Three observations from Kansas State’s latest open football practice of the spring
Chris Klieman and the Kansas State football team allowed media to observe the Wildcats as they ran through the first 30 minutes of a spring practice on Tuesday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
Here are some notable observations from the scrimmage.
Wide receivers shining for Wildcats
K-State is dealing with injuries at several positions, but that is not the case at receiver. The Wildcats are at full strength there.
That has allowed them to make some nifty plays on offense this spring.
Two receivers that looked particularly strong on Tuesday were Phillip Brooks and Chabastin Taylor.
Taylor, a 6-foot-4 “super senior” from Giddings, has been working to regain his form after suffering a torn ACL in the final game of 2020 against Texas. It was difficult for him to do much last season, as he caught just one pass for 14 yards. But he is once again running with the speed and agility he showed earlier in his college career when he grabbed 19 catches for 293 yards and a touchdown during 10 games as a junior.
His best catch of the morning came on a deep ball from Will Howard, which he caught and took into the end zone.
That is good news for the Wildcats, who will gladly add another receiver to the mix in Collin Klein’s first season as offensive coordinator.
Brooks, a 5-foot-7 speedster from Lee’s Summit, also made some nice catches with defenders surrounding him in coverage.
But that should come as no surprise. New receivers coach Thad Ward said last week that Brooks has been one of the best overall players in spring practice.
“Phil has been awesome,” Ward said. “I have challenged him to play with more confidence. I have coached some really good small receivers, guys who have been in the NFL, and ever since we got here I have been showing him their film. I said, ‘Watch these guys, They’re just like you.’ He has responded and he has elevated. The good thing is there is more for him to go.”
Running backs making plays behind Deuce Vaughn
Adding a transfer running back who can help take a few carries away from Deuce Vaughn will likely be a recruiting priority for Klieman after spring practice comes to an end.
But the Wildcats are developing some runners who are currently on the roster.
Two looked sharp on Tuesday.
DJ Giddens, a 6-foot-1 running back from Junction City, had a nice run at the start of practice in which he took an inside handoff for a first down. On the play, he powered his body well beyond the line of scrimmage and then broke a tackle for an even longer gain. He showed potential in practice last year, but was buried on the depth chart behind Joe Ervin, Jacardia Wright and Vaughn.
Now that Ervin and Wright have transferred, he could be in line for a more significant role as a power runner.
“He is a slasher,” running backs coach Brian Anderson said. “He’s one of the strongest guys in the weight room. His contact balance is unbelievable. He showed that last year in fall camp. If we can continue to get him to play faster and see pictures and learn how t oplay with tempo and burst, his upside is tremendous.”
Jordan Schippers, a 6-foot-1 running back from Colby, also had an impressive play at the start of practice when he caught a pass in the flats and made a defender miss on his way up the sideline for a nice gain.
Players on the sideline screamed with excitement after that play.
Perhaps they both will be ready to handle a handful of carries each game next season.
Injuries continue to pile up
The Wildcats haven’t been able to simulate game action as much as they would like this spring as they deal with injuries at several important positions.
K-State has asked offensive lineman Trevor Stange and long snapper Nelson Pipes to practice at defensive tackle this month because the team only has one healthy player who normally lines up in the middle of the defensive line. It now appears the Wildcats are also running out of bodies at fullback and tight end.
Jax Dineen, who started out at running back this spring, was back at fullback on Tuesday working alongside Jake Huggins because of injuries at the position. Tight end is also low on healthy players. The only tight ends practicing on Tuesday were Sammy Wheeler, Andrew Sonner and Will Swanson.
Offensive lineman Witt Mitchum was also seen on crutches.
There are no long-term injury concerns at any of those positions. The Wildcats are expected to be back at full strength for the start of summer workouts. But injuries are a problem they have to deal with in the short team.
It’s difficult to conduct a full scrimmage without defensive tackles, fullbacks or tight ends. For that reason, there is talk that the Wildcats may change the format of their annual spring showcase. K-State is currently scheduled to conduct an open practice in front of fans on April 16. But the team may choose to switch to a different format or cancel the event if more injuries occur.
This story was originally published April 5, 2022 at 12:40 PM with the headline "Three observations from Kansas State’s latest open football practice of the spring."