Five things to watch during Kansas State football's preseason camp

There will be no sneaking up on the rest of the Big 12 this fall for Kansas State football.

The Wildcats are coming off their most successful season in four years under coach Chris Klieman, a 10-4 campaign capped by their first conference championship in a decade. They also were picked second in the media preseason poll, which if form holds would put them right back in Arlington, Texas, on Dec. 2 for the Big 12 championship game.

There is good reason for K-State fans to be optimistic, what with eight starters on offense — the quarterback and all five linemen among them — and five on defense returning. But the Wildcats must replace four NFL draft picks, including All-Americans Felix Anudike-Uzomah at defensive end and Deuce Vaughn at running back.

As with any new season there are several storylines to follow. Here are five things to watch for as the Wildcats report for the start of preseason camp Tuesday in preparation for the season opener on Sept. 2 against Southeast Missouri.

How will the Wildcats deal with a target on their back?

K-State historically has relished the underdog role. Last year the Wildcats were picked fifth in the league, finished second behind TCU and then stunned the Horned Frogs in the Big 12 championship game with a 31-28 overtime victory.

Klieman, who won four FCS national championships in five years as head coach at North Dakota State, knows a thing or two about expectations. His ability, with the help of team leaders, to keep the players hungry and striving for more without letting them get fat and happy will be critical.

Just how will they maintain their edge? Judging by player responses at Big 12 football media days, by refusing to relinquish the underdog mentality and continuing to play with a chip on their shoulders.

Who will Collin Klein ask to carry the load on offense?

Collin Klein pumped new life into K-State's attack in his first year as offensive coordinator, implementing a more aggressive, faster paced, no-huddle look. The Wildcats thrived behind a rebuilt offensive line, and when starting quarterback Adrian Martinez suffered two injuries midway through the season, they didn't skip a beat with backup Will Howard at the controls.

The good news is that the offensive line returns intact, led by All-America left guard Cooper Beebe, and Howard is back after leading the Wildcats to a Big 12 championship. But they lost a key a weapon in the versatile Vaughn, a threat as a runner and receiver, not to mention as a decoy.

So, with leading receivers Malik Knowles and Kade Warner gone as well, who will Klein turn to in year two?

The obvious answers at running back are Florida State transfer Treshaun Ward, voted Big 12 preseason newcomer of the year, and sophomore DJ Giddens, who rushed for 518 yards as Vaughn's backup. Tight end Ben Sinnott had a breakout year in 2022, and super-senior wideout Phillip Brooks has started 31 games in his career with 129 catches.

Which newcomers are ready to hit the ground running?

Klieman brought in six Division I transfers during the offseason, four of whom went through spring practice with the team. At least two of them, wide receiver Keagan Johnson from Iowa, and former North Dakota State safety Marques Sigle, are likely to start from day one on defense, while Ward has a legitimate shot at being the No. 1 running back.

Mississippi State transfer Jevon Banks should get playing time at nose tackle. It is too early to tell yet about cornerback Tyler Nelome (Southeast Missouri) and quarterback Jacob Knuth, who didn't arrive until summer.

Look also for junior college cornerback Will Lee, who helped Iowa Western win a national championship last fall. Of the true freshmen, linebacker Austin Romaine from Hillsboro, Missouri, and former Maize High School quarterback Avery Johnson have created the most buzz.

Can the defense make up for lost star power with greater depth?

What was a much-improved defense last season under third-year coordinator Joe Klanderman took some serious hits, especially on the line and in the secondary.

Defensive end Anudike-Uzomah was drafted in the first round by the Kansas City Chiefs, cornerback Julius Brents in the second by the Indianapolis Colts, and safety Josh Hayes in the sixth by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Add to that starting cornerback Ekow Boye-Doe, who signed as an undrafted free agent with the Chiefs, sixth-year nose tackle Eli Huggins and backup Robert Hentz, and safeties Drake Cheatum and Cincere Mason.

But the Wildcats return preseason all-conference safety Kobe Savage and two veteran linebackers in Daniel Green and Austin Moore. Khalid Duke has moved from strong-side linebacker to his more natural position at end, where he'll pair with either Nate Matlack or Brendan Mott, who shared the spot opposite Anudike-Uzomah last year.

At safety, injuries last year led to four starts for true freshman VJ Payne, who along with Savage and Sigle, the North Dakota State transfer, should provide a solid first three. Junior redshirt Nickendre Stiger, redshirt freshman Colby McCalister and special teams regular Matthew Maschmeier adding depth.

The biggest question mark is nose tackle, but the coaches have been pleased with the progress of slimmed-down senior Uso Seumalo, a Garden City Community College transfer who came on at the end of last season. Banks, the Mississippi State transfer, and sophomore Damian Ilalio also should see plenty of action.

What about the Big 12 newcomers?

Brigham Young, Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston join the conference this year in the one season before Oklahoma and Texas depart for the SEC. Klieman admittedly spent all his offseason time and energy on UCF and Houston, the two that are on the 2023 schedule.

The Wildcats play host to UCF in their Sept. 23 conference opener. The Knights have posted an 18-9 record in two years under head coach Gus Malzahn, including a 9-5 mark and second-place 6-2 record in the American Athletic Conference before falling to Duke, 30-13, in the Military Bowl.

Houston, which visits Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Oct. 26, has a familiar face in fifth-year head coach Dana Holgorsen, who is no stranger to the Big 12. Holgorsen, spent nine seasons (2011-19) at West Virginia, where he oversaw the Mountaineers' move to the conference in 2012. The Cougars were 8-5 last year, tied for fourth in the AAC at 5-3, and beat Louisiana, 23-16, in the Independence Bowl.

BYU, incidentally, went 8-5 last year, capped by a 24-23 victory over SMU in the New Mexico Bowl. Cincinnati, which is coming off a 9-4 season with a 24-7 loss to Louisville in the Fenway Bowl, has a new head coach in Scott Satterfield.