Kansas State's Linkon Cure Hampered By Preseason Setback

Kansas State freshman Linkon Cure is the most anticipated recruit in school history. His debut has been put on hold because of an apparent minor injury. Thus far, Cure is limited in preseason drills but should be ready by the start of the season.

Despite the setback, Wildcats coach Jeff Wells is impressed by what he has seen from Cure.

"Linkon is doing a nice job," Wells said. "It's really tough, generally, for a freshman to come in. There's a lot of things we do at the tight end position. There's a lot of different skills sets that they're going to do physically and there's a lot of different assignments they got to learn."

KANSAS STATE GETS MORE MEDIA LOVE

At this point, the Big 12 is Kansas State's to lose.

The team has received so many nods for the conference championship that falling short would seem like an underachievement. The latest laud was from FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt, who also predicts the Wildcats landing atop the Big 12 in 2025.

"The most consistent team in the Big 12 of recent vintage is Kansas State," Klatt said on his podcast Monday. "Kansas State is going to be my Big 12 pick."

Kansas State landed at No. 15 in Klatt's preseason top 25, placing above Arizona State (No. 18), Texas Tech (No. 19), Iowa State (No. 20), Baylor (No. 23), and Utah (No. 25).

Klatt attributed the team's downfall last season to the turnover margin, predicting a significant improvement with better ball protection. Quarterback Avery Johnson is expected to develop in his second full season, utilizing his dual-threat play style to elevate the Wildcats' offense with an upgraded passing game.

DYLAN EDWARDS MAY BE FOLLOWING K-STATE LEGENDS IN NFL GLORY

The proof is in the pudding when it comes to Kansas State's recent running backs.

School legends Deuce Vaughn and DJ Giddens were drafted to the NFL after illustrious tenures with the Wildcats, and Dylan Edwards could be next. It's a bit premature to put him in those conversations, but the possibility is there, considering whose footsteps he's following.

“I’m not saying you’re Deuce Vaughn or DJ Giddens, but what I’m saying is the system works,” K-State running backs coach Brian Anderson said to his running back room. “I’m a better coach now than I was in 2022, 2023, and 2024. I’m a better coach because I’ve done my homework, so you’re getting more knowledge than they got when they were here. I’m not gonna get a guy who’s just satisfied with how my guys are playing. I wanna try to take it to another level also.”

Any time you’re even mentioned with names like this, you’re probably in good territory. And while Anderson isn't comparing Edwards to the two Kansas State products, he uses them as examples of the program's success in that area.

“I know some guys don’t like to be compared and I try not to compare. But what I try to tell them is that there’s video evidence that the system works, so you’re gonna believe in it,” Anderson said.

MORE KANSAS STATE NEWS

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