‘I’m Here For A Reason’
Aug 19, 2022 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Sitting inside the press box at Bill Snyder Family Stadium one day in late July, the memories begin to flow for senior Josh Hayes, whose final chapter to a lengthy story is about to begin.
"What have I learned about myself?" he says. "I've learned that I have to be harder on myself than anybody else. If I can't push myself to take that next step, nobody else can."
The 6-foot, 189-pound Hayes began his football career as a shutdown corner at North Dakota State in 2017 and helped the Bison to a national championship. He transferred to Virginia last season to be closer to his infant daughter, who lives in Florida. He stayed at Virginia all of six games. It simply wasn't a fit. Now he's reunited with head coach Chris Klieman and defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman, who coached Hayes in 2017 and 2018 before Klieman moved onto Kansas State prior to the 2019 season.
"I'm really excited about Josh," Klanderman says.
It's been a great reunion.
"Coach Klanderman was my guy when I was at North Dakota State," Hayes says. "He taught me football for real and how things fit into each other. I just remember his teaching style and how it worked best for me. Now he's helped me a lot in breaking everything down. He's helping me slow it down."
Hayes entered the transfer portal and arrived at K-State in time for spring workouts. One week into spring practice, he agreed to move from cornerback to safety. The Wildcats play with three safeties, and they were a position of need, as a precariousness wafted in the air amid a squad that otherwise is fortified across the 3-3-5 defense.
These days, it isn't difficult to spot Hayes. Typically, he's in Klanderman's office, watching tape with his familiar defensive coordinator, as he settles into his new role. They watch about an hour and a half of film several times a week. They click through each play. They discuss each play. They walk through formations and alignments that K-State presented against the likes of Stanford and LSU last season.
"They have me at free safety right now, and a little bit of nickel, rolling down in the box," Hayes says. "This league is a defensive back's dream, truthfully. The ball is going to be in the air and there are a lot of talented guys on the outside and great quarterbacks. I'm super excited."
Yes, Hayes sits inside the press box and a grin creeps across his face as he ponders the future. Although he's far from his hometown of Lakeland, Florida, he somewhat feels at home surrounded by his old college coaches and their familiar defensive terminology. Slowly, he's getting the hang of his new position — "We moved him from corner to safety to a little bit of Russ Yeast's spot and look for him to try and take that role," Klieman says — while envisioning the potential excitement that lay ahead on the football field this fall.
"Whatever it is, you're going to see something you saw in the past in the future," Hayes says. "I'm looking at the field from a big-picture perspective. The biggest thing is to open that vision and see more than just one receiver or one key in a single instance and be able to process multiple things that can help me anticipate what's coming from the offense."
The 23-year-old Hayes is eager to make the most of his final season.
"I'm here," he says. "I'm here for a reason. I'm not looking to prove anything. Once I play up to the level that I know I'm capable of everything else will speak for itself. I'm ready. I have a little bit of an attitude. I'll leave you to find out in September, but I carry a little bit on my shoulders. (Opponents) will know I'm there for sure.
"This is my last go at it and my last year of college football. Whatever I have to do to help the team win, I'm all for it."
K-State assistant head coach, passing game coordinator and cornerbacks coach Van Malone believes that Hayes carries the capacity to check all the boxes. Although competition at the three safety positions appears to be fierce during fall camp, Malone lauds Hayes' experience and energy.
"He has an incredible amount of experience," Malone says during a fall camp news conference. "He has the personality. He's a very competitive player. I think guys feed off that competitiveness that he displays. In the safety room, because of the fact that he's played with Coach Klieman and Coach Klanderman, those guys respect that part of him. He's won championships, and there's another level of respect and creditability.
"He's a great teammate. Where we are on our team, those attributes, they allow a lot of younger players to gather around him, and to feed off his energy."
It certainly sounds like a winning formula.
"This is going to be a really exciting defense," Hayes says. "This defense is going to be one for the books. It's not only about the physical ability but there's a lot of mentally sharp guys on the field, and when you have guys who can communicate and play with their disguise and looks, it makes it easier on me. It's going to be a really exciting defense this year."
What has Hayes learned most about himself?
"You've got to buck up and get things going," he replies. "You have to want it more than anything, really."
Sitting inside the press box at Bill Snyder Family Stadium one day in late July, the memories begin to flow for senior Josh Hayes, whose final chapter to a lengthy story is about to begin.
"What have I learned about myself?" he says. "I've learned that I have to be harder on myself than anybody else. If I can't push myself to take that next step, nobody else can."
The 6-foot, 189-pound Hayes began his football career as a shutdown corner at North Dakota State in 2017 and helped the Bison to a national championship. He transferred to Virginia last season to be closer to his infant daughter, who lives in Florida. He stayed at Virginia all of six games. It simply wasn't a fit. Now he's reunited with head coach Chris Klieman and defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman, who coached Hayes in 2017 and 2018 before Klieman moved onto Kansas State prior to the 2019 season.
"I'm really excited about Josh," Klanderman says.
It's been a great reunion.
"Coach Klanderman was my guy when I was at North Dakota State," Hayes says. "He taught me football for real and how things fit into each other. I just remember his teaching style and how it worked best for me. Now he's helped me a lot in breaking everything down. He's helping me slow it down."
Hayes entered the transfer portal and arrived at K-State in time for spring workouts. One week into spring practice, he agreed to move from cornerback to safety. The Wildcats play with three safeties, and they were a position of need, as a precariousness wafted in the air amid a squad that otherwise is fortified across the 3-3-5 defense.
These days, it isn't difficult to spot Hayes. Typically, he's in Klanderman's office, watching tape with his familiar defensive coordinator, as he settles into his new role. They watch about an hour and a half of film several times a week. They click through each play. They discuss each play. They walk through formations and alignments that K-State presented against the likes of Stanford and LSU last season.
"They have me at free safety right now, and a little bit of nickel, rolling down in the box," Hayes says. "This league is a defensive back's dream, truthfully. The ball is going to be in the air and there are a lot of talented guys on the outside and great quarterbacks. I'm super excited."
Yes, Hayes sits inside the press box and a grin creeps across his face as he ponders the future. Although he's far from his hometown of Lakeland, Florida, he somewhat feels at home surrounded by his old college coaches and their familiar defensive terminology. Slowly, he's getting the hang of his new position — "We moved him from corner to safety to a little bit of Russ Yeast's spot and look for him to try and take that role," Klieman says — while envisioning the potential excitement that lay ahead on the football field this fall.
"Whatever it is, you're going to see something you saw in the past in the future," Hayes says. "I'm looking at the field from a big-picture perspective. The biggest thing is to open that vision and see more than just one receiver or one key in a single instance and be able to process multiple things that can help me anticipate what's coming from the offense."
The 23-year-old Hayes is eager to make the most of his final season.
"I'm here," he says. "I'm here for a reason. I'm not looking to prove anything. Once I play up to the level that I know I'm capable of everything else will speak for itself. I'm ready. I have a little bit of an attitude. I'll leave you to find out in September, but I carry a little bit on my shoulders. (Opponents) will know I'm there for sure.
"This is my last go at it and my last year of college football. Whatever I have to do to help the team win, I'm all for it."
K-State assistant head coach, passing game coordinator and cornerbacks coach Van Malone believes that Hayes carries the capacity to check all the boxes. Although competition at the three safety positions appears to be fierce during fall camp, Malone lauds Hayes' experience and energy.
"He has an incredible amount of experience," Malone says during a fall camp news conference. "He has the personality. He's a very competitive player. I think guys feed off that competitiveness that he displays. In the safety room, because of the fact that he's played with Coach Klieman and Coach Klanderman, those guys respect that part of him. He's won championships, and there's another level of respect and creditability.
"He's a great teammate. Where we are on our team, those attributes, they allow a lot of younger players to gather around him, and to feed off his energy."
It certainly sounds like a winning formula.
"This is going to be a really exciting defense," Hayes says. "This defense is going to be one for the books. It's not only about the physical ability but there's a lot of mentally sharp guys on the field, and when you have guys who can communicate and play with their disguise and looks, it makes it easier on me. It's going to be a really exciting defense this year."
What has Hayes learned most about himself?
"You've got to buck up and get things going," he replies. "You have to want it more than anything, really."
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