Kstate

Kansas State Finds Offensive Line Replacements For Conor Riley

Shandel Richardson|
Dec 26, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Kansas State Wildcats head coach Chris Klieman prior to the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Dec 26, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Kansas State Wildcats head coach Chris Klieman prior to the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Kansas State Wildcats

Kansas State announced two changes to the coaching staff.

On Thursday, Brian Lepak was named offensive line coach while Drew Liddle is the assistant.

"Not only is Brian one of the top young coaches in our conference, but his background and experience with the offensive line made him the logical choice for this role," Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said. "It was also important to have two coaches work in the trenches with our guys, and elevating Drew to assist Brian provides us stability and allows for a smooth transition."

The moves were set in place after former offensive line coach Conor Riley left to take the same job with the Dallas Cowboys. Last year Lepak completed his third year as the tight ends coach. Liddle moves after serving as an offensive analyst.

TANG DOING IT BIG AT HOME

Kansas State's victory over Arizona marked its sixth straight and seventh in the Big 12.

But it meant even more to coach Jerome Tang. He moved to 13-3 at home against AP Top-25 teams, including four this season. Tang is tied for fourth place in school history with 16 career Top-25 wins.

Following the win over No. 13 Arizona, head coach Jerome Tang is now 13-3 at home vs. AP Top 25 opponents, including 4-1 in 2024-25.

The Wildcats fans have been integral to the team's success, as illustrated by the team's 9-4 record at Bramlage Coliseum this season.

"To have a student section like that, who shows when it's 19 degrees outside, and they stand in line and come to support us, I love that," Tang said Tuesday night. "I call them my people, and I roll with them all the time because they got our backs. Every game we play for the rest of the year is important, and we need them. I'm so thankful for the students and the band; this is an incredible community here at K-State. You'd be an idiot not to wanna come here."

Dug McDaniel, who had a season-high 24 points and five steals, received chants of his name from the fanbase in the victory.

“I can’t even explain the feeling, it’s just a great feeling to know that they had my back,” McDaniel said. “I’m going through a little bit of pain right now and they just lifted me up. I could do nothing but smile in that moment.”

— KStateStatsInfo (@KStateStatsInfo) February 12, 202

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Kansas State Wildcats On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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Shandel Richardson
SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star. TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here