Malone Excited about Progress at Cornerback
Apr 10, 2025 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Kansas State has enjoyed a proud lineage of standout cornerbacks in recent years. The Wildcats must replace a pair of full-time starters in Jacob Parrish and Keenan Garber, but assistant head coach/defensive passing game coordinator/cornerbacks coach Van Malone sees ample potential in spring practice.
"I'm extremely proud of the progress that we've made in a short time," Malone said. "When I look at where we've come in that room since we've been here, I'm really impressed with the kinds of players we've put into that room, guys that work hard, and that's what Jacob Parrish, Ekow Boye-Doe and Julius Brents represented. Guys like Justice James, Donovan McIntosh, Zashon Rich and Jayden Rowe — those guys have continued that."
James, a 5-foot-10, 203-pound sixth-year senior, started at cornerback in the Rate Bowl after starting as an additional defensive back against Colorado and Cincinnati. He played in all 13 games last season after playing in 11 games as both a reserve cornerback and on special teams in 2023.
Rich, a 6-foot-1, 201-pound sophomore, played in every game last season as a reserve defensive back and stepped up with four tackles and two pass breakups over a season-high 39 defensive snaps in the Rate Bowl.
Rowe is a 6-foot-1, 226-pound junior transfer from Oklahoma who appeared in five games with the Sooners last season.
"I'm excited about the way they work, I'm excited about the way they work together," Malone said. "I'm excited about what happens in the meeting room when we're installing new defenses and teach and are going through new techniques. Those guys are locked in and taking notes. When we go out on the field, yes, there's coaching, but we're not making the same mistakes. We're learning from mistakes and learning to become better.
"I think that's their attitude. That's really refreshing as a coach. I'm excited as can be."
K-State completed its third spring practice on Tuesday. The Wildcats will conduct 10 total spring practices as they opted to extend the workout portion of their offseason schedule — a move that apparently has paid dividends.
"We got stronger, faster, and you can always benefit from that time," Malone said. "It was a commitment our staff made. We explained it to our players, and they committed to it, and we had positive results from it. I'm excited as I can be to be able to have a cornerback who could've come in at 185 pounds, but he came in at 195. That's just an example. From a speed standpoint, we had guys who got faster during this time. I'm excited about how it'll benefit us the rest of spring, and we want to sustain that into the summer and fall."
Sophomore Donovan McIntosh made a sizeable achievement. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound native of St. Louis, Missouri, who saw action in every game last season, was one of five K-State players to run in excess of 23 miles per hour during testing in March.
"Donnie has always been able to run," Malone said. "When he does things that concern speed, I don't give him a lot of credit for that. I look at how he works in the weight room, how he's committed to gaining weight and continuing to try and put himself into the best position from a nutrition standpoint. He's done that. That's what I've been most proud of about his growth so far this offseason and spring is he's putting it together and has done the things that maybe he didn't like to do. He's always been able to run, but sustaining weight is going to help him to see the field and have success on the field."
The K-State cornerback room during the offseason also welcomed in sophomore transfer Amarion Fortenberry from South Alabama. The position group also features junior Joe Hall III, who played primarily on special teams in three games last season, and sophomore Kanijal Thomas, who played on special teams in two games last season as he battled back from a preseason injury and retained his redshirt.
"Special teams allows you to go out and find your way to make sure to give yourself that confidence that you can do that at this level," Malone said, "but it also gains the trust of your teammates and coaches as well."
Confidence seemingly continues to steadily build at the cornerback position in spring practice, which concludes on April 22.
"As we work in the spring, we're developing the fundamentals, because there'll come a point where we play Army and it'll be totally different than anything that we see, and we're going to have to play Iowa State, and it'll be totally different in many ways that a lot of offenses that we face," Malone said. "We try to train our guys from a fundamental standpoint – especially in the spring – to be ready for everything."
Kansas State has enjoyed a proud lineage of standout cornerbacks in recent years. The Wildcats must replace a pair of full-time starters in Jacob Parrish and Keenan Garber, but assistant head coach/defensive passing game coordinator/cornerbacks coach Van Malone sees ample potential in spring practice.
"I'm extremely proud of the progress that we've made in a short time," Malone said. "When I look at where we've come in that room since we've been here, I'm really impressed with the kinds of players we've put into that room, guys that work hard, and that's what Jacob Parrish, Ekow Boye-Doe and Julius Brents represented. Guys like Justice James, Donovan McIntosh, Zashon Rich and Jayden Rowe — those guys have continued that."
James, a 5-foot-10, 203-pound sixth-year senior, started at cornerback in the Rate Bowl after starting as an additional defensive back against Colorado and Cincinnati. He played in all 13 games last season after playing in 11 games as both a reserve cornerback and on special teams in 2023.
Rich, a 6-foot-1, 201-pound sophomore, played in every game last season as a reserve defensive back and stepped up with four tackles and two pass breakups over a season-high 39 defensive snaps in the Rate Bowl.
Rowe is a 6-foot-1, 226-pound junior transfer from Oklahoma who appeared in five games with the Sooners last season.
"I'm excited about the way they work, I'm excited about the way they work together," Malone said. "I'm excited about what happens in the meeting room when we're installing new defenses and teach and are going through new techniques. Those guys are locked in and taking notes. When we go out on the field, yes, there's coaching, but we're not making the same mistakes. We're learning from mistakes and learning to become better.
"I think that's their attitude. That's really refreshing as a coach. I'm excited as can be."
K-State completed its third spring practice on Tuesday. The Wildcats will conduct 10 total spring practices as they opted to extend the workout portion of their offseason schedule — a move that apparently has paid dividends.
"We got stronger, faster, and you can always benefit from that time," Malone said. "It was a commitment our staff made. We explained it to our players, and they committed to it, and we had positive results from it. I'm excited as I can be to be able to have a cornerback who could've come in at 185 pounds, but he came in at 195. That's just an example. From a speed standpoint, we had guys who got faster during this time. I'm excited about how it'll benefit us the rest of spring, and we want to sustain that into the summer and fall."
Sophomore Donovan McIntosh made a sizeable achievement. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound native of St. Louis, Missouri, who saw action in every game last season, was one of five K-State players to run in excess of 23 miles per hour during testing in March.
"Donnie has always been able to run," Malone said. "When he does things that concern speed, I don't give him a lot of credit for that. I look at how he works in the weight room, how he's committed to gaining weight and continuing to try and put himself into the best position from a nutrition standpoint. He's done that. That's what I've been most proud of about his growth so far this offseason and spring is he's putting it together and has done the things that maybe he didn't like to do. He's always been able to run, but sustaining weight is going to help him to see the field and have success on the field."
The K-State cornerback room during the offseason also welcomed in sophomore transfer Amarion Fortenberry from South Alabama. The position group also features junior Joe Hall III, who played primarily on special teams in three games last season, and sophomore Kanijal Thomas, who played on special teams in two games last season as he battled back from a preseason injury and retained his redshirt.
"Special teams allows you to go out and find your way to make sure to give yourself that confidence that you can do that at this level," Malone said, "but it also gains the trust of your teammates and coaches as well."
Confidence seemingly continues to steadily build at the cornerback position in spring practice, which concludes on April 22.
"As we work in the spring, we're developing the fundamentals, because there'll come a point where we play Army and it'll be totally different than anything that we see, and we're going to have to play Iowa State, and it'll be totally different in many ways that a lot of offenses that we face," Malone said. "We try to train our guys from a fundamental standpoint – especially in the spring – to be ready for everything."
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