An Attacking Mindset
Feb 02, 2026 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
During his first full weekend in Manhattan, Mekhi Mason fought through windchills of 16 degrees below zero. One day, he struggled to navigate his car through snow on the way to practice. Another day, he took a brisk walk with teammates to the indoor practice facility wearing only his gray t-shirt and purple shorts. Each morning, there were two-hour workouts, conditioning exercises, and school.
There's an adjustment period… and then there's an adjustment period. On December 5, Mason, a native of Pembroke Pines, Florida, entered the transfer portal after concluding his junior season as an All-CUSA Second Team linebacker at Louisiana Tech. The 6-foot-2, 230-pounder arrived at K-State on January 18. Now this? He's slapped in the face with frozen fingers in the Midwest?
"There's no doubt in my mind I made the right choice," Mason says, chuckling. "I love this. Everything has been great — the coaches, the facilities, the school, and my teammates and I get along really well. The snow? I drove to the facility in the snow for practice.
"It wasn't very smart."
When the field thaws at Bill Snyder Family Stadium and sizzling temperatures signify the start of football season in September, Mason, who was listed as the 26th-rated linebacker in the transfer portal by On3, intends to put on a show with the Wildcats.
"I'm a dawg, honestly," Mason says. "K-State and the Big 12 is definitely a higher level, but my mindset doesn't change from playing at Louisiana Tech. I have to be as hungry as before. I'll actually be hungrier now. I definitely want to be first team all-conference, try to earn the Butkus Award, and help us get to the College Football Playoff."
Mason had 96 tackles, including 18.5 tackles for loss with 4.5 sacks, and five passes defended in two years at Louisiana Tech, including 68 tackles with 14.5 for loss with 3.5 sacks and four passes defended in 2025. He ranked 29th nationally in tackle for loss en route to earning his all-conference honors.
Mason's efforts included a standout performance in Louisiana Tech's 23-7 loss at No. 3 LSU on September 6 when he had a career-high 11 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for a loss and one sack against the Tigers in front of 101,667 fans at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
"The game actually started earlier in the week when they said the point spread would be 60 and they were barely practicing for us," Mason says. "I took that game very personally. I had to let it be known."
He took out his aggression on LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier.
"My big third-down sack on Garrett was my favorite play," Mason says. "I dropped in coverage and saw Garrett rolling out, and I didn't know if he was going to throw or run, so I went after him. I was going so fast that when he tried to make a move it didn't work, and I tackled him. It definitely lit a fire."
That fire continues to burn in meetings with K-State linebackers coach Nick Toth, who was hired on Collin Klein's coaching staff on December 22. At Texas A&M, Toth oversaw the development of 2010 Butkus Award winner Von Miller, who became the No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. At Fresno State, Toth coached All-American safety Phillip Thomas, a finalist for the 2012 Jim Thorpe Award. At Oregon, Toth coached All-American defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, a finalist for the 2021 Chuck Bednarik Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy, and who became the fifth overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. At Air Force, he coached safety Trey Taylor, who won the 2023 Jim Thorpe Award.
"Coach Toth develops guys and has multiple award winners," Mason says. "He's going to develop me in one year into the player I want to be."
And what might that be?
"My mindset," Mason says, "is to attack."
Mason, who enters his final season of college football, doesn't yet know exactly which linebacker position he'll occupy on the field, but he's a big fan of defensive coordinator Jordan Peterson and the plans that he has put together for the season ahead.
"It's definitely an NFL defense, for sure," Mason says. "It's an exotic defense. You'll never know what we're running based off what we're showing."
As for what might Mason show?
"I attack each and every play," he says. "You want to play angry, but not too angry, and be in control of your emotions, but I'm trying to get to the ball every play. My versatility stands out the most. I can play inside and outside the box. I can cover pass catchers. I bring a lot of things in the toolbox. I'm trying to bring some leadership to the room since this is my last year."
Three words first roll off the tongue when Mason thinks of K-State football.
"I think about, 'College Football Playoff,'" he says.
For now, the days are consumed by Mason's workouts at 8:30 a.m. for baseline strength and conditioning testing and working on the speed running program to gain optimal running form to increase speed and explosiveness under the guidance of Director of Strength and Conditioning Jeremy Jacobs.
"Coach Jacobs is the best strength and conditioning coach I've had in my career," Mason says. "The big thing that he's told us about is being more explosive and using our hips and our glutes. I just absorb his knowledge."
The initial theme for Klein's first season as K-State head coach is "Family Business," and it didn't take long for Mason to pick up that vibe on his early January visit to K-State, which he made after first visiting UCF.
Why, it was new K-State defensive backs coach Jeremiah Johnson who phoned Mason first after he dropped into the portal. Johnson served as Louisiana Tech defensive coordinator in 2024.
"The coaching staff is like a family, basically," Mason says. "Coach Johnson was a big part in me choosing K-State. It was great to have somebody I familiar with when I was in the transfer portal. It was good to hear his voice. We had a lot to talk about.
"He talked about how valuable I'd be at K-State. I know K-State's brand of football is they're a disciplined team in the Big 12 and always have a good defense."
Already, Mason is pumped up for the season opener.
"What's going to be going through my mind? Angry thoughts," he says. "I'm not going to lie. There's going to be somebody across the line, and I'm trying to feed my family just like him. He's going to try and be better than me. I don't like that. I take that personally.
"I'm going to have angry thoughts."
During his first full weekend in Manhattan, Mekhi Mason fought through windchills of 16 degrees below zero. One day, he struggled to navigate his car through snow on the way to practice. Another day, he took a brisk walk with teammates to the indoor practice facility wearing only his gray t-shirt and purple shorts. Each morning, there were two-hour workouts, conditioning exercises, and school.
There's an adjustment period… and then there's an adjustment period. On December 5, Mason, a native of Pembroke Pines, Florida, entered the transfer portal after concluding his junior season as an All-CUSA Second Team linebacker at Louisiana Tech. The 6-foot-2, 230-pounder arrived at K-State on January 18. Now this? He's slapped in the face with frozen fingers in the Midwest?
"There's no doubt in my mind I made the right choice," Mason says, chuckling. "I love this. Everything has been great — the coaches, the facilities, the school, and my teammates and I get along really well. The snow? I drove to the facility in the snow for practice.
"It wasn't very smart."
When the field thaws at Bill Snyder Family Stadium and sizzling temperatures signify the start of football season in September, Mason, who was listed as the 26th-rated linebacker in the transfer portal by On3, intends to put on a show with the Wildcats.
"I'm a dawg, honestly," Mason says. "K-State and the Big 12 is definitely a higher level, but my mindset doesn't change from playing at Louisiana Tech. I have to be as hungry as before. I'll actually be hungrier now. I definitely want to be first team all-conference, try to earn the Butkus Award, and help us get to the College Football Playoff."
Mason had 96 tackles, including 18.5 tackles for loss with 4.5 sacks, and five passes defended in two years at Louisiana Tech, including 68 tackles with 14.5 for loss with 3.5 sacks and four passes defended in 2025. He ranked 29th nationally in tackle for loss en route to earning his all-conference honors.
Mason's efforts included a standout performance in Louisiana Tech's 23-7 loss at No. 3 LSU on September 6 when he had a career-high 11 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for a loss and one sack against the Tigers in front of 101,667 fans at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
"The game actually started earlier in the week when they said the point spread would be 60 and they were barely practicing for us," Mason says. "I took that game very personally. I had to let it be known."
He took out his aggression on LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier.
"My big third-down sack on Garrett was my favorite play," Mason says. "I dropped in coverage and saw Garrett rolling out, and I didn't know if he was going to throw or run, so I went after him. I was going so fast that when he tried to make a move it didn't work, and I tackled him. It definitely lit a fire."
That fire continues to burn in meetings with K-State linebackers coach Nick Toth, who was hired on Collin Klein's coaching staff on December 22. At Texas A&M, Toth oversaw the development of 2010 Butkus Award winner Von Miller, who became the No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. At Fresno State, Toth coached All-American safety Phillip Thomas, a finalist for the 2012 Jim Thorpe Award. At Oregon, Toth coached All-American defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, a finalist for the 2021 Chuck Bednarik Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy, and who became the fifth overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. At Air Force, he coached safety Trey Taylor, who won the 2023 Jim Thorpe Award.
"Coach Toth develops guys and has multiple award winners," Mason says. "He's going to develop me in one year into the player I want to be."
And what might that be?
"My mindset," Mason says, "is to attack."
Mason, who enters his final season of college football, doesn't yet know exactly which linebacker position he'll occupy on the field, but he's a big fan of defensive coordinator Jordan Peterson and the plans that he has put together for the season ahead.
"It's definitely an NFL defense, for sure," Mason says. "It's an exotic defense. You'll never know what we're running based off what we're showing."
As for what might Mason show?
"I attack each and every play," he says. "You want to play angry, but not too angry, and be in control of your emotions, but I'm trying to get to the ball every play. My versatility stands out the most. I can play inside and outside the box. I can cover pass catchers. I bring a lot of things in the toolbox. I'm trying to bring some leadership to the room since this is my last year."
Three words first roll off the tongue when Mason thinks of K-State football.
"I think about, 'College Football Playoff,'" he says.
For now, the days are consumed by Mason's workouts at 8:30 a.m. for baseline strength and conditioning testing and working on the speed running program to gain optimal running form to increase speed and explosiveness under the guidance of Director of Strength and Conditioning Jeremy Jacobs.
"Coach Jacobs is the best strength and conditioning coach I've had in my career," Mason says. "The big thing that he's told us about is being more explosive and using our hips and our glutes. I just absorb his knowledge."
The initial theme for Klein's first season as K-State head coach is "Family Business," and it didn't take long for Mason to pick up that vibe on his early January visit to K-State, which he made after first visiting UCF.
Why, it was new K-State defensive backs coach Jeremiah Johnson who phoned Mason first after he dropped into the portal. Johnson served as Louisiana Tech defensive coordinator in 2024.
"The coaching staff is like a family, basically," Mason says. "Coach Johnson was a big part in me choosing K-State. It was great to have somebody I familiar with when I was in the transfer portal. It was good to hear his voice. We had a lot to talk about.
"He talked about how valuable I'd be at K-State. I know K-State's brand of football is they're a disciplined team in the Big 12 and always have a good defense."
Already, Mason is pumped up for the season opener.
"What's going to be going through my mind? Angry thoughts," he says. "I'm not going to lie. There's going to be somebody across the line, and I'm trying to feed my family just like him. He's going to try and be better than me. I don't like that. I take that personally.
"I'm going to have angry thoughts."
Players Mentioned
LB
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