Will we see Tre Walker? Walker was lost in October last season to a knee injury and was a verbal leader at the linebacker position while seeing significant playing time as a reserve. Following surgery and rehab, he has been training with the rest of the team during spring practices but held out of contact drills. After doctors told him to plan for a return to the field for summer practices, he is well ahead of schedule. It’s possible, but unlikely that Snyder would risk reinjury. Instead, he will give other players the chance to prove themselves as capable of starting next to Walker this fall.
How’s the defensive communication? With only one returning starter (Ty Zimmerman) and a handful of role players from last year, this is largely a group of players that have practiced tackling together on Tuesdays after classes but not in live action on Saturday afternoon. It will be interesting to see how far they’ve come, and how far they have to go, in managing their roles. Don’t expect the defense to get too complicated, but it’s important that each player fills their gaps and doesn’t try to overcompensate for someone they don’t necessarily trust yet. If they can do this, K-State will already be on its way to defending the conference championship.
The Purple-White game will be played at 1:10 p.m. this Saturday. Tickets can be purchased for $5 and children under the age of two will be admitted for free. To purchase tickets, visit k-statesports.com or call the ticket office at 1-800-221-CATS. Tickets can also be purchased at the stadium ticket booths starting at 10 a.m. the morning of the event. For more information visit the football team’s official website here.
