Massie projecting as one of the group's returning leaders. But Duke is also worth watching, after bursting onto the scene with an eight-tackle performance against No. 3 Oklahoma last season.
The challenge for the junior? He won't be sneaking up on anyone in 2021.
"He's still going to make the dynamic plays, the splash plays because he's a dynamic guy," Wyatt said. "Now, people are going to be looking at him more and preparing for him more just because that's who they see on film. I think he has to continue to just be consistent."
Linebackers Coach Steve Stanard - On Daniel Green
"I'm really excited. Daniel has had an outstanding fall camp. He's playing extremely fast right now, and he's playing more physical. Daniel has really applied himself in the offseason, in the weight room and on the field."
A big storyline early in 2021 will be K-State Football's next chapter at linebacker. Daniel Green should have one of the first opportunities to write it this season.
He took about a third of K-State's snaps at linebacker in 2020, but Stanard said it was easy for Green to be overshadowed by big personalities like Justin Hughes and Elijah Sullivan.
That won't be a problem this season. Green and Cody Fletcher have separated themselves at the position throughout fall camp, with Stanard talking at length about Green's development.
"He has really worked hard," Stanard said. "He's sprinting through his leverage right now, and he's developed into a really good blitzer. So, I'm really pleased with Daniel."
Defensive Tackles Coach Mike Tuiasosopo - On the Stability of the D-Line
"It just felt like there were times where we weren't completely loaded. We weren't playing with a full hand if you will. There was a lot of shifting and moving things around. This year, I told the guys this in our room, this is the best shape I've ever seen our D-linemen in since I've been here."
The K-State defensive line offers an intriguing mix of returning talent - Eli Huggins, Jaylen Pickle - and a potential difference-maker in Charlotte transfer Timmy Horne.
And if the unit shakes out anything like 2020, Tuiasosopo has reason for optimism. Huggins was a player who came up in fall camp last year as a rotation player poised for a breakout season.
He ended 2020 among the top three 'Cats in tackles for loss. Now, Huggins is paying it forward.
"He's a great compliment to everyone around him," Tuiasosopo said. "Speaking of Eli, those older guys have been tremendous for our young players, developing them, nurturing them, putting their arms around them, loving them. They've been unbelievable in that way."
So, who could be the Eli Huggins of the 2021 season? Start with Robert Hentz II - Tuiasosopo said he's been "knicked up" in camp, but Hentz appeared in 10 games last season.
Entering his senior year, the former JUCO transfer has a big fan in Tuiasosopo.
"I'm looking for great things from him," Tuiasosopo said. "Not only just maturity wise, but really honing in on some details that we talked about at the end of last season. He's in better shape, (he's) stronger, plays much better technique. We're really looking forward to his work."
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