Key Pieces Back on Defense
May 30, 2023 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
The popular theme among Kansas State football is "Run it Back." The Wildcats, picked fifth in the Big 12 Conference preseason poll, put on a show in winning 10 games and capturing the Big 12 Championship title in nail-biting fashion to earn a spot against No. 5 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.
Now the question in Manhattan becomes: What's next?
"We want to elevate and raise the bar, and we want to set new expectations of what it means to have a great year at K-State," says linebacker Austin Moore, who led the Wildcats with 87 tackles in 2022. "(We want to) win the Big 12 Championship, win every game we play, get into the playoff, and give ourselves a chance for something special."
K-State lost Felix Anudike-Uzomah (Kansas City), Julius Brents (Indianapolis), Deuce Vaughn (Dallas) and Josh Hayes (Tampa Bay) in the NFL Draft, and the Wildcats return eight starters on offense and six on defense. K-State is expected to make noise offensively with senior Will Howard under center, the return of the entire starting offensive line, sixth-year senior wide receiver Phillip Brooks and transfer Keagan Johnson, and transfer Treshaun Ward and sophomore DJ Giddens at running back.
However, the defense has some holes to fill, particularly in the defensive backfield. While K-State lost Brents and senior Ekow Boye-Doe – two longtime starters at cornerback – K-State returns safety Kobe Savage, an All-Big 12 Second Team selection who started the first 10 games at strong safety before an injury cut his season short. K-State historically has been good about filling gaps at cornerback and safety in the Chris Klieman era.
The Wildcats might have found another budding star in safety Marques Sigle, who came to K-State after playing in 25 games at North Dakota State.
"Marques Sigle, I've seen him make a lot of plays in practice," Moore says. "One thing that's really impressed me about him is the leadership role that he's taken already. He's a new guy but people already are looking up to him as a leader. I'm really excited for his year."
K-State's defensive end rotation should be intriguing with the departure of Anudike-Uzomah. Junior Nate Matlack returns after making seven starts while playing through a nagging ankle injury last season, and has increased his weight from 232 pounds in the winter to 250.
"I have a lot of my confidence back in my body and I've gained a lot of weight since last season for sure," Matlack says. "I have a whole spring ball under my belt, so it's been nice just to get back onto the field and feel comfortable playing again."
Brendan Mott ranked sixth in the Big 12 with 6.0 sacks last season, and Cody Stufflebean saw action in all 14 games. Arguably the biggest move this offseason has been the return of Khalid Duke to his natural position at defensive end after the 6-foot-4, 246-pounder collected 5.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks while starting 13 games at linebacker his junior season.
"Khalid is just Khalid," Matlack says. "He's explosive and smart and knows what he's doing. He's so experienced now. He's definitely going to have a breakout season getting back to his home position at defensive end. We have a really good group of guys at defensive end with myself, Khalid, Brendan Mott, Cody Stufflebean, and we have a lot of other guys coming. Felix obviously made a lot of plays. I feel like we'll be able to back it up. We have a lot of guys who've become better players."
Matlack has plenty that he intends to show this fall as well.
"I have an array of things I'd like to show and really haven't had a chance to show it yet, honestly, but I'm excited to show it this fall," he says. "I want to show my pass rush, which I feel is one of my strong suits, and my run defense is getting better with the added weight. I obviously get a lot of help from the guys behind me like Austin Moore."
The 6-foot-1, 219-pound Moore, a former walk-on from Louisburg, Kansas, earned 2022 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention accolades. Aside from his team-high 87 tackles, he ranked second with 10.0 tackles for loss and added 1.5 sacks, one interception, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
"He's a hard-working, nose-to-the-grindstone type of guy," Matlack says. "We always call him 'The Machine' because that's what he is. He puts in the work every day and never skips a rep. He's just that type of guy who does all the little things right all the time and that's why he is where he is now."
K-State held all of its Big 12 opponents last season under their season averages coming into the game under defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman.
"(Klanderman) is really excited," Moore says. "Another year and another year of experience, for him, too. He puts in new things all the time, and we've had a lot of practice with the new things. I know he's excited and I'm excited, too."
Since 2019, K-State has held 30 of 37 Big 12 foes under their season averages at the time it faces the Wildcats. The Wildcats surrendered just 21.0 points per game in 2021 and 21.9 points last season. It marked the first time that K-State allowed fewer than 22 points per game in consecutive seasons since going 13-straight years between 1991 and 2003.
"We have quite a few guys coming back, a lot of core guys, but we lost some guys, too," Moore says. "From what I've seen so far, those guys who are taking people's positions are looking really good. I'm just excited for the defense this year. We're not going to take a step back. If anything, we're going to keep taking steps forward, so I'm excited."
Moore and sixth-year senior Daniel Green are expected to be among the best linebacking duos in the league this fall. The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Green had 58 tackles to go along with 3.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, two interceptions and four passes defended en route to an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection.
"Hopefully, we're an exciting duo to watch," Moore says. "Hopefully, we both have a big year. I'm looking forward to building off each other's energy and having an even better year than last year. We both have strengths. When one of us makes a big play, it motivates the other one to make a big play. We just communicate really well. Deuce is a lot of fun to play with."
Moore is excited to see what Matlack at full health can do in 2023 as well.
"He's a freak athlete," Moore says. "He's a stud. He's awesome to watch. He's so fast and explosive. I'm looking forward to him having a big year."
Matlack is looking forward to the Wildcats having another big year, too.
"Over the summer and just seeing all the guys work together, we just felt it from the very beginning last season," Matlack says. "That was our goal. We just believed in ourselves. Before the season even started we felt that coming. We have a lot of goals we still want to accomplish. We keep the same mindset we've had. We just want to keep building."
The popular theme among Kansas State football is "Run it Back." The Wildcats, picked fifth in the Big 12 Conference preseason poll, put on a show in winning 10 games and capturing the Big 12 Championship title in nail-biting fashion to earn a spot against No. 5 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.
Now the question in Manhattan becomes: What's next?
"We want to elevate and raise the bar, and we want to set new expectations of what it means to have a great year at K-State," says linebacker Austin Moore, who led the Wildcats with 87 tackles in 2022. "(We want to) win the Big 12 Championship, win every game we play, get into the playoff, and give ourselves a chance for something special."
K-State lost Felix Anudike-Uzomah (Kansas City), Julius Brents (Indianapolis), Deuce Vaughn (Dallas) and Josh Hayes (Tampa Bay) in the NFL Draft, and the Wildcats return eight starters on offense and six on defense. K-State is expected to make noise offensively with senior Will Howard under center, the return of the entire starting offensive line, sixth-year senior wide receiver Phillip Brooks and transfer Keagan Johnson, and transfer Treshaun Ward and sophomore DJ Giddens at running back.
However, the defense has some holes to fill, particularly in the defensive backfield. While K-State lost Brents and senior Ekow Boye-Doe – two longtime starters at cornerback – K-State returns safety Kobe Savage, an All-Big 12 Second Team selection who started the first 10 games at strong safety before an injury cut his season short. K-State historically has been good about filling gaps at cornerback and safety in the Chris Klieman era.
The Wildcats might have found another budding star in safety Marques Sigle, who came to K-State after playing in 25 games at North Dakota State.
"Marques Sigle, I've seen him make a lot of plays in practice," Moore says. "One thing that's really impressed me about him is the leadership role that he's taken already. He's a new guy but people already are looking up to him as a leader. I'm really excited for his year."
K-State's defensive end rotation should be intriguing with the departure of Anudike-Uzomah. Junior Nate Matlack returns after making seven starts while playing through a nagging ankle injury last season, and has increased his weight from 232 pounds in the winter to 250.
"I have a lot of my confidence back in my body and I've gained a lot of weight since last season for sure," Matlack says. "I have a whole spring ball under my belt, so it's been nice just to get back onto the field and feel comfortable playing again."
Brendan Mott ranked sixth in the Big 12 with 6.0 sacks last season, and Cody Stufflebean saw action in all 14 games. Arguably the biggest move this offseason has been the return of Khalid Duke to his natural position at defensive end after the 6-foot-4, 246-pounder collected 5.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks while starting 13 games at linebacker his junior season.
"Khalid is just Khalid," Matlack says. "He's explosive and smart and knows what he's doing. He's so experienced now. He's definitely going to have a breakout season getting back to his home position at defensive end. We have a really good group of guys at defensive end with myself, Khalid, Brendan Mott, Cody Stufflebean, and we have a lot of other guys coming. Felix obviously made a lot of plays. I feel like we'll be able to back it up. We have a lot of guys who've become better players."
Matlack has plenty that he intends to show this fall as well.
"I have an array of things I'd like to show and really haven't had a chance to show it yet, honestly, but I'm excited to show it this fall," he says. "I want to show my pass rush, which I feel is one of my strong suits, and my run defense is getting better with the added weight. I obviously get a lot of help from the guys behind me like Austin Moore."
The 6-foot-1, 219-pound Moore, a former walk-on from Louisburg, Kansas, earned 2022 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention accolades. Aside from his team-high 87 tackles, he ranked second with 10.0 tackles for loss and added 1.5 sacks, one interception, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
"He's a hard-working, nose-to-the-grindstone type of guy," Matlack says. "We always call him 'The Machine' because that's what he is. He puts in the work every day and never skips a rep. He's just that type of guy who does all the little things right all the time and that's why he is where he is now."
K-State held all of its Big 12 opponents last season under their season averages coming into the game under defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman.
"(Klanderman) is really excited," Moore says. "Another year and another year of experience, for him, too. He puts in new things all the time, and we've had a lot of practice with the new things. I know he's excited and I'm excited, too."
Since 2019, K-State has held 30 of 37 Big 12 foes under their season averages at the time it faces the Wildcats. The Wildcats surrendered just 21.0 points per game in 2021 and 21.9 points last season. It marked the first time that K-State allowed fewer than 22 points per game in consecutive seasons since going 13-straight years between 1991 and 2003.
"We have quite a few guys coming back, a lot of core guys, but we lost some guys, too," Moore says. "From what I've seen so far, those guys who are taking people's positions are looking really good. I'm just excited for the defense this year. We're not going to take a step back. If anything, we're going to keep taking steps forward, so I'm excited."
Moore and sixth-year senior Daniel Green are expected to be among the best linebacking duos in the league this fall. The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Green had 58 tackles to go along with 3.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, two interceptions and four passes defended en route to an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection.
"Hopefully, we're an exciting duo to watch," Moore says. "Hopefully, we both have a big year. I'm looking forward to building off each other's energy and having an even better year than last year. We both have strengths. When one of us makes a big play, it motivates the other one to make a big play. We just communicate really well. Deuce is a lot of fun to play with."
Moore is excited to see what Matlack at full health can do in 2023 as well.
"He's a freak athlete," Moore says. "He's a stud. He's awesome to watch. He's so fast and explosive. I'm looking forward to him having a big year."
Matlack is looking forward to the Wildcats having another big year, too.
"Over the summer and just seeing all the guys work together, we just felt it from the very beginning last season," Matlack says. "That was our goal. We just believed in ourselves. Before the season even started we felt that coming. We have a lot of goals we still want to accomplish. We keep the same mindset we've had. We just want to keep building."
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