A Competitive, Hard-Working Player
Feb 19, 2025 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Amarion Fortenberry was all smiles as the South Alabama transfer stood surrounded by reporters for the first time as a Kansas State player inside the Steel and Pipe Team Theatre at the Vanier Family Football Complex.
The 5-foot-11, 175-pound sophomore cornerback visited K-State on January 2 as the 22nd-rated cornerback in the transfer portal and the sixth-best available player at his position and feels ready to put his wares on display at the Big 12 Conference level.
"I bring to the table competitiveness, discipline and focus," he said. "I'm someone coming here to put my head down and work."
Fortenberry, a native of Columbia, Mississippi, started eight games as a true freshman in 2024, recording 45 tackles, seven pass breakups and two interceptions. He had 10 tackles and two pass breakups against LSU.
"I knew it was going to be big game against a big program," he said of facing LSU, "so I knew I had to play my best. My freshman year will help a lot because I had a lot of experience on the field. I know what's to come and I know what to expect. I'm out there just playing."
For Fortenberry, there's no playing around. He means business. And that means a lot to K-State assistant head coach/defensive passing game coordinator/cornerbacks coach Van Malone, who likes that he is a younger player.
"When you talk about him and coaches he had at other schools, he is a very competitive guy," Malone said. "He works hard, and you can see that he has the Jacob Parrish type of demeanor. He has personality, but he's not going to say a whole lot. I've watched him work out a few times in the weight room, and he gets his work done and goes about his business in the right kind of manner, but he's very competitive and a hard-working kid. I like that guy."
Fortenberry has a great respect for Malone as well.
"He's a pretty down-to-earth person and he's really into details on what it takes and how you learn," Fortenberry said. "That helps a lot."
He adds, "Coach Malone has been around, and I want to be around someone who can coach me to be better and who knows what he's talking about. His personality is another reason why I feel comfortable, because he's open, he's honest, and he'll be there for you whenever you need him."
These days are largely spent inside the weight room and meeting room. Fortenberry tries to soak it all in.
"The adjustment has been pretty smooth just trying to learn the tradition and culture and what it takes to be a successful person at K-State," he said. "I was looking for somewhere where I could fit in and the defensive system that they run is similar to the system I ran at my old school. It was a great fit for me, so I'll be used to the techniques that they use."
What does Fortenberry like best about how K-State uses its cornerbacks?
"They use different techniques that you can choose from, and then I like the coverages," he said. "I like the way they use them because they trust them to play how they want to play. They just let them play."
Which is precisely what he did at South Alabama. Although he finished his senior season of high school as the No. 15-rated overall player in the state of Mississippi, he was lightly recruited.
"South Alabama, you want to be somewhere where you're comfortable, somewhere where they're like family," he said. "They came to visit me and kept in contact and that showed they were interested in having me in their family."
And then…
"It was toward the end of the season that I knew I had the chance that I had and that I was capable of playing at this level with better competition," he said.
A sophomore with three years of eligibility remaining, Fortenberry carries goals into Manhattan.
"I'm very excited," he said. "I have goals set up to where I want to be the next three years. I can bring a lot to the table. I think about bring one of the best cornerbacks in the Big 12 or in college football."
The journey to turn heads begins next fall.
"I'm trying to play at a higher level of football because a lot of people looked over me," he said. "I have a chip on my shoulder."
Amarion Fortenberry was all smiles as the South Alabama transfer stood surrounded by reporters for the first time as a Kansas State player inside the Steel and Pipe Team Theatre at the Vanier Family Football Complex.
The 5-foot-11, 175-pound sophomore cornerback visited K-State on January 2 as the 22nd-rated cornerback in the transfer portal and the sixth-best available player at his position and feels ready to put his wares on display at the Big 12 Conference level.
"I bring to the table competitiveness, discipline and focus," he said. "I'm someone coming here to put my head down and work."
Fortenberry, a native of Columbia, Mississippi, started eight games as a true freshman in 2024, recording 45 tackles, seven pass breakups and two interceptions. He had 10 tackles and two pass breakups against LSU.
"I knew it was going to be big game against a big program," he said of facing LSU, "so I knew I had to play my best. My freshman year will help a lot because I had a lot of experience on the field. I know what's to come and I know what to expect. I'm out there just playing."
For Fortenberry, there's no playing around. He means business. And that means a lot to K-State assistant head coach/defensive passing game coordinator/cornerbacks coach Van Malone, who likes that he is a younger player.
"When you talk about him and coaches he had at other schools, he is a very competitive guy," Malone said. "He works hard, and you can see that he has the Jacob Parrish type of demeanor. He has personality, but he's not going to say a whole lot. I've watched him work out a few times in the weight room, and he gets his work done and goes about his business in the right kind of manner, but he's very competitive and a hard-working kid. I like that guy."
Fortenberry has a great respect for Malone as well.
"He's a pretty down-to-earth person and he's really into details on what it takes and how you learn," Fortenberry said. "That helps a lot."
He adds, "Coach Malone has been around, and I want to be around someone who can coach me to be better and who knows what he's talking about. His personality is another reason why I feel comfortable, because he's open, he's honest, and he'll be there for you whenever you need him."
These days are largely spent inside the weight room and meeting room. Fortenberry tries to soak it all in.
"The adjustment has been pretty smooth just trying to learn the tradition and culture and what it takes to be a successful person at K-State," he said. "I was looking for somewhere where I could fit in and the defensive system that they run is similar to the system I ran at my old school. It was a great fit for me, so I'll be used to the techniques that they use."
What does Fortenberry like best about how K-State uses its cornerbacks?
"They use different techniques that you can choose from, and then I like the coverages," he said. "I like the way they use them because they trust them to play how they want to play. They just let them play."
Which is precisely what he did at South Alabama. Although he finished his senior season of high school as the No. 15-rated overall player in the state of Mississippi, he was lightly recruited.
"South Alabama, you want to be somewhere where you're comfortable, somewhere where they're like family," he said. "They came to visit me and kept in contact and that showed they were interested in having me in their family."
And then…
"It was toward the end of the season that I knew I had the chance that I had and that I was capable of playing at this level with better competition," he said.
A sophomore with three years of eligibility remaining, Fortenberry carries goals into Manhattan.
"I'm very excited," he said. "I have goals set up to where I want to be the next three years. I can bring a lot to the table. I think about bring one of the best cornerbacks in the Big 12 or in college football."
The journey to turn heads begins next fall.
"I'm trying to play at a higher level of football because a lot of people looked over me," he said. "I have a chip on my shoulder."
Players Mentioned
CB
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