K-State Offensive Line: Kansas Beef!

By Keegan McCullick, Staff Writer

Perhaps no position embodies K-State’s commitment to recruiting and developing Kansas natives more than the 2023 Wildcat offensive line.

Coming off a Big 12 Championship game win over TCU and a Sugar Bowl berth where they faced Alabama, the second biggest question mark for the ‘Cats – other than Deuce Vaughn’s future – was the future for All-American offensive lineman Cooper Beebe.

In Beebe’s January 7th announcement on Twitter, where he utilized a meme featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger as “The Terminator” with his famous catchphrase “I’ll Be Back” across the bottom in blocky white letters, the Piper High School alum thrilled thousands of K-State fans by rounding out the complete return of the 2022 offensive line including Plainville native Hayden Gillum, Lakin native Hadley Panzer, and Texas natives Christian Duffie and KT Leveston.

The decision was made in early December during a meeting at Manhattan’s So Long Saloon, a popular dining spot located in Aggieville, with Beebe, Gillum, Leveston, and Duffie – Panzer was already planning to return for his junior season in 2023 – mutually making the decision to return in lockstep fashion.

“Although everyone has his own journey, choices, and decisions, it was important that we wanted to come back together and do this together,” Gillum told D. Scott Fritchen in an interview for KStateSports.com. “We had a great run in 2022, but I knew I didn’t want to come back alone if I didn’t have those guys with me. We needed to do it together.”

The decision instantly put Kansas State in the conversation of “best offensive line in the country” entering the 2023 season, with Bishop Miege alum Taylor Poitier looking to be a significant contributor

“We have talent, and talent has shined through K-State, especially with the offensive line group. Kansans are blue-collar tough guys with something to prove. That’s the edge you need to play that position, and the edge the in-state guys on our roster have. ... Tough, hardworking Kansas kids are proud of the name on the back of the jersey and want to rep the name on the front of it.”

TAYLOR BRAET, K-STATE DIRECTOR OF RECRUITING

after missing the last two seasons with injuries, and Manhattan High grad Sam Shields also adding depth after appearing in two games last fall.

The group, coached by longtime Chris Klieman assistant Conor Riley, isn’t shying away from lofty expectations, either.

“Being the best offensive line is a statement that we’re wanting to make,” Gillum said to KStateSports. com. “We know we can be the best (in the Big 12) and we can be one of the best offensive lines in the country, but with that comes work. We know the goals we have as a unit, and we know it’s going to take a lot of hard work to get there. It’s not going to happen overnight.”

The offensive’s success should allow quarterback Will Howard time to get the ball where it needs to be in the Wildcat offense, and gives an overall sunny outlook for K-State’s 2023 campaign.

But, that’s not all Wildcat fans have to look forward to on the college football horizon.

Kansans not just the big guys up front

Ranked 39th overall and 33rd in composite ranking, K-State put together one of their best recruiting classes in school history in 2023, with a majority of the players coming from right here in the Sunflower State, including six of the 12 highest rated players in Kansas according to 247Sports.

A big part of KSU’s success through the years has been in recruiting Kansas athletes, tracing back to the early days of legendary head coach Bill Snyder.

“We have tremendous coaches and players throughout this state, and our philosophy has always been to start inside the state of Kansas and work outward,” head coach Chris Klieman said. “Our program is built on toughness, having a chip on their shoulder and development, and that embodies the state of Kansas. Back through the successful times with Coach Snyder, and now with our staff, the state of Kansas has always been – and will continue to be –an emphasis in our program.”

One of those six K-State commits is Piper graduate Camden Beebe, Cooper’s younger brother.

“The culture they have there, the coaches, the family aspect to it, and just everything about the town of Manhattan I loved,” Beebe said in an interview for last year’s Kansas Pregame feature, adding his brother’s decision to stay in Manhattan cemented Kansas State as the best option. “I’ve always wanted to play with one of my brothers since I started playing football.”

Others from that group of six include quarterback Avery Jonson (Maize), edge rusher Jordan Allen (Olathe South), defensive back Wesley Fair (Wichita Collegiate), receiver Andre Davis (Blue Valley), and tight end Will Anciaux (Kapaun).

Johnson, the number one ranked player in the state of Kansas according to 247 and K-State’s first Elite 11 QB since Josh Freeman, utilized an early high school graduation – notably, with a 4.1 GPA – to get on campus early to begin his career as a Wildcat. The college training table and weight room immediately impacted the slender teenager as he added over 15 pounds of muscle in the spring.

“It just took a little bit to get adapted,” Johnson said. “Once I got adapted it’s been smooth sailing so far. It was probably one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life just to get up there and do spring ball and then workout, get up there early. I think it’ll benefit me in the future.”

Johnson joins a talented QB room with Howard and sophomore Jake Rubley, all three highly-touted signal callers who could likely benefit from the additions of Davis and Anciaux in the passing game.

Defensively, Fair and Allen look to bolster a defensive unit that is happy to also welcome back one of the Big 12’s top linebackers in Daniel Green, but does have some spots to fill in the defensive secondary.

“I love it up there,” Fair said of Manhattan and Kansas State after joining Johnson in the spring. “It’s a really great environment.”

Of course these 2023 recruits will likely find it hard to get on the field right away, but Fair is optimistic.

“I’m looking to play this year, that’s what I’m working toward every day,” Fair continued. “As a team, we’re trying to go back-to-back. I think it’s going to happen, we just keep on working every day.”

The ‘Cats defense was ranked third in the Big 12 in points allowed per game (21.9) last season, and welcomes back a number of other key Kansans, including linebacker Austin Moore (Louisburg) after an 87 tackle 2022 season, and defensive ends Cody Stufflebean (McPherson) and Nate Matlack (Olathe East), who both earned starts last season, and have a big task in replacing Felix AnudikeUzomah.

In addition to their 2023 class that is already on campus preparing for a September 2nd kickoff at home against the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks, the 2024 commitment list is counting several Kansas on the verbal commitment list.

K-State already has commitments from the two top-rated offensive linemen in the state for 2024 in Lyndon’s

Kaedin Massey and Mill Valley’s Gus Hawkins, along with Blue Valley running back John Price, giving the Wildcats commits from the first (Massey), fourth (Price), and sixth (Hawkins) rated players in the state. The Wildcats are in the running for a multitude of oth- ers in the class as well, including Junction City safety Michael Boganowski.

The Wildcats are entering into a new era in the Big 12 replete with changes, from the growing developments in NIL contracts, to major expansion of the conference with the recent inclusion of Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and Arizona State come 2024. But as they see the landscape change around them, K-State is sticking to its guns in terms of the athletes it relies on from its home state.

“Just proud of the players in the state of Kansas,” K-State’s Director of Football Recruiting Taylor Braet said. “We have talent, and talent has shined through K-State, especially with the offensive line group. Kansans are blue-collar tough guys with something to prove. That’s the edge you need to play that position, and the edge the in-state guys on our roster have. Wish we could sign them all, but with a limited roster and scholarships they have to fit all the things we are looking for, not only measurables, but accountability. Tough, hardworking Kansas kids are proud of the name on the back of the jersey and want to rep the name on the front of it.”

By John Baetz, Publisher

The term “Landshark” has come to mean an aggressive defensive player in football circles. A defender who hunts their prey looking to gobble up any ball carrier they can get their hands on.

In Kansas currently, the Mill Valley defense is most synonymous with the “Landshark” moniker, as after most any big defensive play the Jaguar defenders can be seen celebrating with the hand above the head to represent the dorsal fin of a shark. Mill Valley defensive players can often be seen with “Landsharks” t-shirts on and the team and defensive coaches take great pride in their pack-hunting style of defense, similar to that of a group of sharks.

While other high school and college defenses across the country also use the “Landshark” name and imagery to identify their brand and style of defensive play, the term has its roots in the state of Mississippi.

According to a 2015 article by Chris Wuen- sch on the website SaturdayDownSouth. com, the “Landshark” can trace its origin to then University of Mississippi head coach Houston Nutt’s first year leading Ole Miss in 2008. The Rebels were coming off a stretch of futility that saw them go 14-32 and bowl-less during a four-year stint under Ed Orgeron and the final season under David Cutcliffe.

Things turned around under Nutt. Led by standouts Peria Jerry, Greg Hardy and Jerrell Powe, the Rebels defense ascended to No. 4 in the nation. Ole Miss capped its 9-4 season with a 47-34 victory over Texas Tech in the 2009 Cotton Bowl.

At the heart of the defense was senior linebacker Tony Fein. In two seasons in Oxford, Fein wrapped up 136 tackles, including eight of them for a loss, but his true worth to the Ole Miss defense was measured in his heart, work ethic and a quirky celebration that became all the rage.

Fein served a one-year tour in Iraq as a member of the U.S. Army before embarking on a college football career. In 2008, the Military Order of the Purple Heart awarded Fein — a two-year letterman at Scottsdale Community College prior to Ole Miss — its Pat Tillman Award.

After each big play, Fein would fashion his hand into a shark fin on his forehead. The “Fins Up” mantra followed shortly after, and a brand new fledgling tradition was born.

At Rolling Hills Zoo, the newly remodeled and expanded reptile and aquatic species enclosure, now known as Bamboo Bay, will be home to a three-thousand gallon saltwater aquarium that features Cat Sharks. With over 150 species, cat sharks are the largest family of sharks. This shark species hatches from a tough protective clear egg case, commonly called a mermaid’s purse.

In honor of this new exhibit, Kansas Pregame decided to devote much of its cover feature space this year to some of the top defenders in the state of Kansas, or “Landsharks!” A couple of big, tough offensive linemen slipped in as well, but we thought it appropriate considering their landshark style of play, always hunting for contact.

As a former coach and defensive coordina- championships. Even in this modern era of wide-open spread offenses, the greatest teams I see play have a prowling, hunting defense that gets the majority of its players to the ball on every down.

Of course, in addition to this exciting new exhibit at Rolling Hills Zoo, this world-class facility in the heart of central Kansas – just under 10 miles west of Salina at 625 N. Hedville Road – is home to a variety of other exhibits and animals and an incredible wildlife museum representing animal habitats from around the world.

In late May, several of the state’s top players gathered at the zoo for our annual feature photo shoot. Thanks to the help of photographer Heather Kindall, intern Kaleb Becker, and staff writer Keegan McCullick, along with zoo officials and employees, we enjoyed another fantastic photo shoot. Find these athletes’ features on the pages that follow, and for more about all there is to see and do at Rolling Hills Zoo, visit their website at RollingHillsZoo.org.