K-State coaches share injury updates on two key players ahead of Oklahoma State game
The Kansas State football team is expecting to get one of its best defensive players back in time to play against Oklahoma State on Saturday.
There’s also a chance the Wildcats will have one of their most valuable offensive players back in the lineup, too.
For now, K-State coaches are counting on A.J. Parker suiting up at defensive back. And they are calling Briley Moore a game-time decision at tight end.
Parker has been practicing all week with the rest of K-State’s secondary, defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman said on Thursday, and that puts him on track to start for the Wildcats at nickelback after missing one game with an ankle injury.
His return to the lineup should be a boost for K-State coming off a 37-10 loss to the Mountaineers in which it allowed 485 yards. He has been one of the team’s best defensive players since moving from corner to nickel after the first game of the season. The senior from Bartlesville, Okla. has made 22 tackles and broken up four passes this season. He also returned an interception for a touchdown against TCU, which proved to be the difference in a 21-14 victory.
If he is limited in any way against the Cowboys, he will likely split playing time with freshman Will Jones.
K-State is holding out hope that it will also receive good injury news on Moore, but it sounds like his playing status won’t be determined until Saturday afternoon.
“It will be more game-day decision,” K-State offensive coordinator Courtney Messingham said. “It will be something we have to deal with when it gets here, but we don’t really know at this time.”
Moore exited the West Virginia game in the first half with an injury to his lower back, and he was unable to return.
K-State struggled to move the ball without him on the field. Moore has been the Wildcats’ leading receiver this season with 19 catches for 271 yards and three touchdowns.
If he is unable to play, the Wildcats will turn to Sammy Wheeler and Nick Lenners to replace him at tight end.
Wheeler is known more as a pass-catcher than as a blocker, but Messingham said he has improved enough in that area recently to be trusted in the running game. Lenners can do both.
K-State may also give extra opportunities to fullbacks Jax Dineen and Mason Barta if Moore misses the game.
“Jax has got a little bit more quick twitch,” Messingham said. “He’s a fluid athlete, even though he may not look like that. He’s a fluid athlete who catches the ball naturally. At some point we need to get him more involved with the run game in terms of handing the ball to him. We need to throw him a bone a little bit and let him carry it, because he can do something with it.”
This story was originally published November 5, 2020 at 3:29 PM with the headline "K-State coaches share injury updates on two key players ahead of Oklahoma State game."