#46 Jace Friesen — Gloriously bearded defensive end (and part-time long snapper) Jace Friesen (46) has graduated and moved on to a great job with Wildcat NIL. Stepping into his jersey number will be a full-time long snapper, freshman walk-on Keane Bessert. | Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

In which BracketCat counts down the 46th day until the 2024 kickoff with a profile of Kansas State long snapper Keane Bessert.

#46 Keane Bessert

Redshirt Freshman | 6-0 | 220 lbs. | Loma, Colorado

Position: Long Snapper
Previous College: University of Wisconsin
Projection: Second-String
Status: Preferred Walk-On

Keane Bessert (b. April 5, 2005) is a preferred walk-on long snapper who transferred from Wisconsin after redshirting and not playing in 2023. He is majoring in agribusiness.

A four-year letter-winner under head coach Cameron Ross at Fruita Monument High School* in Fruita, Colorado, Bessert was rated the No. 3 long snapper nationally in the Class of 2023 by Rubio Long Snapping. (See his profile page on that site here.)

The organization also named Bessert a 2022 Third Team High School All-American, while he was a finalist for the 2022 Chris Rubio Award as the nation’s top prep long snapper.

Here’s what Rubio had to say about his potential back in the summer of 2022:

He is a very, very strong Long Snapper that snaps one of the fastest balls in the country. His snaps are so quick, they almost look fake coming back to the punter. The more he locks down his follow through, the more he simply doesn’t miss. Keane moves his feet well and he will be a factor on the punt coverage team.

Bessert also earned second-team all-state honors for the Wildcats as a senior from the Colorado High School Activities Association.

A three-year all-conference offensive lineman who was a two-time conference lineman of the year and a three-time academic all-state performer, he also competed in track and field.

Bessert’s father, Bob, was an offensive lineman for Kansas State from 1983 through 1986.

You can learn more about his story and commitment to Wisconsin in this news article.

*Fun fact: Fruita Monument is one of the many high schools that license the Powercat. So in a way, Bessert was always destined to end up at K-State, if you ask me.