Kansas State University Athletics
2025 Football Roster
Ilalio, Damian
Jersey Number 56
Damian Ilalio
- Position:
- Defensive Tackle
- Height:
- 6-2
- Weight:
- 300
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Manhattan, Kan.
- High School:
- Manhattan
Bio
CAREER HONORS
• 2025 Wuerffel Trophy watch list
• 2024 Academic All-Big 12
• 2023 First Team Academic All-Big 12
• 2022 Second Team Academic All-Big 12
2024: Started all 13 games, coming away with 34 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks over 461 defensive snaps… It was the most tackles by a Wildcat interior defensive tackle since Will Geary had 44 in 2017, while it was the most TFLs and sacks by a defensive tackle since Eli Huggins had 6.0 TFLs and 3.0 sacks in 2021… Recorded four tackles against Kansas, including one in the end zone for a safety… It was the Wildcats’ first safety since 2022 (also against Kansas via holding in the end zone) and first via a tackle in the end zone since Felix Anudike-Uzomah at Texas Tech in 2021… That came on the heels of a career-high six tackles at West Virginia, while he had five at Iowa State and four against Oklahoma State… Registered half sacks at BYU and in the Rate Bowl against Rutgers… Carded his first-career full sack at Tulane... Earned Academic All-Big 12 honors.
2023: Saw action in 11 games with starts in the season-opener against SEMO, regular-season finale against Iowa State and in the Pop-Tarts Bowl against NC State, as he saw time on 192 defensive snaps... Came away with nine tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and a half sack... Set a new career high with three tackles against NC State in addition to the first full TFL of his career... Had two tackles and a half sack against SEMO... Missed the Texas and Baylor games due to injury... Earned First Team Academic All-Big 12 honors.
2022: Played in five games and played on 25 total defensive snaps, making solo tackles against South Dakota and Oklahoma State... Was in for the stop on 4th and Goal inside the one-yard line in overtime during the Big 12 Championship against TCU, which led to the game-winning field goal... A Second Team Academic All-Big 12 performer.
2021: Redshirted.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played at Manhattan under head coach Joe Schartz... Regarded as the sixth-best prospect in the state of Kansas for the Class of 2021 by Rivals... Named to the Kansas Football Coaches Association (KFBCA) Top-11 team as one of the top players in the state among all classes in 2020 in addition to the organization’s first team all-state squad... Voted the 2020 Kansas 6A Defensive Player of the Year and a first team all-state honoree by the Wichita Eagle... Named the Sports in Kansas 6A Defensive Player of the Year and a first team all-state honoree... Also a first team all-state selection by the Topeka Capital-Journal as a senior... Picked up first team all-state honors as a junior from the Topeka Capital-Journal and Wichita Eagle, while he was an honorable mention pick by both organizations as a sophomore... Totaled 129 tackles, 35.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and five fumble recoveries over his junior and senior seasons... Also competed in wrestling – where he was a two-time league wrestling champion – and track and field.
PERSONAL: Damian Ilalio (pronounced EE-lah-LEE-oh) was born January 23, 2003... Son of Phillip and Mahealani Ilalio... Has three siblings, Teuila, Isaia and Mahina... Majoring in athletic training and rehab sciences.
• 2025 Wuerffel Trophy watch list
• 2024 Academic All-Big 12
• 2023 First Team Academic All-Big 12
• 2022 Second Team Academic All-Big 12
2024: Started all 13 games, coming away with 34 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks over 461 defensive snaps… It was the most tackles by a Wildcat interior defensive tackle since Will Geary had 44 in 2017, while it was the most TFLs and sacks by a defensive tackle since Eli Huggins had 6.0 TFLs and 3.0 sacks in 2021… Recorded four tackles against Kansas, including one in the end zone for a safety… It was the Wildcats’ first safety since 2022 (also against Kansas via holding in the end zone) and first via a tackle in the end zone since Felix Anudike-Uzomah at Texas Tech in 2021… That came on the heels of a career-high six tackles at West Virginia, while he had five at Iowa State and four against Oklahoma State… Registered half sacks at BYU and in the Rate Bowl against Rutgers… Carded his first-career full sack at Tulane... Earned Academic All-Big 12 honors.
2023: Saw action in 11 games with starts in the season-opener against SEMO, regular-season finale against Iowa State and in the Pop-Tarts Bowl against NC State, as he saw time on 192 defensive snaps... Came away with nine tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and a half sack... Set a new career high with three tackles against NC State in addition to the first full TFL of his career... Had two tackles and a half sack against SEMO... Missed the Texas and Baylor games due to injury... Earned First Team Academic All-Big 12 honors.
2022: Played in five games and played on 25 total defensive snaps, making solo tackles against South Dakota and Oklahoma State... Was in for the stop on 4th and Goal inside the one-yard line in overtime during the Big 12 Championship against TCU, which led to the game-winning field goal... A Second Team Academic All-Big 12 performer.
2021: Redshirted.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played at Manhattan under head coach Joe Schartz... Regarded as the sixth-best prospect in the state of Kansas for the Class of 2021 by Rivals... Named to the Kansas Football Coaches Association (KFBCA) Top-11 team as one of the top players in the state among all classes in 2020 in addition to the organization’s first team all-state squad... Voted the 2020 Kansas 6A Defensive Player of the Year and a first team all-state honoree by the Wichita Eagle... Named the Sports in Kansas 6A Defensive Player of the Year and a first team all-state honoree... Also a first team all-state selection by the Topeka Capital-Journal as a senior... Picked up first team all-state honors as a junior from the Topeka Capital-Journal and Wichita Eagle, while he was an honorable mention pick by both organizations as a sophomore... Totaled 129 tackles, 35.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and five fumble recoveries over his junior and senior seasons... Also competed in wrestling – where he was a two-time league wrestling champion – and track and field.
PERSONAL: Damian Ilalio (pronounced EE-lah-LEE-oh) was born January 23, 2003... Son of Phillip and Mahealani Ilalio... Has three siblings, Teuila, Isaia and Mahina... Majoring in athletic training and rehab sciences.
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