Amid an incredibly busy portal season for Kansas State, the program has made another addition to its roster.
Former Toledo kicker Robert Hammond III has committed to the Wildcats. He had 71 kick attempts for 4,467 yards and 43 touchbacks. Hammond also went 2-of-3 on his field goals, with his longest being a 50-yarder.
The Wildcats lost punter Teagan Cobb to the transfer portal after he committed to Southeast Missouri State. He didn't see any playing time for Kansas State, mostly sitting behind Simon McClannan and Luis Rodriguez. The special teams unit was probably the most reliable phase for the Wildcats, accounting for a few short fields and remaining consistent with field goal percentage and punting.
ESPN NAMES KANSAS STATE ONE OF CFB'S BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS IN 2025
A year full of promise for Kansas State started off with Big 12 title hopes and potential playoff expectations.
It quickly simmered into the most miserable season in recent memory. Even ESPN, a prominent Wildcats advocate heading into the year, couldn't defend them. It ranked Kansas State as the seventh-most disappointing team in college football.
The article wrote:
"Whoever loses in Ireland is evidently doomed. Unlike Florida State in 2024 and Nebraska in 2022, Kansas State only briefly collapsed following its loss to Iowa State in Dublin, but by the time the Wildcats found their footing, they were 2-4 and just hoping for a .500 finish. They got there, but an exhausted team passed on a bowl bid, and coach Chris Klieman retired."
After an opening-round loss to Iowa State, the title odds and postseason hopes already plummeted. By week four, they were all but gone after devastating losses to Army and Arizona, and a narrow, unconvincing victory over FCS North Dakota. As the season developed, Kansas State was just fighting to avoid a losing season rather than actually competing.
Star running back Dylan Edwards' opening-week loss deteriorated the run game, forcing complementary back Joe Jackson to step into the spotlight. Many hinged a better year on Johnson's improvement as a signal-caller, but he dropped in several statistical categories. His failure to elevate his game held back the Wildcats' offense, which struggled early in the season.
As for the defense, Joe Klanderman's unit turned the ball over frequently but couldn't stop big plays or long rushing drives. The defense allowed 26.7 points/game, the most since Chris Klieman's only losing season at Kansas State (2020).