Spring ball is upon us, which means player evaluations are underway and team standards are being established.
Kansas State is setting that tone from the gate, with program records already starting to shatter among the weight classes.
Five players broke all-time squat records for their position group:
- Jacob Knuth (Quarterback): 495 pounds
- Derrick Salley Jr. (Wide receiver): 505 pounds
- Andrew Johnson (Long snapper): 505 pounds
- Jet Dineen (Safety): 510 pounds
- Keiton Jones (Offensive lineman): 605 pounds
Wildcats coach Collin Klein marveled at these achievements from his inaugural group.
"That's a lot of weight," Klein said in his Wednesday afternoon press conference. "There's not one thing that goes into that. You look at our entire support staff, from Scott in nutrition, Lance Yancey in sports science, to our entire strength and training staff, helping give those guys the support they need. Those guys went out, put their nose down, and got it done. I'm very proud of all of them."
Hopefully, this same grit and high standards translate onto the field. The Wildcats lost several star players to the transfer portal, leaving the program optimistic about finding new stars in their incoming units. They ushered in some solid players, including edge rushers Elijah Hill and Wendell Gregory, running back Jay Harris, and linebacker Mehki Mason.
Klein has already lauded several newcomers and a plethora of returners, such as wide receiver Jaron Tibbs, tight end Garrett Oakley, and running back Joe Jackson. It needs to be all hands on deck for the Wildcats to bounce back from their rollercoaster 2025 season. A year full of high ambitions quickly fell flat after seemingly the first week.
"The mindset and mantra throughout the whole winter was 'strain and finish,'" Klein said. "Just learning how to give more every single rep and with everything you do, while finishing every single rep of everything that we do. They've embraced that. Excited to get on the grass. I think we've got a lot of positions that are gonna be very competitive, which we're excited about."
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news!
It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members. Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!