Kansas State quarterback Will Howard celebrates with the gang as he's carried off the sphere by teammates after defeating Oklahoma State, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, in Manhattan, Kan. Howard will probably be again underneath heart for the Wildcats in 2023. Charlie Riedel, Related Press
Iowa extensive receiver Keagan Johnson appears to be like on throughout a university soccer media day, Friday, Aug. 12, 2022, in Iowa Metropolis, Iowa. The Wildcats snagged Keagan out of the switch portal within the offseason. Charlie Neibergall, Related Press
Editor’s observe: Tenth in a sequence previewing every crew within the Large 12.
The final time most of America seen the Kansas State soccer crew, the Wildcats have been getting drubbed 45-20 by Alabama within the Sugar Bowl final New Yr’s Eve.
Alabama does that to plenty of groups.
“That is his soccer crew.” — Kansas State coach Chris Klieman on quarterback Will Howard
So the truth that coach Chris Klieman’s Large 12 championship game-winning squad ended the 2022 season on a bitter observe shouldn't be trigger for concern. The Wildcats misplaced some key gamers to the NFL, similar to edge rusher supreme Felix Anudike-Uzomah, fellow defenders Julius Brents and Josh Hayes and operating again Deuce Vaughn, but it surely seems Okay-State needs to be on the prime of the Large 12 standings once more in 2023.
Getting again to the championship recreation in Arlington, Texas, is an enormous ask after the Cats edged TCU 31-28 final December, however actually not out of the realm of chance. Klieman signed a brand new eight-year contract on Might 15 that ought to hold him in Manhattan by 2030, and may hold this system a title contender for years to come back, particularly with the departures of Texas and Oklahoma at season’s finish.
Kansas State’s 10 wins in 2022 have been this system’s most since 2012. The Wildcats completed the season ranked No. 9 within the School Soccer Playoff High 25, their second-highest rating for the reason that CFP system was initiated.
It's a program clearly on a roll. However don’t be fooled. Assistant head coach Van Malone mentioned the Wildcats usually are not glad.
“I do know there are leagues on the market (that) get much more press, however the Large 12 is likely one of the best conferences within the nation,” Malone mentioned a couple of days earlier than spring practices wrapped up. “For us to have the chance to win the convention championship was a particular second for us. … However it is crucial for us as coaches that we proceed to push our guys previous that second. Sure, we need to honor that second, however we need to make certain we perceive that it’s our place proper now to maneuver our program to the subsequent part.”
Kansas State doesn’t play BYU this season within the Cougars’ first yr within the Large 12, however the packages have one thing in frequent. Like BYU, Kansas State didn’t have a standard spring recreation.
Klieman mentioned it was because of “roster administration” and never having sufficient our bodies to stage a aggressive recreation.
“However we're getting our work in and protecting our guys as wholesome as we will and ensuring that we’re progressing towards 2023,” Klieman mentioned.
Hopes stay excessive as a result of 14 starters are again, most notably quarterback Will Howard, who took the reins to the offense the second half of the season and shined shiny in his fourth yr in this system.
“That is his soccer crew,” Klieman mentioned.
Howard, an enormous QB at 6-foot-5 and 245 kilos, threw for 1,633 yards and 15 touchdowns in seven video games.
Vaughn will probably be robust to switch, however the Wildcats acquired Florida State’s Treshaun Ward out of the switch portal, and expectations are excessive for DJ Giddens. Klieman dipped into the portal to fill a necessity at receiver, touchdown Iowa’s Keagan Johnson.
Additionally, Kansas State’s total offensive line is again.
Defensively, Anudike-Uzomah might be irreplaceable, however the Wildcats ought to nonetheless be a drive with Khalid Duke, Uso Seumalo and Nate Matlack returning.
Oklahoma isn’t on KSU’s schedule in 2023, however the Wildcats do have some checks — significantly in the course of the season after they journey to Oklahoma State on Oct. 6, to Texas Tech on Oct. 14, and to Texas on Nov. 4. That recreation in opposition to the Longhorns could possibly be a preview of the Large 12 title recreation, in response to some prognosticators.
Time will inform.
Kansas State Wildcats 2023 preview
2022 document: 10-4 (7-2 Large 12).
Native ties: None.
2023 schedule
Sept. 2 — Southeast Missouri.
Sept. 9 — Troy.
Sept. 16 — at Missouri.
Sept. 23 — UCF.
Oct. 6 — at Oklahoma State.
Oct. 14 — at Texas Tech.
Oct. 21 — TCU.
Oct. 28 — Houston.
Nov. 4 — at Texas.
Nov. 11 — Baylor.
Nov. 18 — at Kansas.
Nov. 25 — Iowa State.
Iowa extensive receiver Keagan Johnson appears to be like on throughout a university soccer media day, Friday, Aug. 12, 2022, in Iowa Metropolis, Iowa. The Wildcats snagged Keagan out of the switch portal within the offseason.
Charlie Neibergall, Related Press