Eight Days To K-State Football: Joe Hubener & Dillon Wilson

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

It is now just eight days until kick-off against North Dakota State. We’re continuing our countdown with a focus on players according to the team’s spring roster, with both quarterback Joe Hubener and kicker Dillon Wilson next on the docket and listed as sharing the jersey number. So let’s get at it, eh?

Joe Hubener

Hubener doesn’t have a lot of information out there surrounding his high school career, although he was a two-year letterman for Cheney High School. He was a four year letterman in basketball, and was fifth in the 4A track meet at javelin. In high school he played quarterback, wide receiver, and defensive back.

When you look at Hubener at 6’4″ and 205 pounds, he seems like the type of player K-State recruits to play special teams and maybe help at wide receiver (or safety). He didn’t gin up a lot of excitement coming out of high school, and normally guys that aren’t highly rated quarterbacks don’t remain quarterbacks in college – especially walk-ons. Hubener appears to be different. While Jake Waters and Daniel Sams were the primary quarterbacks to play during the spring game, Hubener received an extensive look with the second team. The redshirt freshman rushed six times for 14 yards while completing two of six passes for 24 yards (although he also had an interception and a fumble, which he recovered).

Hubener’s best series actually began with his fumble, which resulted in a loss of one yard. He then rushed for four yards and hit Lucas Munds for 16 yards for a first down. A rush for no gain by Ryan Mack, an incomplete pass, and an eight yard throw to Kyle Echols put the second team at fourth and two, which resulted in a punt. However, aside from obvious #1 and #1A quarterbacks Daniel Sams and Jake Waters, this was the most impressive showing against the first team defense during the game. Actually, given Waters’ two yard rushing average and eight yards passing on four throws against the Purple Squad, Hubener may have turned in the second best performance against the first team defense. While his best chance to see the field is still probably wide receiver, it will be interesting to watch how he grows over the next four years.

Dillon Wilson

Wilson is a sophomore placekicker from Dallas/Fort Worth, playing for Midlothian High School in Texas. Wilson probably cedes kicking duties to Jack Cantele, but it’s hard to judge him because Wilson didn’t have large body of work in high school. He hit 75 percent of his field goals as a senior (6-of-8), with a long of 44. His junior year he was perfect, going 7-of-7 with career record of 47. However, he was only 13-of-16 on PATs – indicating Wilson has a big leg but wants for consistency. Because he has three years of eligibility, we’ll see whether the coaching staff can develop some better consistency and possibly get him some work on kick-offs to take advantage of what looks to be a booming leg.

To work backwards in the countdown, visit nine days and our triple player preview.