Five returning starters who hold the key to Kansas State football's success on offense

Kansas State's offense grew stronger as the 2023 season wore on, in large part because of improvement from a new offensive line, the development of quarterback Will Howard and the emergence of Ben Sinnott as an all-conference caliber tight end. It also was the first year under new offensive coordinator Collin Klein. While the Wildcats were average overall, ranking sixth in the Big 12 in scoring with 32.

3 points a game and total offense with an average of 418. 8 yards, those numbers both jumped dramatically over the second half of the season. They averaged a league-best 36 points — No.

12 among Power Five schools — over the final seven games. Gone from that unit are All-America running back Deuce Vaughn and leading wide receivers Malik Knowles and Kade Warner, but eight starters are back, including all five members of the offensive line. Here are the top five returning offensive players for 2023, keeping in mind that several newcomers or 2022 backups could crack the list once the season gets underway: Senior quarterback Will Howard The plan was to redshirt Howard, who struggled in place of injured starter Skylar Thompson each of his first two years.

But when super-senior Adrian Martinez got hurt, a much-improved Howard took over and led the Wildcats to victory in five of his six starts, including the Big 12 championship game. Howard threw for 1,633 yards and 15 touchdowns with four interceptions in seven appearances. For the first time in his career, the offense will be designed to play to his strengths from the start.

While Klein seldom used the 6-foot-5, 242-pound Howard in the quarterback run game last year, it should be noted that he rushed for a total of 548 yards and seven touchdowns in his first two seasons. Senior left guard Cooper Beebe Cooper Beebe could be on an NFL roster this fall after a stellar junior season, but instead he chose to return for one more go-round. He already is a two-time All-Big 12 selection, including conference offensive lineman of the year in 2023, and was listed on several All-America teams.

Adding to Beebe's value is his versatility. His first all-conference honors came at left tackle, before he switched to guard last season, where most experts have him playing in the NFL. With 35 career starts, Beebe needs 10 more to move into the top five among Wildcat offensive linemen since 1990.

He has not surrendered a sack in his last 803 pass blocking plays dating back to the 2020 Iowa State game, according to Pro Football Focus. Junior tight end Ben Sinnott Ben Sinnott started all 14 games at tight end in 2022 and had a breakout season with 31 catches for 447 yards and four touchdowns. His 14.

4 yards a catch led all Big 12 tight ends and ranked fourth nationally. Sinnott, a former walk-on who split time between fullback and tight end in 2021, became a favorite target of Howard's last season. His best game came in a 31-3 victory at Baylor, where he caught seven passes for 89 yards and two scores.

Sinnott was voted to the All-Big 12 first team at fullback by conference coaches last year and by media in a 2023 preseason poll. Super-senior wide receiver Phillip Brooks Brooks, who decided to return this season as a super-senior, already has received all-conference honors as a return man with four career punt return touchdowns. As the lone returning starter at wide receiver, he is coming off back-to-back seasons with 40-plus catches, totaling 88 receptions for 1,130 yards and six touchdowns in 2021 and '22.

Brooks started all 14 games last year, primarily as a slot receiver, and had career highs of 45 catches for 587 yards with four scores. He is by far the Wildcats' most experienced receiver with 53 career games, including 31 starts, and 129 receptions for 1,538 yards. Super-senior left tackle KT Leveston KT Leveston has less game experience than right tackle Christian Duffie, but he put it all together last season while starting 14 games, receiving honorable mention from the Big 12 coaches.

The 6-5, 330-pound Leveston was arguably the Wildcats' most improved lineman, and more importantly his emergence at left tackle allowed Cooper Beebe to move inside to a more natural guard spot. Leveston also has appeared on several early NFL Draft lists for 2024. .