Freshman tight end Linkon Cure adds extra option to Kansas State passing attack
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Freshman Linkon Cure expanded role, caught two passes and converted a key first down.
- Coaches increased Cure’s snaps after injury, Klieman pushed to get him involved.
- Staff developing Cure as receiver and in-line blocker, expecting continued progress.
Linkon Cure is beginning to show why he was a five-star recruit coming out of high school.
The 6-foot-5 and 230-pound freshman tight end from Goodland has seen his role expand within Kansas State’s offense in recent games. So much so, that he was able to make a noticeable impact last week during a 42-17 victory over the Kansas Jayhawks.
Cure caught two passes for 18 yards, including a catch-and-run grab that moved the chains on the Wildcats’ opening drive.
“He has matured, and he has started to understand the speed of college football,” K-State football coach Chris Klieman said. “That first catch he had on our second play of the game where he ran a crossing route and attacked the ball and ran away from the defender, I don’t think he could have done that four weeks ago with the confidence that he did it on Saturday. That’s fun to see, because we know how special of an athlete Linkon is.”
What took Cure so long to start catching passes for the Wildcats?
Like any freshman, it took Cure time to adjust to life as a college football player. But he also missed part of training camp with an injury, which lingered into the season.
That explains why he missed the first few games of the year and also why he didn’t catch his first pass until K-State hosted UCF on September 27.
Despite a slow start, K-State coaches never lost faith in their prized freshman. In fact, Klieman pushed for him to start seeing more action as a slot receiver as soon as he was deemed healthy. In Klieman’s mind, Cure deserved more snaps.
“We made a conscious effort to say, ‘We have got to get this kid involved,’” Klieman said. “Because he’s a really talented guy.”
Cure saw nine snaps against Kansas, a number that ranked fourth on the K-State roster for both tight ends and wide receivers.
For now, he seems best suited to help the Wildcats as a receiver. His size, speed and soft hands make him a valuable target in the passing game for Avery Johnson alongside Jayce Brown, Jaron Tibbs, Jerand Bradley and Garrett Oakley.
But the Wildcats are also preparing him to play like a physical tight end moving forward.
“We got him doing a little bit more in-line, old-school tight end during the bye week, and you can see the progress,” K-State offensive coordinator Matt Wells said. “He’s physical, he wants to block and he’ll put his face on people.”
The plan is for Cure to continue becoming more involved as the season marches on.
“He’s long and athletic,” Wells said. “That easy to see. (He made big catches) in high school, and that’s what he’s done here the last four weeks. He’s played well. He’s smart and he’s picked things up as we have put him in different spots. I’m proud of his progress, and I think he’ll continue to get better.”
This story was originally published October 28, 2025 at 2:13 PM with the headline "Freshman tight end Linkon Cure adds extra option to Kansas State passing attack."