The Kansas State Wildcats name their team captains in the first year under coach Collin Klein
The Kansas State Wildcats are moving closer to beginning the era of coach Collin Klein.
They are just 11 days from the season opener against Nicholls Sept. 5 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Another reminder of things starting to get real was Tuesday's announcement of the team captains.
There were few surprises.
Here's the list:
Quarterback Avery Johnson
Running back Joe Jackson
Tight end Garrett Oakley
Linebacker Gabe Powers
Defensive end Travis Bates
Defensive end Jordan Allen
-Johnson is beginning his third season as the starter. After a solid sophomore season, he battled inconsistency last year as a junior. This is his final chance to cement himself among the best quarterbacks in school history. With no clear-cut backup behind him, the Wildcats are counting on huge production from Johnson.
-After entering last season as an afterthought, Jackson is the primary running back. Last year he came out of nowhere to unseat Dylan Edwards as the starter. That turned into nearly a 1,000-yard season and earning honorable mention All-Big 12 honors. The Wildcats brought in a pair of transfers but Jackson has steadily held the No. 1 spot.
-Oakley is receiving plenty of interest from NFL scouts this season according to Klein. He is the leader of the tight end room, which may be the best unit on the roster. He could arguably be the top target for Johnson this season. That's how high the Wildcats coaches are on Oakley.
-Powers is among the leaders among the linebackers. He is expected to help the Wildcats fill the void left by Austin Romaine, who transferred to play for the Texas Tech Red Raiders. He and linebacker Rex Van Wyhe are expected to be the anchors on the defense.
-Bates and Allen are the front line of the defense. While Wendell Gregory gets most of the attention, these two are just as valuable.
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Shandel Richardson is the publisher of KStateRoundtable. He can be reached at [email protected]
