The 2018 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats played their home games at the Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium in Manhattan, Kansas, and competed in the Big 12 Conference. They were led by head coach Bill Snyder in his 10th season of his current tenure at Kansas State and 27th overall. They finished the season 5–7 overall, 3–6 in Big 12 play to finish in a three-way tie for seventh place.
On December 2, Snyder, who had signed a five-year extension before the season began, announced his retirement. His final record was 215–117–1 in 27 seasons. On December 10, North Dakota State head coach Chris Klieman was hired as Snyder's successor.
Previous season The Wildcats finished the 2017 season 8–5, 5–4 in Big 12 play to finish in a four-way tie for fourth place. They were invited to the Cactus Bowl where they defeated UCLA.
Preseason On December 6, 2017, it was announced that offensive coordinator Dana Dimel was hired as the new head coach for UTEP. Coach Dimel fulfilled his final OC duties for KSU while participating in the Cactus Bowl before moving to his new job. His son Winston Dimel also transferred to UTEP after three seasons at Kansas State.
Award watch lists Listed in the order that they were released Lott TrophyDenzel GoolsbyDBJRRimington TrophyAdam HoltorfCJRMaxwell AwardAlex BarnesRBJRDoak Walker AwardAlex BarnesRBJRBronko Nagurski TrophyDuke ShelleyDBSROutland TrophyDalton RisnerOLSRWuerffel TrophyDalton RisnerOLSRTed Hendricks AwardReggie WalkerDEJR
Big 12 media poll The Big 12 media poll was released on July 12, 2018, with the Wildcats predicted to finish in sixth place.
Media poll 1 Oklahoma 509 (46) 2 West Virginia 432 (2) 3 TCU 390 (1) 4 Texas 370 (1) 5 Oklahoma State 300 6 Kansas State 283 (2) 7 Iowa State 250 8 Texas Tech 149 9 Baylor 125 10 Kansas 52
Recruiting The following is a list of the recruits that are on the 2018 roster.
Schedule The Wildcats hosted three non-conference opponents; South Dakota from the Missouri Valley Football Conference, Mississippi State from the Southeastern Conference, and UTSA from Conference USA.
Kansas State announced its 2018 football schedule on October 26, 2017. The 2018 schedule consisted of seven home and five away games in the regular season. The Wildcats hosted Big 12 foes Texas, Oklahoma State, Kansas, and Texas Tech and traveled to West Virginia, Baylor, Oklahoma, TCU, and Iowa State.
Coaching staff The following is a list of coaches at Kansas State for the 2018 season.
Name Position Seasons atKansas State Alma mater Bill Snyder Head coach 27 (10th consecutive) William Jewell (1963) Sean Snyder Director Of Football Operations/Associate head coach/special teams coordinator 25 (overall); (22nd as Director Of Football Operations); (8th as Associate HC) Kansas State (1994) Andre Coleman Passing game coordinator/wide receivers 6 (overall and WR Coach); (1st as OC) Kansas State (1993) Charlie Dickey Co.-OC/offensive line 10 (overall); (10th as OL Coach); (1st as Co.-OC) Arizona (1984) Collin Klein Co.-OC/quarterbacks 4 (2nd consecutive); (2nd as QB Coach); (1st as Co.-OC) Kansas State (2012) Zach Hanson Tight ends 6 (1st consecutive) Kansas State (2011) Eric Hickson Running backs 1 Kansas State (1998) Blake Seiler Defensive coordinator/linebackers 10 (2nd as LB Coach); (1st as DC) Kansas State (2006) Brian Norwood Co.-DC/secondary 1 (overall); (1st as Co.-DC); (1st as Secondary Coach) Hawaii (1988) Mo Latimore Interior Defensive Line 35 (25th consecutive); (25th as Interior DL Coach) Kansas State (1971) Jon Fabris Defensive ends 4 (2nd consecutive) Ole Miss (1980) Owen Jordan Offensive GA 3 Lincoln (2015) Stanton Weber Offensive GA 2 Kansas State (2015) Jake Vang Defensive GA 6 Kansas State University (2017) Travis Britz Defensive GA 2 Kansas State (2015) Chris Dawson Director Of Strength and Conditioning 8 Oklahoma (1994) Taylor Braet Director Of Football Operations/ Special Teams Quality Control 12 (overall); (7th as Special Teams QC); (5th as Dir. Of Football Operations) Butler (2005) Kacey Harper Associate Director Of Football Operations 13 (10th Full Time) Kansas State University (2008) Kelli Krier Assistant Director Of Recruiting 4 Kansas State University (2009) Taylor Godinet Assistant Director Of Recruiting/ Defensive Quality Control 4 Kansas State (2014) Drew Liddle Assistant Director Of Recruiting/offensive Quality Control 3 (1st as Ass. Director Of Recruiting); (1st as Offensive QC) Kansas State (2014) Matt Thomason Director Of Sports Medicine/Head Trainer 16 (13th as Director Of Sports Medicine) Texas Tech University (2001) Scott Eilert Director Of Video Services (Football) 26 Kansas State University (1991) Al Cerbe Head Football Equipment Manager 11 (7th as Equipment Manager) Kansas State University (2010)
Roster Names in bold means player sits out due to NCAA transfer rules. Names in italics means player is a transfer. ESPN roster for the 2018 season. 2018 rosterQuarterbacks 00 Levi Archer – Fr. 3 John Holcombe II – Fr. 5 Alex Delton – Jr. 10 Skylar Thompson – So. 14 Hunter Hall – Jr. 17 Nick Ast – Fr. 19 Samuel Wheeler – Fr.
Running backs 3 Dalvin Warmack – Sr. 23 Mike McCoy – So. 24 Dylan Wentzel – Fr. 25 Terrance Richards – Jr. 32 Justin Silmon – Sr. 34 Alex Barnes – Jr. 35 Cornelius Ruff IV – Fr.
Full backs 36 Mason Barta – Fr. 47 Luke Sowa – Jr. 80 Adam Harter – Jr.
Wide receivers 2 Isaiah Harris – So. 4 JaQuay Lane – Fr. 6 D.J. Render – So. 7 Isaiah Zuber – Jr. 8 Ryan Henington – Fr. 9 Hunter Rison – So. 12 Landry Weber – Fr. 13 Chabastin Taylor – Fr. 15 Zach Reuter – Sr. 16 E.J. Turner – Fr. 18 Eric Hommel – Fr. 19 Colby Moore – Sr. 81 Malik Knowles – Fr. 83 Dalton Schoen – Jr.
Tight ends 28 Spencer Misko – Fr. 84 Matt Jones – Sr. 85 Logan Long – Fr. 86 Trace Kochevar – Fr. 87 Nick Lenners – So. 89 Blaise Gammon – Jr. Offensive line 00 Shane Cherry – Fr. 54 Hayden Perry – Jr. 61 Abdul Beecham – Sr. 62 Tyler Mitchell – Jr. 63 Ben Adler – Fr. 65 Harrison Creed – Fr. 66 Aidan Mills – Fr. 68 Bill Kuduk – Fr. 70 Jake Helton – Fr. 70 Kaitori Leveston – Fr. 71 Dalton Risner – Sr. 72 Evan Curl – Jr. 73 Christian Duffie – Fr. 74 Scott Frantz – Jr. 75 Dylan Couch – So. 76 Joshua Rivas – Fr. 77 Nick Kaltmayer – Jr. 79 Adam Holtorf – Jr.
Defensive line 40 Spencer Trussell – Fr. 42 Osvelt Joseph – Sr. 44 Kyle Ball – Jr. 48 Ian Nordell – Fr. 50 Jordon Roberston – So. 51 Reggie Walker – Jr. 52 Anthony Payne – Fr. 59 Drew Wiley – So. 79 Tyquilo Moore – So. 81 Wyatt Hubert – Fr. 88 Cartez Crook-Jones – Fr. 90 Bronson Massie – So. 92 Eli Huggins – Fr. 93 Jaylen Pickle – Fr. 95 Derick Newton – Fr. 96 Joe Davies – Jr. 97 Logan Stoddard – Sr. 99 Trey Dishon – Jr. Linebackers 00 Rahsaan York – Jr. 3 Elijah Sullivan – Jr. 5 Da'Quan Patton – Jr. 10 Eric Gallon II – Jr. 13 Chase Johnston – Jr. 32 Justin Hughes – Jr. 35 Blake Richmeier – Jr. 41 Sam Sizelove – Sr. 53 Jacob Jenkins – Fr. 55 Ian Rudzik – So.
Defensive backs 2 Lance Robinson – Fr. 4 Wayne Jones III – Fr. 4 Jordan Noil – Sr. 6 Johnathan Durham – Jr. 7 Elijah Walker – Sr. 8 Duke Shelley – Sr. 9 E.J. Thomas. – Fr. 12 A. J. Parker – So. 14 Kevion McGee – Jr. 15 Walter Neil Jr. – So. 17 Isaiah Stewart – Fr. 18 Darreyl Patterson – Jr. 20 Denzel Goolsby – Jr. 21 Kendall Adams – Sr. 24 Brock Monty – So. 25 Ekow Boye-Doe – Fr. 26 Daron Bowles – Jr. 28 Ross Elder – Fr. 31 Jahron McPherson – So.
Punters 21 Devin Anctil – Jr. 23 Bernardo Rodriguez – Fr.
Kickers 10 Blake Lynch – So. 18 Andrew Hicks – Fr. 22 Nicholas McLellan – Jr.
Place Kicker 91 Jake Roark – Fr.
Long snappers 38 Dalton Harman – Sr. 45 David Tullis – Sr. 49 Wesley Burris – So.
Kansas State's 2018 football roster consists of 22 transfers. Luke Sowa (Butler CC via UConn), Adam Harter (Butler CC), Hunter Rison (Michigan State), Matt Jones (Butler CC), Hayden Perry (Hutchinson CC), Abdul Beecham (Blinn), Nick Kaltmayer (Western Illinois), Tyquilo Moore (Butler CC), Osvelt Joseph (Garden City CC), Joe Davies (Coffeyville CC), Logan Stoddard (Highland CC), Rahsaan York (American River College), Da'Quan Patton (Trinity Valley CC), Eric Gallon II (Virginia), Blake Richmeier (Butler CC), Darreyl Patterson (Northeastern Oklahoma A&M), Jordan Noil (Hutchinson CC), Elijah Walker (Cerritos CC), Kevion McGee (Northeastern Oklahoma A&M), Daron Bowles (Diablo Valley JC), Jahron McPherson (Butler CC), Devin Anctil (Coffeyville CC) and David Tullis (Butler CC).
Game summaries
South Dakota
Kansas State's Isaiah Zuber was credited for saving the game with two key plays: an 85-yard punt return with South Dakota leading 24–12. Later in the game Zuber caught a touchdown pass from Skylar Thompson with 7:21 left to give K-State its first lead of the second half.
Kansas State scored all but seven of its points on field goals and special teams. Sophomore kicker Blake Lynch scored Kansas State's first 12 points on field goals of 22, 24, 38 and 44 yards. Kansas State racked up 13 penalties for 129 yards, but maintained more control of the ball with 37:39 of offense compared to South Dakota's 22:21. going over 100 years for the first time since 2016 against Florida Atlantic.
Among the penalties committed by Kansas State had significant impact on the game. An illegal block negated a punt-return touchdown by Duke Shelley; holding penalties erased first downs; and an Eli Walker interception was taken away by a pass-interference penalty and Walker was subsequently flagged for spiking the football.
South Dakota quarterback Austin Simmons threw for 257 yards and one touchdown, continually finding receiver Levi Falck (11 catches, 140 yards) open against top K-State cornerback Duke Shelley. The Coyotes led 24–12 at halftime. ESPN reported "... one solid takeaway is how well the Coyotes were in control for much of the game. They did a great job limiting the Kansas State offense for three quarters and had many Kansas State fans, players and coaches frustrated throughout the night."
Mississippi State
Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald made his first appearance on the football fields since November 2017, when a foot injury sidelined him for the season and a 1-game suspension kept him out of the season opener. Fitzgerald threw for 154 yards with two touchdowns and ran for another 159 yards. Mississippi State compiled a total of 538 yards of total offense where Kansas State only managed 213.
Kansas State continued with its two-quarterback system, switching snaps between Skylar Thompson and Alex Delton. Kansas State running back Alex Barnes managed 75 yards rushing, but the Wildcats fell short to lose the game 31–10.
UTSA
Kansas State achieved a "confidence builder" by pulling together with a victory over San Antonio. Sophomore Skylar Thompson shared quarterback duties again with Alex Delton, but made more of a statement for his role with the team by throwing for 216 yards and rushing for 66—producing two touchdowns by the air and a third on the ground. After losing the ball on a fumble, Delton entered the game and hit Isaiah Zuber for a 72-yard touchdown, placing the Wildcats well ahead by a score of 41–7. Kansas State scored in five of six possessions in the first half. The final score was Kansas State 41, San Antonion 17.
On defense, San Antonio gave up over 400 yards to Kansas State and dropped their record to 0–3, where Kansas State advanced to 2–1 for the season. San Antonio Coach Frank Wilson said, "Unfortunately we did not always execute to the fullest, but I think take away a couple of big-play opportunities, they weren't going methodically down the field and just shoving us around. We held them to some third-down opportunities, but we just couldn't get them off the field."
At West Virginia