When Kansas State football’s defense was at its best last year, the Wildcats were hard to beat.
Fortunately for K-State, that was more often than not the case on the way to a 9-4 season capped by a 28-19 Pop-Tarts Bowl victory over North Carolina State in Orlando, Florida.
The Wildcats return eight starters from that unit, which ranked second in the Big 12 in scoring defense at 21 points per game and third in total defense, allowing an average 372.5 yards. K-State also was third in red zone defense, limiting opponents to a 78.8% success rate with only 13 of 26 scores resulting in touchdowns.
Related: Kansas State football coaches are bullish on their young and talented defensive ends
“Defensive line and secondary are our strength in numbers and experience,” head coach Chris Klieman said. “We’re going to rotate seven or eight guys in the defensive line, and we have a lot of depth there.
“In the secondary we’ve got both of our returning corners back, and then all of our safeties return. We’ve just got to continue to develop the depth at linebacker.”
What the Wildcats lack in depth at linebacker, they make up for with quality, especially with super-senior Austin Moore on the weak-side Will position and junior Desmond Purnell on the strong side, or Sam.
Here are five key returning defensive players to keep an eye on in 2024, plus a couple of others who should make an impact as well.
Senior free safety Marques Sigle
Marques Sigle started 12 games at free safety as a junior after transferring from North Dakota State and tied for the team lead with 63 tackles, including three for loss with an interception and 10 passes breakups.
Sigle, a converted cornerback, had his struggles early but developed into an elite defender by the end of the season, receiving honorable mention on the Big 12 coaches’ all-conference team.
Super-senior linebacker Austin Moore
Moore, a former walk-on, returns as a super-senior and will leave as a three-year starter after originally walking on in 2019. He tied Sigle for the lead in tackles with 63 last year, including a team-best 12.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery.
Junior cornerback Jacob Parrish
Moore, who became a vocal leader on defense as a senior, received second team all-conference honors from the Big 12 coaches. In 2023, his first year as a starter, he led the Wildcats with 87 tackles, 10 for loss, with 1.5 sacks and an interception.
After playing in all 14 games as a true freshman reserve in 2023, Jacob Parrish stepped into the starting lineup last year and became a lock-down defender.
Parrish appeared in 12 games, all starts, recording 44 tackles, 2.5 for loss, with four interceptions and 13 passes defended. He tied for fourth in the league and 19th nationally in interceptions and sixth in the league in passes defended while receiving all-conference honorable mention.
Junior linebacker Desmond Purnell
Purnell stepped into the starting lineup for all 13 games last year as a sophomore, receiving all-conference honorable mention after recording 47 tackles, 3.5 for loss with a half sack and an interception. He had a career-high seven stops against Central Florida and had his half sack and interception in the TCU game.
As a redshirt freshman in 2022, Purnell appeared in all 14 at linebacker and special teams. He got his first career start at Oklahoma State and finished the season with 21 tackles.
Super-senior defensive end Brendan Mott
Brendon Mott, another former walk-on, burst onto the scene as a junior in 2022, when he started 10 of 14 games and recorded 6.0 sacks playing opposite Kansas City Chiefs first-round draft pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah.
Mott, who decided to return for his super-senior COVID-19 season in 2024, was an all-conference honorable mention selection last year after starting all 13 games and recording 27 tackles, 4.5 for loss and one sack with two passes defended and two forced fumbles.
Related: Kansas State football defense has addressed depth issues at nose tackle, middle linebacker
Other returning players to watch
Another super-senior and returning starter on the defensive line is e Uso Seumalo, who stepped into the starting lineup at nose tackle. He missed two games with injuries but made 18 tackles with 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery.
Junior strong safety VJ Payne played in every game with four starts his true freshman year in 2022, then started all 13 games last year and made 57 tackles with one interception and a fumble recovery.
Super-senior Keenan Garber, who switched from wide receiver to cornerback at the end of the 2022 season, started four games last year, including an interception return for a touchdown.
Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the…
The Topeka Capital-Journal
