Last year’s unit left a lot to be desired, so the only way is up in 2024.
At Kansas State, we’re not used to worrying about the special teams unit. After all, we’re #SpecialTeamsU.
Or are we? In 2023, this unit was anything but special, what with botched snaps, missed field goals and extra points, and perhaps most notably, not making much of a dent in the return game.
In the offseason, head coach Chris Klieman hired Nate Kaczor, lately of the Washington Commanders, to be the Wildcats’ new special teams quality control coach. But Kaczor isn’t going to be the new Sean Snyder (especially with the OG Sean Snyder now plying his trade in Stillwater with Mike Gundy). Instead, as as has been the norm under Klieman, coordinating special teams will still be a team exercise, with Kaczor, Klieman and Clint Brown all working with the unit.
The Returners
Last year, for the first time in a long time, the Wildcats did not take a punt or kick return to the house. Indeed, the return numbers were disappointing, with the team averaging about 27 yards a game on kickoff returns and a dismal average of less than 5 yards per game on punt returns. To add insult to injury, K-State somehow gave up 57 yards a game on kickoff returns.
There’s reason for hope in 2024 though. For one, there’s a player named Lockett on the depth chart. Redshirt sophomore Sterling may not be Tyler’s equal here (and that’s almost an impossibly high bar anyway), but he’s getting plenty of practice reps now along with junior Keagan Johnson. We should expect to see wide receiver Jayce Brown and prodigal son Dylan Edwards in the return game too.
As always, and as Chris Klieman has emphasized in the past, players from all over the two-deep should show up on special teams and especially as a wall of blockers on kickoff and punt returns.
The Kickers
Senior Chris Tennant, now the elder statesman and leader of the special teams unit, took over placekicking duties last season after superhero Ty Zentner graduated. Sometimes inconsistent, Tennant still finished the season 11-of-14 on field goals and nearly perfect on extra points (56/57). He also handled kickoff duties for the first time in his career and averaged 60.6 yards on 85 kickoffs.
On the punting side, two redshirt freshmen, Simon McClannan and Teagan Cobb are taking over for the recently graduated Jake Blumer. They’re both listed on the depth chart and could both see the field throughout the season.
Randen Plattner, who was on the team for what felt like 50 years, has finally graduated, so long snapper duties will now be handled by junior Mason Olguin, with Wisconsin transfer Keane Bessert as his backup.