This K-State defender was an unknown reserve not long ago. Now he’s an emerging star
By now, you have probably heard a few stories about how the coronavirus pandemic has negatively impacted college football this season.
But it hasn’t been all bad.
Believe it or not, there are a few examples of players who have benefited from these chaotic times. One of them is Ekow Boye-Doe. The sophomore Kansas State cornerback entered the season so far off the proverbial radar that he wasn’t even listed on the Wildcats’ two-deep before early games against Arkansas State and Oklahoma. The thought of him emerging as a defensive starter seemed preposterous. The thought of him becoming the team’s top cover corner seemed even more outlandish. And yet, that is exactly what has happened.
“He has really good length. He can run extremely fast. He’s aggressive to the ball,” K-State coach Chris Klieman said. “He’s just gaining more experience about seeing the field better. A lot of it is seeing pictures, and when you get the opportunity to play as much as he has, the game starts to slow down because you see those pictures better and more frequent. He’s done that and played at a really high level for us.”
Under normal circumstances, he would still be waiting to play his first meaningful snap.
Boye-Doe was thrust into a starting role only because a COVID-19 outbreak sidelined much of K-State’s secondary before a road game against Oklahoma in late September. But he has shined so brightly since that coaches are now using his success story as a motivational tool for other young players who appear buried on the depth chart.
“Look at Ekow,” K-State coach Chris Klieman said. “Look at somebody that has been here for his third year and hadn’t played a snap and through the first game hadn’t really played at all, and all of the sudden he’s thrust into it. The biggest thing I would say is when your opportunity does come, make the most of it. Something that Ekow has really done is made the most of his opportunity. For us, we’re really excited because he’s a young player, and I know his best football is in front of him. It’s all about confidence, and he’s playing with a lot of confidence right now.”
In hindsight, perhaps it’s not all that surprising that Boye-Doe has carved out a starring role on K-State’s defense with 20 tackles and six pass breakups in six games of action.
He is the fastest player on the team, after all.
“If we were running 100 yards, I would probably need three seconds at least to beat Ekow,” K-State defensive tackle Eli Huggins said. “He can fly.”
Boye-Doe has put his speed to good use in man coverage this season. He rarely gets beat deep and has enough quickness to close on balls and break up passes even when he is out of position. The Wildcats are at their best on defense when they mix up their coverage schemes and keep offenses guessing, which is something they can do with confidence when they have faith in their corners.
They were impressed almost immediately by Boye-Doe once he took the field against the Sooners. He said he felt like he belonged the moment he made his first tackle.
Question is: How did he hit the ground running so fast when he originally seemed destined for special teams duty this season?
His answer makes him sound like a good backup quarterback.
“I feel like I prepared for that moment right there out on the practice field every day, whether I know I’m going to play or not,” Boye-Doe said. “I think the biggest thing is for sure giving it my all on the practice field and being able to execute on the field when it comes to big plays.”
Former coach Bill Snyder recruited Boye-Doe out of Lawrence mostly because of his speed. It was unclear how long it would take him to start making plays at the college level, but it was clear he had the talent to do so at some point. Klieman and his staff agreed.
Still, they thought he needed more time when his redshirt sophomore season began. Staying patient seems to be one of his best attributes. Everytime his coaches and teammates told him to “trust the process” he listened.
He was ready when things finally lined up perfectly for him during an unprecedented season.
“I have a great support system with my family,” Boye-Doe said. “Living in Kansas and just being an hour away is not too bad if I’m not playing. I know my time will come.”
This story was originally published November 19, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "This K-State defender was an unknown reserve not long ago. Now he’s an emerging star."