Kansas State University Athletics
A Bittersweet Finish
Dec 25, 2024 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
PHOENIX, Ariz. - When Brendan Mott was in the fifth grade, a doctor projected that he would grow to be 5-foot-6. As a high school freshman, Mott was 5-foot-3 and weighed 125 pounds.
He was a late bloomer.
"That's OK. My dad was also a late bloomer in high school and going into college," Mott said. "Doctor said I'd be 5-5 or 5-6. I laughed because I knew. Dad is 6-4. I knew it was going to be a long process and just had to be patient with it."
Joe Mott, Brendan's father, blossomed into an All-Big Ten defensive end and became a third-round selection by the New York Jets in the 1989 NFL Draft.
Today, Brendan, a sixth-year defensive end, is a 6-foot-5, 244-pound menace at Kansas State, invading opposing backfields and sending quarterbacks to the ground. He has 8.5 sacks and his 0.71 sacks per game leads the Big 12 Conference and ranks 20th in the FBS. He also is tied for fourth in the Big 12 with 11.5 tackles for loss.
It's a part of why Mott was an All-Big 12 First Team pick by the coaches and Associated Press and was voted the 2024 Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year by the coaches.
They're honors that he doesn't take lightly.
"There were a lot of ups and downs and a lot of unknowns and a lot that went on behind the scenes to get to that point," Mott says. "Defensive Lineman of the Year is an individual achievement, but I couldn't have done it without my teammates and coaches. It's really special and it was a special moment for me to share with my family."
It's been quite a ride for Mott, a native of Iowa City, Iowa, who has been a part of the K-State football program since Chris Klieman took over as head coach in 2019.
A two-year letterwinner at Iowa City West High School, Mott tore his ACL early in his junior season and dinging up an ankle during his senior campaign. Coaches were wary of offering him a scholarship due to his bout with injuries. That included hometown University of Iowa — his father's alma mater. Iowa didn't offer Mott a chance to walk-on, either.
While Cornell and smaller schools showed interest in Mott, Joe Mott contacted former Iowa offensive coordinator Bill Snyder in 2018, as the Hall-of-Famer was wrapping up his legendary career with the Wildcats. Joe played at Iowa during Snyder's tenure with the Hawkeyes in the 1980s. He told Snyder about his son. K-State offered Mott an opportunity to walk-on, and Mott arrived to meet Klieman, a native of Waterloo, Iowa, who had just been named head coach in Manhattan.
Mott redshirted as a freshman in 2019, braved the unpredictable 2020 campaign, then figured his hard work might enable him to slide into a vacant defensive end position in 2021. However, a young man named Felix Anudike-Uzomah entered the picture along with Nate Matlack, creating a challenge and keeping Mott off the field.
"I was kind of thinking it was my time," Mott said. "I thought I was where I need to be. To see two younger guys in Felix and Nate starting — I was lifting while they were in position meetings learning about the opponent and watching film. Man, that was really tough, and living with four other roommates who are my age and they're all traveling and you're staying at home, that was tough for sure.
"Mentally, it was a tough place and a dark place, but my parents and friends had my back. I was patient in knowing my time was going to come."
Anudike-Uzomah is in his second year with the Kansas City Chiefs and Matlack transferred to Pittsburgh prior to the 2024 season. Mott, a team captain, is one of the leaders for a physical, fly-around K-State defense that hopes to hold down Rutgers when the teams meet in the Rate Bowl on Thursday at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.
There are dates people remember. Mott looks fondly upon September 3, 2022. That's when he collected his first career sack in a 34-0 win over South Dakota.
"We were in a four-down and running a mix-stunt, so the tech is on one side and the E on the other," Mott said. "I got it wrong, but I was telling the three-tech what to do, so he came up and picked the tackle and I came underneath untouched," Mott said, reliving the play during a Rate Bowl news conference on Tuesday. "I had the celebratory dance afterward and it wasn't up to standard, so I got a bunch of crap for that. I had to practice the dance in front of the mirror."
The dance is called the "Billion Dollar Strut" made famous by Connor McGregor, and which quickly became Mott's signature celebration following at K-State as well.
"That sack was super special," he said. "It was the first of many to come for sure."
The art of the sack requires plenty of work.
"It's weeks of studying film and looking at our opponent," he said. "Pass rush really is a game inside of a game. It's you versus the tackle and who's better and if you can win that one-on-one rep. You're working on every play. You go to the sideline and look at the iPad and talking to teammates and looking at what moves have worked against that tackle in the past.
"There's a lot that goes into it so when gametime hits, you're prepared and confident and ready to make some plays."
And Mott has made plenty of plays. He has started each of the last 29 games dating to the middle of the 2022 season. In his career, he has 107 total tackles, 23.0 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks to go along with two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one interception and four passes defended.
Off the field, he received a degree in finance, received a certificate in investment management, and received an MBA in business.
"Being here for six years," he said, "you have some time to get some of that stuff done."
A late bloomer, Mott grew into one of the best defensive ends in the nation in 2024.
In a world of transfers, he stayed at K-State.
And now he prepares for his final game in the Rate Bowl.
"It's bittersweet," he said. "I think it'll be pretty emotional Thursday. It's been an awesome journey. I've had some time this December to reflect on my journey and really have enjoyed these weeks with my teammates and coaches, and just enjoying that time around the guys has been awesome. I'm really excited for Thursday and a chance to finish this the right way and close the book."
As for the prospect of getting one last sack?
"It'd be really special," he said, smiling.
PHOENIX, Ariz. - When Brendan Mott was in the fifth grade, a doctor projected that he would grow to be 5-foot-6. As a high school freshman, Mott was 5-foot-3 and weighed 125 pounds.
He was a late bloomer.
"That's OK. My dad was also a late bloomer in high school and going into college," Mott said. "Doctor said I'd be 5-5 or 5-6. I laughed because I knew. Dad is 6-4. I knew it was going to be a long process and just had to be patient with it."
Joe Mott, Brendan's father, blossomed into an All-Big Ten defensive end and became a third-round selection by the New York Jets in the 1989 NFL Draft.
Today, Brendan, a sixth-year defensive end, is a 6-foot-5, 244-pound menace at Kansas State, invading opposing backfields and sending quarterbacks to the ground. He has 8.5 sacks and his 0.71 sacks per game leads the Big 12 Conference and ranks 20th in the FBS. He also is tied for fourth in the Big 12 with 11.5 tackles for loss.
It's a part of why Mott was an All-Big 12 First Team pick by the coaches and Associated Press and was voted the 2024 Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year by the coaches.
They're honors that he doesn't take lightly.
"There were a lot of ups and downs and a lot of unknowns and a lot that went on behind the scenes to get to that point," Mott says. "Defensive Lineman of the Year is an individual achievement, but I couldn't have done it without my teammates and coaches. It's really special and it was a special moment for me to share with my family."
It's been quite a ride for Mott, a native of Iowa City, Iowa, who has been a part of the K-State football program since Chris Klieman took over as head coach in 2019.
A two-year letterwinner at Iowa City West High School, Mott tore his ACL early in his junior season and dinging up an ankle during his senior campaign. Coaches were wary of offering him a scholarship due to his bout with injuries. That included hometown University of Iowa — his father's alma mater. Iowa didn't offer Mott a chance to walk-on, either.
While Cornell and smaller schools showed interest in Mott, Joe Mott contacted former Iowa offensive coordinator Bill Snyder in 2018, as the Hall-of-Famer was wrapping up his legendary career with the Wildcats. Joe played at Iowa during Snyder's tenure with the Hawkeyes in the 1980s. He told Snyder about his son. K-State offered Mott an opportunity to walk-on, and Mott arrived to meet Klieman, a native of Waterloo, Iowa, who had just been named head coach in Manhattan.
Mott redshirted as a freshman in 2019, braved the unpredictable 2020 campaign, then figured his hard work might enable him to slide into a vacant defensive end position in 2021. However, a young man named Felix Anudike-Uzomah entered the picture along with Nate Matlack, creating a challenge and keeping Mott off the field.
"I was kind of thinking it was my time," Mott said. "I thought I was where I need to be. To see two younger guys in Felix and Nate starting — I was lifting while they were in position meetings learning about the opponent and watching film. Man, that was really tough, and living with four other roommates who are my age and they're all traveling and you're staying at home, that was tough for sure.
"Mentally, it was a tough place and a dark place, but my parents and friends had my back. I was patient in knowing my time was going to come."
Anudike-Uzomah is in his second year with the Kansas City Chiefs and Matlack transferred to Pittsburgh prior to the 2024 season. Mott, a team captain, is one of the leaders for a physical, fly-around K-State defense that hopes to hold down Rutgers when the teams meet in the Rate Bowl on Thursday at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.
There are dates people remember. Mott looks fondly upon September 3, 2022. That's when he collected his first career sack in a 34-0 win over South Dakota.
"We were in a four-down and running a mix-stunt, so the tech is on one side and the E on the other," Mott said. "I got it wrong, but I was telling the three-tech what to do, so he came up and picked the tackle and I came underneath untouched," Mott said, reliving the play during a Rate Bowl news conference on Tuesday. "I had the celebratory dance afterward and it wasn't up to standard, so I got a bunch of crap for that. I had to practice the dance in front of the mirror."
The dance is called the "Billion Dollar Strut" made famous by Connor McGregor, and which quickly became Mott's signature celebration following at K-State as well.
"That sack was super special," he said. "It was the first of many to come for sure."
The art of the sack requires plenty of work.
"It's weeks of studying film and looking at our opponent," he said. "Pass rush really is a game inside of a game. It's you versus the tackle and who's better and if you can win that one-on-one rep. You're working on every play. You go to the sideline and look at the iPad and talking to teammates and looking at what moves have worked against that tackle in the past.
"There's a lot that goes into it so when gametime hits, you're prepared and confident and ready to make some plays."
And Mott has made plenty of plays. He has started each of the last 29 games dating to the middle of the 2022 season. In his career, he has 107 total tackles, 23.0 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks to go along with two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one interception and four passes defended.
Off the field, he received a degree in finance, received a certificate in investment management, and received an MBA in business.
"Being here for six years," he said, "you have some time to get some of that stuff done."
A late bloomer, Mott grew into one of the best defensive ends in the nation in 2024.
In a world of transfers, he stayed at K-State.
And now he prepares for his final game in the Rate Bowl.
"It's bittersweet," he said. "I think it'll be pretty emotional Thursday. It's been an awesome journey. I've had some time this December to reflect on my journey and really have enjoyed these weeks with my teammates and coaches, and just enjoying that time around the guys has been awesome. I'm really excited for Thursday and a chance to finish this the right way and close the book."
As for the prospect of getting one last sack?
"It'd be really special," he said, smiling.
Players Mentioned
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