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Although he continues to receive attention from schools around the area and all the way to California, 2014 DE recruit C.J. Reese reaffirmed his commitment to K-State earlier this week. Reese has recently picked up an offer from the University of Houston and has received attention from Baylor, California, Memphis, and Texas Tech since his announcement (in addition to previous offers from Colorado, Nevada, and SMU). However, speaking on Wednesday in reference to KSU coach Dana Dimel, Reese stated that “Coach Dimel and I have built a strong relationship together and with my family I feel like I made a really good choice and it isn’t going to get any better than this.”

Reese also mentioned a promise to see the field his freshman year, which could play a major factor in retaining his commitment (K-State could be the best program able to provide this offer). And the proposition of Reese seeing at least some playing time as a true freshman is a real possibility. Recently rated the #47 DE in his class by 247 Sports, he promises to bring the physical tools necessary to contribute on the next level. Additionally, K-State’s lack of depth at the position will also assist in getting Reese on the field.

K-State lists seven defensive ends on its 2013 current roster. And while only one is set to exhaust his eligibility this year, it will represent an important loss. Alauna Finau is a former junior college player expected to anchor one half of the defensive end spots after playing in nine games last year while backing up Meshak Williams and Adam Davis. On the other end of the line, soon-to-be junior Ryan Mueller from Leawood, KS is currently at the top of the depth chart.

Reese will not be taking much playing time from Ryan Mueller in 2014, as Mueller has played in 13 games each of the past two years. In 2012 he had three tackles-for-loss while breaking up six passes and recovering two fumbles. However, the other side should be a wide open battle and Reese could easily be part of a rotation assuming he continues to develop over the next year. Hopefully he can be an immediate star, but even if his role is merely to let the first string catch its breath, it’s encouraging to see a steadfast commitment in the face of additional offers – regardless of how early in the process it is for the 2014 recruiting class.

Click here to read Jug of Snyder’s initial reaction to Reese’s commitment announcement.

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Kansas State safety Ty Zimmerman – the team’s most important returning defender – is one of seven Big 12 players named to the Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list for the 2013 season. The IMPACT trophy attempts to encapsulate the player that makes the biggest impacts both on and off the field. The letters stand for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.

42 players have been announced to the watch list for a trophy that ultimately went to Manti Te’o of Notre Dame last year. The team will need Zimmerman to do everything expected of a finalist for this award as he is one of the only defenders with playing experience returning this year. Zimmerman was also one of K-State’s best last year as the Junction City native recorded five interceptions and 50 tackles. He has 10 interceptions in his career in Manhattan.

Zimmerman will look to further build on the season that landed him on the All American third team last year and skyrocketed his potential NFL stock when he finishes his senior campaign. Zimmerman was a team captain last year and has been awarded the same honor for 2013. He is the second Wildcat to be placed on the Lott watch list, with linebacker Arthur Brown being placed on the same monitor last year.

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Fighting loaded depth charts and an uphill battle to continue playing football into the NFL, former Wildcat players Collin Klein and Braden Wilson have found themselves in different situations from the two NFL teams most connected to Kansas City. While Wilson was not among the Kansas City Chiefs cut yesterday, Klein was informed the Texans would not be in need of his services this fall.

The Chiefs drafted Wilson in the sixth round, but traded for Arizona fullback Anthony Sherman shortly thereafter in a move that remains a significant obstacle to Wilson making the final roster of 53. However, another FB – Patrick Sherman – was released last month to reduce the competition in the backfield. Yesterday Nate Eachus was also released, solidifying Wilson’s predicament to a two-horse race for the fullback job.

Eachus is not a traditional fullback in any sense of the word, standing at only 5’10″ and 212 lbs. However, on a team that had no defined FB, he often served as a blocker in the backfield with the potential to roll out in the flat for passes.He made the team as a rookie free agent last year and started two games while seeing action in 11 total. He only totaled 18 yards rushing on five carries and had one catch for 19 yards, but was previously kept around for his physical presence and not his yardage production. The move demonstrates Andy Reid and company are definitely committed to having a true fullback on the field this year, and hopefully that man is Braden Wilson.

On the flip side of the coin, Collin Klein will not be suiting up for the Houston Texans this year (I say they have strong ties to Kansas City b/c the Chiefs were originally the Dallas Texans before moving north in 1963). Regardless of Klein’s physical abilities, he was a longshot to make the roster with four other quarterbacks already in Houston: starter Matt Schaub, T.J. Yates, Stephen McGee, and Case Keenum. And due to his continued insistence that he play the quarterback position and not line up as a tight end, Houston made the decision this morning not to retain his services.

As of this writing, no other team has offered Klein a contract to try out. However, he did leave the Texans with a glowing verbal recommendation from his temporary employers. Over the weekend Texans coach Gary Kubiak discussed Klein, commenting:

I tell you what, it was impressive, I’m fixing to go up and have a long talk with him. I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself, but to watch how far the guy came in two and a half days… probably his best day out here today. He’s found a way his whole career, and he’s probably going to find a way this time, too.

He’s got a ton (of talent). For what he did in college and what Jake (Plummer) has been doing with him, he’s come a long way, as far as working under center and stuff. The arm strength is there. The delivery is a little different but you work with that. But his instincts as a football player you can’t coach; the way he just takes off and stuff like that.

Update: FB Ryan D’Imperio was also released after being signed by the Chiefs in March of this year.

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There are a few guarantees K-State fans have grown used to in the Bill Snyder era: the team will exceed its preseason expectations; a junior college transfer few have heard of will become one of the conference’s best at his position; special teams magic; and an FCS school will be featured on the schedule. This year that team is the North Dakota State Bison. The question is whether K-State should apologize for the opponent. The answer is no. Correction: emphatically no.

Playing an FCS school for a season opening game should be a welcome opportunity to the Wildcats. Bill Snyder is working with a team that’s featuring a new quarterback, a completely overhauled defense, and new #1 wide receiver. The game should be an opportunity to get all these issues sorted out. That won’t be the case in 2013 against NDSU.

NDSU was the 2012 FCS National Champion. They didn’t just win the championship game – they completely blew out Sam Houston State 39-13 on their way to 14-1 record. NDSU also featured an FBS school on their schedule last year in Colorado State. They won that game 22-7 while outgaining the Rams 366-243 in yardage, forcing two turnovers, and winning the time of possession battle 40:20 (yes, exactly a 2:1 ratio). If K-State opened up against a Mountain West Conference team this year, no one would say anything. Instead, they’re opening against a team that destroyed a MWC team.

If what I’m saying scares you a little, it should. NDSU quarterback Brock Jensen returns for his senior year after completing over 60 percent of his passes last year. He also threw for 17 touchdowns and rushed for 12 more. He has developed into a dangerous threat to pass or run the ball. The Bison defense gave up more than 20 points in one game – a 33-21 victory over Northern Iowa (Northern Iowa also scored 21 points in a 26-21 loss to Wisconsin last year). This is not a team to be trifled with.

As a general rule, you’re not going to find a solid defense of K-State’s schedule on this site. I love that we had a home-and-home series against Miami in 2011 and 2012 (even if the team had lost both games I’d still support the endeavor). But the 2013 nonconference schedule isn’t exactly filled with heavyweights – NDSU may be the best team of a list that also includes Louisiana Lafayette and UMass. The point is, if you hear any KU fans talking smack on K-State’s noncon schedule, smack them with the fact that the Jayhawks open against South Dakota, and that if they were willing to open against North Dakota State, they’d probably start the season 0-1. Fact.

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Yesterday we previewed the first half of the mess that is replacing quarterbacks in the Big 12 (seven of the league’s ten teams lose their starter to graduation). Here are the final four on the list before we look at how K-State’s (unnamed) starting quarterback will once again be the best in the land.

Texas: Texas actually returns a starter in David Ash. I will not say Texas returns a starter I’d like to see under center for the Wildcats. Fact: Ash did pass for 50 more yards than Collin Klein. He was also not featured against the Wildcats last year. He missed the 42-24 thrashing while injured on the bench, leaving Case McCoy to throw two interceptions in that game. Texas quarterbacks do not scare me.

Texas Christian: TCU finds itself with a comparatively embarrassing glut of talent at quarterback. Trevone Boykin was thrust into the starting position last year and helped lead the Horned Frogs to a 7-5 regular season record and a close 17-16 loss to Michigan State in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl. However, Casey Pachall also returns after undergoing a rehabilitation program last year. Pachall has started 17 games and led TCU to an 11-2 record in 2011.

Texas Tech: Mike Leach’s air raid offense is technically gone, but the statistics weren’t for outgoing Seth Doege this year. Doege tied West Virginia’s Geno Smith for third in passing yardage this year and completed over 70 percent of his throws. Michael Brewer appears to be the frontrunner to replace him, though freshman Davis Webb will push Brewer all season.

West Virginia: While K-State certainly wouldn’t mind seeing Smith for one more rodeo (he was held to only one touchdown and two interceptions while averaging 4.5 yards/attempt when the Wildcats visited Morgantown), there’s no denying he was the most saught-after quarterback from the Big 12 this draft. Ford Childress and Paul Millard battled to play the role of replacement throughout spring training camp. A Florida State transfer, Clint Trickett, will also be available at the start of the season for a wide-open contest.

Click here for our review of the first half of the conference.

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With the dust settled on the 2013 NFL Draft, I wanted to look into where the Wildcat’s drafted fit into their new teams.  Lead Editor Dave Thoman did a great job overlooking where the entire Wildcat’s drafted and undrafted went.  If you haven’t had a chance check it out.  I wanted to look into the three drafted players and grade how they fit into their new systems.

Arthur Brown – LB, 56^th pick in the 2^nd round by the Baltimore Ravens

I was a little disappointed that Brown dropped to the second round because I really felt he was a first round talent.  But I couldn’t be happier to what team he fell to.  One of the Raven’s biggest needs heading into the draft was at Inside Linebacker after future Hall of Famer and dance enthusiast Ray Lewis retired.  Brown has big shoes to fill replacing Ray, but his attributes seem to fit what the Raven’s did with Lewis.  Brown’s instincts and tackling ability should allow him to start right away.  I actually thought if the Chicago Bears didn’t take him as I stated in my Draft Watch List, that the Ravens would snag him with the last pick in the first round.  Overall I think this is a great match for both team and player.

Overall Grade – A

Chris Harper – WR, 123^rd pick in the 4^th round by the Seattle Seahawks

Chris Harper to the Seahawks was a little surprising to me.  I thought that the Raven’s would target him more in the 3^rd round to replace Anquan Boldin.  Why the Seahawks surprise me is the big offseason trade for Percy Harvin.  Acquiring Harvin to go along with Sidney Rice, Golden Tate and Doug Baldwin help put their receiving corps in a better situation.  Harper’s key to this bunch is he’s a great possession receiver, ideal for a 3^rd or 4^th option for Russell Wilson.  His battle will be for a receiver spot on the roster, one I do think he can obtain if he clicks with Wilson.  The grade for Harper is due to what seems like a more crowded battle than the other two drafted.  I do love the potential Harper could bring to the Seahawks if he can gain Wilson’s confidence as a possession receiver.

Overall Grade – C, potential for B

Braden Wilson – FB, 204^th pick in the 6^th round by the Kansas City Chiefs

I may be a bit biased but I love this pick because I am a Chiefs fan as well.  I was surprised it was in the 6^th round, not the 7^th but new Head Coach Andy Reid had stated he thought Braden Wilson was the best blocking fullback in the draft in his opinion.  He backed that decision up by drafting a fullback that I think will be a great addition to the Chiefs lineup.  Wilson was viewed pre-draft as maybe being athletic enough to be drafted as an H-back type player.  This fits well into what Reid is bringing to the Kansas City offense, where Wilson’s main job will be opening holes for Jamaal Charles, but can catch the football if called upon.  The competition got a little more clouded with last week’s trade with the Arizona Cardinals that landed fullback Anthony Sherman.  The chances the Chiefs carry two fullbacks are slim to none, but investing a pick in Wilson would suggest he is the early favorite.  Wilson has the chance to be the Chiefs main fullback since Tony Richardson left, as the team has struggled to find a fullback in years past.  I think it’s a great fit and could be used extremely well.

Overall Grade – B if he wins the job, U if not

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When K-State takes the field against North Dakota State in late August this year, who will assume the starting quarterback spot remains an open question. What is known is that whoever starts under center, they will have a solid chance to earn all-conference honors in what should be a wide open race for quarterback of the year in the Big 12 in 2013.

The Big 12 lost more talent at the QB position than any other league this year: Collin Klein, Landry Jones, Nick Florence, and Geno Smith have all moved on. In fact, seven starting quarterbacks in the Big 12 last year were seniors and their departures leave a dearth of experience.  With so much turnover and turmoil, The Jug provides a quick look at what the conference has to offer (in two parts!), and what this means for K-State:

Baylor: Departing quarterback Nick Florence led the league in passing yards last year with 4,309 and completed 61.6 percent of his passes. He likely would have been picked up as an undrafted free agent should he have chosen to attempt a career in the NFL, but chose instead to continue his studies and will receive his master’s degree in December. The team has no proven quarterback returning, and junior Bryce Petty (ten attempts in 2012, seven completions) is expected step into the role.

Iowa State: Iowa State will be unveiling both a new quarterback and a new formation as the Cyclones have committed to running the pistol this upcoming season. With leading quarterback Steele Jantz gone and Jared Barnett announcing his transfer in January, Iowa State will look to either Sam Richardson or Grant Rohach. Richardson was third on the depth chart last year and did throw for 541 yards in four games. Barnett was featured in the game against K-State, completing just 16 of 36 passes.

Kansas: Starter Dayne Crist has exhausted his eligibility and was extended a mini-camp invite by the Kansas City Chiefs. However, Crist fell out of favor in the second half of the season and the team is happy to fully turn the reigns over to Jake Heaps. The transfer from BYU sat out last year and played in 22 games for the Cougars. Redshirt sophomore Michael Cummings will also see time, as he saw time in eight games last year (notably the second half against K-State when Crist was pulled after a disastrous start to the second half).

Oklahoma: Landry Jones entered the 2012 season a Heisman hopeful until his team was limited to under 20 points against K-State IN NORMAN while throwing an interception and fumbling away a football which K-State recovered in the end zone. Blake Bell, who saw a lot of goal line time last year due to his size and ability to punch through quarterback sneaks, will get the first opportunity to replace him. K-State fans will remember Bell for trying to run one of those infamous sneaks last year, only to fumble the ball (and a chance to win the game) away.

Oklahoma State: The Cowboys had a veritable merry-go-round of quarterbacks last year due to injuries. Clint Chelf, J.W. Walsh and Wes Lunt all return after having started at least one game each last year. They have been named co-starters. Lunt started the game against K-State last year as a freshman, but threw three interceptions and left with an injury in the third quarter. He also had 184 yards and one touchdown when Chelf came in to replace him. Chelf was 16/27 and had only one interception to his one touchdown pass, but neither player left Manhattan feeling good about the team’s 44-30 loss.

Edit: 12 hours after this post went up, it was announced that Wes Lunt would seek to transfer from Oklahoma State.

To read the second half our analysis, click here.

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The Texas Longhorns, perpetually frustrated by their inability to beat K-State despite their five star recruits, multi-billion dollar facilities, and bloated coaching salaries, have one more trick up their sleeves: preventing their potential opponents from setting foot on campus in Manhattan in the first place. According to bleacherreport, Texas has been pressing hard to convince junior offensive lineman and K-State committed Robert Castaneda to don burnt orange in 2014.

Texas has done nothing wrong here – Castaneda gave his verbal commitment to K-State in March but has signed nothing and remains on the open recruiting market, so to speak. Any contact with the player is completely above the board. As such, it’s important Bill Snyder and company do everything they can to keep Castaneda’s eyes trained on K-State. At 6’5″ and 315 lbs, the Round Rock, TX player will provide some serious beef on whichever offensive line he chooses to bolster.

Former Texas quarterback and current assistant coach Major Applewhite recently visited Round Rock and will likely push hard to secure the 3-star recruit. Another in-state school – Texas Tech – is also continuing to court Castaneda. He reportedly visited the campus in Lubbock in April and has an offer from the Raiders on the table. Hopefully the opportunity for playing time on the Big 12 champion is enough to keep him a Wildcat.

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To fans of student athletes pursuing their dreams – even it if interferes with their athletic pursuits – Kevin Haskin of the Topeka Capital Journal published a great article yesterday on QB Sam Johnson. Johnson – a former Topeka High quarterback – originally walked on to K-State and provided a great story in January when offered a scholarship after the Fiesta Bowl. His story took another turn this spring when he decided to turn down the scholarship to focus on his dental school resume.

Johnson was unlikely to find himself under center this year – at least not under the bright lights of Bill Synder Family Stadium on Saturdays. The ongoing quarterback battle to replace Collin Klein has centered around Jake Waters and Daniel Sams. However, the redshirt junior has been with the team since 2010. An intelligent player, he is well versed with the playbook and was essentially an assistant coach on the sidelines, helping to compile and synthesize information on defensive formations and the offense’s performance. He saw playing time late in the game against Miami last year.

Sam’s father, Frank Johnson, is also a dentist and has helped his son examine his career path. Part of the expectations of dental students when they become upperclassmen is to shadow practicing dentists for up to 300 hours. And to secure acceptance to UMKC – where Johnson hopes to receive his degree – he’ll have to demonstrate a strong academic record and score well on the Dental Admission Test (DAT). The DAT is an experience not to be trifled with, and throws test takers into a five hour abyss of questions regarding organic chemistry, spatial reasoning, and applied mathematics (The Jug’s ability to use a simple calculator would likely fall short of UMKC’s DAT score requirements).

This page would like to personally congratulate Sam Johnson, who worked his keister off multiple years to earn a scholarship spot on the Wildcat football team. Even more importantly, once he earned his chance he recognized the best path for himself and chose to focus on his career. College athletics are important to a lot of people – they help teach teamwork, work ethic, and provide mentors to help students make the right decisions. Yet the dream can’t last forever for most players, and it sounds like Johnson is ready to take on the next stage of his life. Thank you for your dedication to the team, Sam, and best of luck wherever life takes you.

Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports

As discussed here last week, an acquisition for Arizona Cardinals fullback Anthony Sherman complicated the Chiefs’ roster with four (and arguably five) fullbacks competing for one spot, following the sixth round selection of Kansas State fullback Braden Wilson. And while Wilson was likely unexcited about the trade for Sherman, the recent release of FB Patrick DeMarco should help him rest at least a little easier.

DeMarco came to Kansas City in August of 2012 as a free agent. However, he was not a highly valued component of the team and only saw action in five games – all towards the end of the season when Kansas City’s shot at a division title was already toast.

The Chiefs, with a reformation of the front office this year, have developed a greater emphasis on the position and will undoubtedly look for a player better than Nate Eachus, who assumed the role last year but is in no way built to play the position. The team brought in Ryan D’Imperio in late March this year in the interest of having at least one true fullback on the roster. Considering the teams’ recent acquisitions, D’Imperio is a longshot to make the team. However, Wilson must still battle to solidify a spot over Sherman with the Chiefs this year.