As Kansas State football solidifies its roster in the next few months, the program will need to start deciding the final 2026 look.
Well, apparently, wide receiver/kick returner Bryce Noernberg will not be on the team moving forward. His father, Scott, went on a social media rant, declaring that his son left the program after moving to the bottom of the depth chart.
"It was an amazing couple years in Manhattan, but then D1 College Football did what it does," the eldest Noernberg said on Facebook. "New HC Collin Klein brought in all new coaches and players … paid them accordingly, and [Bryce] found himself at the bottom of the depth chart. Not wanting to start over again as a true walk-on freshman, he basically told them to kiss his ass!!"
"Well done Bryce! I'm so proud that you stood up to the system," the eldest Noernberg said. "D1 athletics is in a very sad state, and it's times like this that make you grow as a man!"
He had 16 returns for 464 yards and one touchdown, including a 99-yard return score against Army. However, he also had multiple fumbles as a returner in 2025, making it difficult for many fans to stomach at a certain point.
"I’m not trying to be mean, but if the guy who fumbled multiple kickoff returns last year is getting buried in the depth chart by the new staff who have emphasized special teams improvement, then it’s probably a good thing," one user tweeted.
As coach Collin Klein transitions to his first season as head coach, he has Big 12 title expectations for the team. The Wildcats went 6-6 last season after many predicted they would win the conference. Klein must rebound with a squad that lost most of its stars to the transfer portal. However, spring ball has shown some flashes of greatness that the team can build on as it transitions to the fall.
"I think as they grow and mature as players, they understand that it’s all for the betterment of the football team in its entirety, not just for my playing time or this outcome," Klein said in his second spring ball press conference. "This makes us all better, and that’s happening in a lot of positions.
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