K-State Hosts UT Martin to Open 2024 Campaign

By K-State Athletics Release August 26, 2024

Game 1
UT Martin at 18/17 K-State

Date: Saturday, August 31, 2024

Kickoff: 6 p.m.

Location: Manhattan, Kan.

Stadium: Bill Snyder Family Stadium (50,000)

Series: First Meeting

TV: ESPN+ (watch)

Mark Neely (Play-by-Play)

Ahman Green (Analyst)

Radio: K-State Sports Network; k-statesports.com (Listen)

            Wyatt Thompson (Play-by-Play)

            Stan Weber (Analyst)

            Matt Walters (Sidelines)

SiriusXM Satellite Radio Ch. 160 or 198, and on the SiriusXM App

Big 12 Radio on TuneIn

X Updates: @KStateFB

THE TOP 5
1) K-State opens its 129th season of football on Saturday when the Wildcats host UT Martin in a 6 p.m. contest inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game will be shown on ESPN+ with Mark Neeley (play-by-play) and former NFL running back Ahman Green (analyst) on the call, as the Wildcats are in search of their seventh season-opening win in the last eight years.

2) Quarterback Avery Johnson is set to be the fifth sophomore signal caller to start a season opener since 1990 and will be the second-youngest player to start under center during that span. He is coming off a true freshman season that was capped with a start in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, leading the Wildcats to a 28-19 victory over No. 19 NC State as he was named MVP.

3) Returning beside Johnson in the backfield is junior running back DJ Giddens after he rushed for 1,226 yards and 10 touchdowns on 223 carries in 2023, while he also hauled in 29 receptions for 323 yards and three other scores. Giddens enters the game with a four-game streak of at least 100 rushing yards, while he is 466 rushing yards shy of tying for 10th in school history for a career.

4) The experience of the Wildcats resides on defense as the unit brings back eight starters, including five of its top six tacklers from a year ago. Leading the charge last year and back in 2024 are linebacker Austin Moore and safety Marques Sigle with 63 tackles apiece. Both players, along with defensive ends Brendan Mott and Cody Stufflebean were voted as team captains for the 2024 season.

5) Kicker Chris Tennant is back for his senior campaign and enters the year tied for eighth in career extra points made and is six field goals shy of entering the school’s career top-10 list. The Wildcats will be breaking in a new punter with Simon McClannan earning the first opportunity, while both return units will see a new man deep, which could be manned by Colorado transfer Dylan Edwards.

STATISTICAL SPOTLIGHTS
78.46 – Red-zone TD percentage by the Wildcats in 2023, which ranked second in the nation behind Oregon State (78.57%).

64 – Turnovers produced by K-State since 2021, the most among active Big 12 teams and tied for 8th among Power 4 teams.

21.3 – Points per game allowed by K-State since 2021, ranked third among active Big 12 teams and 15th among Power 4 programs.

5.59 – Career per rush average by DJ Giddens, ranking third in school history behind Darren Sproles (6.11) and Alex Barnes (5.71).

2 – Avery Johnson will be the second-youngest Wildcat since 1990 to start a season at QB (19 years, 9 months, 29 days).

TEAM NOTES
CATS IN LID LIFTERS

  • Entering its 129th year of football, Kansas State holds an all-time record of 88-35-5 (70.7%) in season openers, including a 30-4 (88.2%) mark since 1990.
  • Chris Klieman, who enters his 12th year as a head coach, has earned a 9-2 (81.8%) record in season openers.


HOME OPENERS

  • All-time, Kansas State is 95-28-5 (76.2%) in home openers, while head coach Chris Klieman is 9-2 (81.8%) in home openers as a head coach.


NON-CONFERENCE NOTABLES

  • Since 1990, K-State holds a 97-20 (82.9%) record in regular-season non-conference games.
  • That stretch includes an 82-9 (90.1%) mark at home. Over that period of time, the Wildcats have had perfect regular season non-conference ledgers 17 times and unblemished marks at home on 25 occasions.


A WINNING TRADITION

  • Kansas State has totaled 139 Big 12 victories since the conference’s formation in 1996, which stands as the most among active Big 12 programs.
  • The Wildcats are also second among active Big 12 members in winning percentage since non-divisional play began in 2011. They sit at 59.8% (70-47), trailing only Oklahoma State (65.8%; 77-40).
  • During that stretch, the Wildcats are 39-20 (66.1%) at home in Big 12 play and 31-27 (53.4%) on the road.

AMONG THE NATION’S BEST

  • K-State has a total of 222 victories since 1996, which is tied for 21st nationally.
  • Among active Big 12 teams, the Wildcats rank fourth behind TCU (229), BYU (228) and Utah (228).
  • Over the last 14 seasons, the Wildcats have won at least seven games 12 times.

ON A GOOD RUN

  • K-State is riding a streak of three-straight years of at least eight wins, its longest since 2011 (10), 2012 (11), 2013 (8) and 2014 (9).
  • The Wildcats are the only returning Big 12 team with at least eight wins in each of the last three seasons and one of 13 Power 4 programs to claim that feat.
  • K-State has 27 wins since 2021, which ranks third among active Big 12 teams behind Oklahoma State (29) and Utah (28).

POSTSEASON PROMINENCE

  • Kansas State has a strong history of being in the postseason, having advanced to a bowl game 24 times since 1993, including 12 times in the last 14 years.
  • K-State’s 24 bowl trips since 1993 are tied for second among active Big 12 teams with BYU and just behind West Virginia (25).
  • In an era when over 80 teams play in a bowl game each year, the Cats are one of just 16 Power 4 teams to play in a bowl game at least 12 times in the last 14 years.

PRESEASON EXPECTATIONS

  • For the second-straight season, Kansas State will enter a season ranked in both the Associated Press Top 25 and the AFCA Coaches Poll as they checked in at No. 18 and No. 17, respectively.
  • It marks the first time the Wildcats are ranked in the Preseason AP Top 25 in consecutive years since 2003 and 2004.
  • Last season, K-State entered the year No. 16 in the AP Top 25 and No. 17 in the Coaches Poll.
  • K-State has been ranked in the AP Top 25 on 232 occasions since 1993, the most among active Big 12 teams and ranked 22nd nationally.

RANKED STREAK

  • Kansas State was ranked No. 25 in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 of 2023, marking the 12-straight time the Cats have been ranked in the CFP Top 25. That figure enters the 2024 season tied for the sixth-longest active streak.

NEW OPPONENTS

  • K-State was more busy than usual scouting the opponents on its schedule during the spring and summer months as the Wildcats are only playing four foes from last year’s schedule – Houston, Iowa State, Kansas and Oklahoma State – in 2024.
  • It is the Wildcats’ fewest amount of carryover opponents from one year to the next since only three rematches from the 1918 season to the 1919 season (Baker, Kansas and Iowa State).
  • Additionally, half of the Wildcats’ schedule is against teams in which they have not faced in at least 10 years, if ever. Those are UT Martin (First Meeting), Arizona (Last Meeting: 1978), BYU (1997), Colorado (2010), Arizona State (2002) and Cincinnati (1996).

A TRACK RECORD OF WINNING

  • A proven winner with a championship history, Chris Klieman holds a 111-37 career record, as his 75.0% career winning percentage ranks third among current FBS coaches that have led programs for at least 10 seasons. He is also one of just 16 current Power 4 head coaches with at least 100 victories.
  • Klieman, who is 39-24 (61.9%) since arriving at K-State, has led the Cats to five victories over teams ranked in the top 10 of the Associated Press Top 25, which is the most of any active Big 12 program since 2019. Next on the list is Utah with four, followed by Baylor, Oklahoma State and TCU with three apiece.

TOP 30 IN BOTH

  • Kansas State ended the 2023 season ranked 10th nationally in scoring offense (37.1 points per game) and 26th in scoring defense (21.0 points allowed per game). The Wildcats were one of just 11 Power 5 teams to rank in the top 30 in both categories, joining Alabama, Arizona, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, Missouri, Notre Dame, Oregon, Penn State and Texas.
  • It was the first time the Wildcats finished in the top 30 nationally in both categories since 2014 when they ranked 24th in scoring offense (35.8 points per game) and 29th in scoring defense (23.2 points allowed per game).

TO’s MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

  • Kansas State ranked in the top 10 nationally in turnover margin each of the last two years as the Wildcats finished eighth in 2022 and fifth in 2023.
  • It was the first time K-State has ranked in the top 10 in consecutive seasons since 2011 (9th) and 2012 (3rd).
  • The Wildcats’ march to the top 10 in 2023 took a long path as, prior to the Texas Tech game, K-State ranked 105th nationally in turnover margin (minus-3) but flipped that script as it went plus-14 over the final eight games.
  • Over the final seven weeks of the regular season and bowl season, K-State forced a nation-leading 19 turnovers (11 interceptions, eight fumbles) while only committing five (three interceptions, two fumbles).
  • Additionally, the Wildcats only lost two fumbles in 2023, a new school record and the third fewest in the nation.

CATS TOPS IN NON-OFFENSIVE TDs

  • K-State is the nation’s best in non-offensive touchdowns over the last 25 seasons as it has 131 since 1999, six more than the next closest team (Alabama – 125).
  • K-State recorded two non-offensive scores against Baylor in 2023 – a 15-yard fumble return by Desmond Purnell and a 45-yard interception return by Keenan Garber.

OH CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!

  • K-State announced the selection of six captains at the conclusion of fall camp. The players voted by their teammates to serve as captains in 2024 are quarterback Avery Johnson, offensive lineman Hadley Panzer, linebacker Austin Moore, defensive ends Brendan Mott and Cody Stufflebean, and safety Marques Sigle.
  • Of the six captains, five are seniors and four hail from the state of Kansas. Both of those lists include Moore, a former walk-on who is a captain for a second-straight season.
  • Johnson is just the ninth sophomore captain in program history, joining Mark Simoneau (1997), Terry Pierce (2001), Josh Freeman (2007), Alex Hrebec (2009), Collin Klein (2010), B.J. Finney (2012), Dalton Risner (2016) and Wyatt Hubert (2019).

FILL THE BILL

  • With the entire six-game 2024 home slate trending toward being sold out, Kansas State enters the year with 14-consecutive sellouts dating back to the beginning of 2022.
  • Kansas State is one of only three schools in the nation to rank in the top 20 of percentage of capacity filled each of the last 10 seasons, joining Ohio State and Oklahoma.

OFFENSIVE NOTES
NEW OFFENSIVE STRUCTURE

  • K-State’s offense has new faces at the front of room as Conor Riley, the offensive line coach the last five seasons, will add playcalling duties to his repertoire for the first time in his career, while K-State hired former Utah State and Texas Tech head coach Matt Wells to serve as co-offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and associate head coach.
  • Riley was the interim offensive coordinator in K-State’s 28-19 victory over NC State in the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl, a game in which the Wildcats amassed 257 rushing yards and 435 total yards on a Wolfpack defense that entered bowl season ranking No. 16 and No. 25 in those categories, respectively.
  • Wells, who boasts nine years of head coaching experience, comes to Manhattan after spending the last two years at Oklahoma as an advisor to head coach/offensive analyst. In addition to coaching quarterbacks during his 27-year coaching career, Wells has also spent time tutoring wide receivers and tight ends.

TOTAL OFFENSE
• K-State has totaled at least 375 yards of offense in 22 of the last 27 games dating back to the beginning of the 2022 season. During that stretch, the Cats held a 10-game streak against Big 12 foes with 375 or more yards, the longest in school history.

  • K-State ranked 23rd nationally last year by averaging 445.2 yards per game. That figured ranked second in school history, while K-State’s 6.04 yards per play ranked 10th.

    SCORING SURGE
    • K-State finished last year ranked 10th nationally by scoring 37.1 points per game, a mark ranked sixth in school history.

  • It was the first time the Wildcats finished in the top 10 in the country in scoring offense since 2003 (9th), while it was their highest average since 2012 (38.8).

    THIRD DOWN SUCCESS
    • Kansas State was one of the best teams in the nation last year in terms of converting on third down, as the Wildcats ranked 11th nationally with a 47.9% (90-of-188) success rate.

  • K-State’s 90 total third-down conversions last year ranked fifth in the country and was tops in the Big 12.

    RED ZONE SUCCESS
    • Just like on third downs, K-State was one of the nation’s leaders in turning red-zone trips into touchdowns during the 2023 season, as the Cats ranked second nationally by finding paydirt on 78.46% percent of their red-zone possessions (51-of-65).

  • K-State just narrowly finished behind Oregon State by 0.11% and would have led the nation had the Cats not been in the red zone when taking a knee to close out the Pop-Tarts Bowl win.
  • K-State’s 51 red-zone touchdowns in 2023 ranked third nationally behind Oregon and Georgia (56), while the Cats had five more than the next closest Big 12 team (Oklahoma – 46).
  • The 2023 season was a continuation of red-zone success under head coach Chris Klieman, as the Wildcats rank first among active Big 12 programs by scoring on 90.4% (227-of-251) of their overall red-zone trips since 2019 with 169 touchdowns.

    NOT LACKING IN EXPERIENCE
    • Although the offensive line lost four starters from a year, the unit is not lacking in experience as the current group has totaled 69 career starts and 5,499 career snaps from nine players.

  • The leaders in those departments are North Dakota transfer tackle Easton Kilty (35 starts, 2,381 snaps), guard Hadley Panzer (26 starts, 1,753 snaps), tackle Carver Willis (seven starts, 599 snaps) and guard Taylor Poitier (one start, 541 snaps).

    YOUNG BUT EXPLOSIVE
    • Avery Johnson, the top dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2023, is set for his first full season as K-State’s starting quarterback a year after becoming just the first true freshman signal caller in school history to start and win a bowl game. Johnson led the Wildcats to a 28-19 victory over NC State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl en route to MVP honors.

  • A member of the watch list for the Maxwell Award, Johnson will be just the fifth sophomore to start a season opener under center since 1990, joining Ell Roberson (2001), Dylan Meier (2004), Josh Freeman (2007) and Jesse Ertz (2015).
  • Johnson will be the second-youngest quarterback to start a season opener since 1990 at 19 years, 9 months and 29 days. Freeman was 19 years, 6 months and 19 days when he opened the 2007 season. Both Johnson and Freeman started the openers of their true sophomore season, while the other three were redshirt sophomores.

    GIDDENS GETTING IT DONE
    • Running back DJ Giddens returns for his junior season after rushing for 1,226 yards and 10 touchdowns last year in addition to hauling 29 receptions for 323 yards and three more scores.

  • His 1,226 yards a year ago ranked 10th in school history.
  • Giddens finished the 2023 season ranked 11th in the nation with 51 touches that went for at least 10 yards.

GROUND AND POUND
• DJ Giddens produced the 19th 1,000-yard rushing season in school history last season and did so on 223 carries to rank eighth in school history in yards per rush (5.50).

  • It was the third-straight season K-State had a 1,000-yard rusher, the first time doing so since 2009-11 and the first time by running backs since 2001-04.
  • A native of Junction City, Kansas, Giddens holds a career average of 5.59 yards per carry to rank third behind only Darren Sproles (6.11; 2001-04) and Alex Barnes (5.71; 2016-18).

ENTERING ON A STREAK
• DJ Giddens will be in search of his fifth-straight game of 100 rushing yards in the season opener.

  • His current 100-yard rushing streak of four games is tied for sixth in school history. It is also the third time in the last four years a Wildcat enters the season with a 100-yard game streak as Deuce Vaughn had a two-game streak entering 2021 and extended it to five games, while he had a five-game streak entering 2022 and extended it to eight games.

DEFENSIVE NOTES
DEFENSIVE SWITCH PAYS OFF
• Since the K-State defense switched from a four-man front to a 3-3-5 alignment at the beginning of the 2021 season (40 games), the Cats are allowing just 21.3 points per game, which ranks 20th nationally and second among returning Big 12 teams.

  • After averaging 21.0 points per game allowed in 2021 and 21.9 points in 2022, K-State surrendered only 21.0 points per game in 2023. It is the first time the Wildcats strung together three-straight seasons allowing less than 22.0 points per game since going 13-straight years from 1991 to 2003.
  • The Wildcats allowed 31 touchdowns from scrimmage in 2023, which was the second fewest in the Big 12 (Texas – 30).

UNDER AVERAGE
• K-State held each of its Big 12 opponents in 2022 and six of nine in 2023 under its season averages.

  • Additionally, the Wildcats limited NC State to just 19 points after the Wolfpack entered the Pop-Tarts Bowl averaging 26.8 points per game.
  • Since head coach Chris Klieman’s first year of 2019, the Wildcats have held 35 of their 45 Big 12 opponents under their season average at the time it faces the Wildcats.

CREATING TURNOVERS
• Over the last three seasons, K-State has totaled 64 forced turnovers, which is the most among active Big 12 teams, while it is tied for seventh among Power 4 teams.

  • Of the 64 turnovers, 40 have been via interceptions to lead all active Big 12 programs and tie for eighth among Power 4 teams.

THIRD DOWN STOPS
• K-State did not allow any of its 13 opponents in 2023 to convert on greater than 47% of its third-down attempts, while the Wildcats have held opponents under 50% in 24 of the last 27 games dating back to the beginning of the 2022 season.

  • K-State finished the 2023 campaign ranked 11th nationally by allowing opponents to convert on just 30.0% of its third downs, its lowest rate since 2019 (28.0%).
  • The Cats surrendered five or fewer third-down conversions in each of their final seven regular-season games against Texas Tech (4), TCU (2), Houston (3), Texas (2), Baylor (4), Kansas (5) and Iowa State (3).
  • K-State’s 54 third-down conversions allowed tied for the 12th fewest in the nation and ranked second in the Big 12.

DEFENSIVE RED ZONE SUCCESS
• The Cats were stingy when opponents entered the red zone in 2023 as they allowed touchdowns just 39.39% of the time (13-of-33), the second-best mark in the nation. The 13 touchdowns allowed also tied for the second fewest in the nation.

  • It is a dramatic improvement from last season when K-State ranked 108th when 67.5% of opponents’ red-zone trips resulted in touchdowns (27-of-40).

THE MACHINE IS BACK
• Linebacker Austin Moore, nicknamed “The Machine” by his teammates and coaches, returns for his Super Senior season after leading the team in tackles in 2022 (87) and tying for team-high honors in 2023 (63).

  • Moore originally entered the program as a walk-on during Chris Klieman’s first season at K-State in 2019.
  • In addition to leading the team in tackles the last two years, he also finished second on the squad in 2022 in tackles for loss with 10.0 and led the team last year with 12.5.
  • A native of Louisburg, Kansas, Moore needs 78 total tackles this season to become the 27th player in school history and the first since 2014 with 250 career stops.

SIGLE SEEKS MORE PICKS

  • Senior safety Marques Sigle mans the free safety position again in 2023 on the heels of an All-Big 12 season in 2023 after transferring from North Dakota State.
  • Last season, Sigle tied for team high honors with 63 tackles and ranked second on the team with 10 total passes defended with his lone interception helping to seal the victory at Kansas.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
UNDER NEW LEADERSHIP
• Kansas State’s third phase this season is now under the direction of special teams quality control coach Nate Kaczor, who has served an NFL special teams coordinator for 11 years.

  • A native of Scott City, Kansas, Kaczor is a 33-year coaching veteran who coached return and coverage units in addition to specialists for Tennessee, Tampa Bay and Washington.
  • The addition of Kaczor took on an added importance as, in June, the NCAA adopted a new rule in which any staff member may provide technical and tactical instruction to student-athletes during practice and competition.

SCORING IN THE THIRD PHASE
• Despite not scoring a kickoff- or punt-return touchdown in 2024, the Wildcats continue to lead the nation in total return touchdowns since 2005 with 60, which is 20 more than the next closest program in Alabama (40) and 26 more than the next closest Big 12 program in Oklahoma State (34).

  • Of the 60 total returns, a nation-leading 31 are on kickoff returns, and the next closest team is Houston with 21.
  • The 2023 season marked the first time since 2004 in which the Wildcats did not score via a kickoff or punt return.

BLOCK PARTY
• K-State totaled three blocked kicks in 2023 to rank 10th in the nation.

  • It was the second time under head coach Chris Klieman that the Wildcats had at least three blocks as they had four in 2020 to tie for fourth nationally.
  • K-State blocked an extra point at Kansas that was returned 91 yards for a defensive extra point by Keenan Garber, who went on to earn Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honors. It was Kansas State’s first defensive extra point since 2011 and the longest in school history via a block.
  • The Wildcats also blocked a punt at Texas, while Marques Sigle blocked a field goal at Oklahoma State.

SIX-STRAIGHT
• Kansas State’s blocked punt last year at Texas marked the sixth-straight season the Wildcats blocked a punt, tied for the longest streak in the nation.

  • San Diego State is tied with K-State at six-straight years, while eight teams are tied for third at four-straight years.

NEW MAN BACK DEEP
• With the departure of Phillip Brooks, who signed a rookie free agent contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas State will break in new returners at both kickoff and punt return.

  • One man vying for the duty at both spots is running back Dylan Edwards, who gained experience returning kicks last season at Colorado. As a true freshman, Edwards returned five kickoffs for a 21.0-yard average – including a long of 24 yards against both Colorado State and Oregon State – while he had a 19-yard punt return in the 2023 season finale at Utah.
  • Edwards had success with returns while prepping in the Sunflower State at Derby High School, averaging 34.7 yards per kickoff return with three touchdowns and 27.6 yards per punt return with another three scores.

DEFENSE ON KICK RETURNS
• K-State has not allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown since the 2013 season, going the last 127 games and 420 returns without allowing its opponent to find paydirt.

  • The streak is the longest among the active Big 12 teams, 270 more than the next closest team (Arizona State – 150).
  • Since K-State allowed its last kickoff-return touchdown, the Wildcats have scored 14 of their own.