Earned and Deserved

By: D. Scott Fritchen

In the early morning hours of January 7, Kansas State left guard Cooper Beebe tweeted a Terminator meme with three words in bold block caps: "I'LL BE BACK," thus putting to bed any doubt that one of the most dominant interior offensive linemen in the FBS would return for the 2023 season.

Prior to his senior campaign, the 6-foot-4, 335-pound Beebe, a native of Kansas City, Kansas, expounded up on his decision that put off NFL Draft hopes for one year. First, he wanted to help guide his younger brother, Camden Beebe, a freshman offensive lineman. Secondly?

"I want to try to put my name in contention for the K-State Ring of Honor," he explained. "There isn't an offensive lineman up there yet. I'd like to be the first."

Beebe has assuredly earned himself a spot in the Ring of Honor — and anything else — after dominating defensive linemen in movie-like fashion while becoming the first offensive lineman in K-State history to earn Consensus All-American honors, nearly tying a bow — Beebe will participate in the Pop-Tarts Bowl — on one of the finest careers by a player ever to step foot inside Vanier Family Football Complex.

"It's a surreal feeling, growing up and watching a lot of great K-State players, and to be among those names is such an honor," said Beebe, who is one of just 12 K-State players to earn the Consensus All-America distinction. "I'll look back and take my kids back here one day and just show them, 'Hey, your dad was pretty good here.' It's just such an honor."

Beebe was named a First Team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association, CBS Sports, ESPN, FOX Sports, the Football Writers Association of America, Pro Football Focus, Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, The Athletic, USA Today, and the Walter Camp Foundation.

"Earned, deserved and developed," K-State head coach Chris Klieman said. "He's earned every one of those accolades that he's received. I couldn't be more excited for Coop."

Named a first- and second-team All-American by various organizations and media outlets last season, Beebe reached the pentacle accomplishment this year.

"I had a really good year last year and a lot of times when people get that recognition, they can get complacent," he said. "But I still had goals this year that were going to exceed last year's goals, so I had something to play for. Fighting complacency was definitely the biggest challenge for me."

However, Beebe had little time to become complacent. He took some snaps at various positions across the offensive line without complaint. He has played on 885 offensive snaps this season with 759 of those snaps coming at left guard. He has played exclusively at left guard in the last six games.

"(Playing different positions) definitely kept me fresh," Beebe said. "It was a new challenge each week. I don't know where I was going to be or who I was going to go up against, so it definitely kept me on my toes."

It's been a busy few weeks for Beebe, who was one of three finalists for the 2023 Outland Trophy, becoming the first K-State player ever to be a finalist for the award. Beebe also was one of 16 finalists, and one of nine FBS players, for the 2023 William V. Campbell Trophy, which is often referred to as the "Academic Heisman." Beebe was also named Big 12 Offensive Lineman for a second straight season, just one of five players to earn the honor in consecutive seasons since the award began in 2006.

"He's a K-State legend for sure," K-State senior linebacker Austin Moore said. "I know for sure his name is going to be up in that Ring of Honor. He's meant a lot to me, too, because he's my roommate. He always has a positive attitude. He's someone K-State fans will remember forever."

Beebe will forever remember where he was when he received word that he had earned Consensus All-American honors.

"I was sleeping," Beebe said, chuckling. "Let's just say it was a pretty good nap. I was getting blown up on Twitter, my dad was calling me, and Coach Klieman was calling me. It was definitely a great feeling."

It's been quite a ride for Beebe, who arrived at K-State as a menacing defensive tackle out of Piper High School. ESPN rated the all-state selection as the 79^th-best defensive tackle in the 2019 Class and as the ninth-best player in the state of Kansas. Beebe totaled 128 tackles, including 34 tackles for a loss, with 10.5 sacks and five forced fumbles during his high school career.

K-State offensive line coach Conor Riley, Klieman and Beebe met before summer workouts about a possible move to offensive line. The day before 2019 fall camp, Tom Beebe and his son visited the locker room to unexpectedly find a No. 50 jersey hanging in Beebe's locker.

The position change worked out pretty well.

The 47-game starter and two-time team captain has only allowed five sacks in his 1,450 career pass blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, with four of those coming during his redshirt freshman season in 2020.

He has allowed just one sack in the last 41 games.

"I think it's just the way I work," Beebe said. "I understand nothing has been given to me in my career, man. I had to earn it. It's just a testament to all the hard work I've put in, and to all the tough days and tough runs and tough workouts and tough games, and just continuing to go. When stuff got tough, I pushed through it.

"I've been truly blessed to be here and to be around great people, coaches and players, who've pushed me to drive to be who I am today."

Beebe isn't finished yet. He confirmed to reporters late last week that he would play when No. 25 K-State meets No. 18 NC State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, on December 28. It will mark the final game for Beebe, who is a projected second-round NFL Draft pick by NFLDraftBuzz.

"For me, being a captain and a leader, and being my last game, I felt if I'm going to start something, I'm going to finish it," he said. "As a leader, I'm going to send this team out right and play in the bowl game."

Kansas State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Camden Beebe

Cooper Beebe

Austin Moore

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