Rapid Recap: Lauding the Kansas State cornerbacks

Positive Kansas State health report

Kansas State continues to receive positive notes on the health front.

The hope is to increase the snap count of Keagan Johnson even more from his 16 snaps last weekend versus Troy. He was limited all week in practice, but he was still able to play. The biggest thing for Johnson is that he was able to move around fine at practice on Monday.

Offensive lineman Christian Duffie practiced near the end of last week and was once again available for K-State practice on Monday. Today and Wednesday will be telling on if he will be able to play Saturday. The Kansas State coaches will know his status by Thursday.

Offensive line improvement

The Wildcats offensive line has been a little inconsistent throughout the first two games. The two areas that K-State head coach Chris Klieman wants to see improve for the next contest are sustaining blocks and having better communication.

Part of that is both SEMO and Troy have made it difficult to identify blocks and have had the front to shed them, too. But Missouri is just as stout, if not more lethal, and they will provide some of the same tests in that capacity.

A look at Missouri

Missouri has one of the best wide receivers in the SEC in Luther Burden. Klieman called the sophomore a tremendous player that Kansas State will spend a large amount of time preparing for and a chunk of their game plan will be to limit him.

There is a lot of respect for Tiger quarterback Brady Cook. The Wildcats know last year’s contest wasn’t a perfect illustration of what he can do because of the weather. He struggled against K-State, but they know he can hurt them if they’re not ready.

Missouri, just like Kansas State, has a lot more things they can do offensively and defensively that they have yet to show.

Praise for corners

Perhaps the strongest praise of the day from Klieman was once again for the group of K-State cornerbacks. It is not the first time that he has heaped an incredible amount of praise on the trio of Jacob Parrish, Will Lee and Keenan Garber.

The coaching staff loved Parrish as a recruit after he lit it up at one of their June camps.

He came in last season as a true freshman wanting to keep learning and taking advantage of every rep he could get. Parrish is now more comfortable in the Kansas State defensive scheme and his preparation has allowed him to further understand offenses.

Lee is improving and understanding the scheme more two games into the season. Remember, he arrived late and was a bit behind in that regard at the start of K-State training camp in August. He’s catching up, and it was the most prevalent in the running game on Saturday.

Garber is a third that has flashed, but the Kansas State defensive staff would love to identify a fourth.