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Rebuilding Kansas State football’s offensive line is not as daunting as it might appear

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Rebuilding Kansas State football’s offensive line is not as daunting as it might appear


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MANHATTAN — Chris Klieman was the first to admit that rebuilding Kansas State football’s offensive line after two years of stability left him a bit apprehensive.

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But replacing four of five starters, including a two-time All-American and a second-round NFL Draft pick, might not be quite as daunting as one might suspect. For one thing, the group of returning players are not nearly as inexperienced or untested as such a turnover would suggest.

“Yeah, you lose that many starters, there is some anxiety a little bit,” Klieman said back in May, a month after the conclusion of spring practice. “But we’ve got a lot of guys that have started a lot of games for us and a lot of guys that have been in our system for an awful long time that they just need game reps.

“And so, our nonconference schedule, which would include a couple of really tough games, we’re going to put them under fire right away. I’m excited about the offensive line, but we’re going to play more guys.”

Kansas State football All-American Cooper Beebe not picky about where Cowboys use him

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All-America guard Cooper Beebe has moved onto the Dallas Cowboys and left tackle KT Leveston was selected in the seventh round by the Los Angeles Rams. Christian Duffie was a three-year starter at right tackle and Hayden Gillum held down the center position for the past two seasons.

That leaves senior right guard Hadley Panzer as the lone full-time returning starter, and he will either move to left guard or center in 2024. But don’t forget that senior Carver Willis started the first seven games last year at right tackle while Duffie recovered from an offseason injury, and sixth-year super-senior Taylor Poitier was a regular in the rotation at right guard.

In fact, Poitier beat out Panzer for the starting right guard spot before suffering a second straight season-ending injury in the 2022 opener.

Also, don’t forget that new offensive coordinator Conor Riley is one of the most respected offensive line coaches in the business and has consistently delivered under similar circumstances.

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Kansas State football adds offensive line transfer and 2024 high school receiver

Transfer Easton Kilty provides immediate help

Despite a promising group of replacements waiting in the wings, K-State turned to the transfer portal for reinforcements and landed a proven veteran in North Dakota’s Easton Kilty.

Kilty played every position but center for the Fighting Hawks and started every game last year at left tackle, where he projects for the Wildcats.

Who will be the offensive line starters in 2024?

The only wild card it would appear, is Panzer. Assuming Kilty opens at left tackle, Willis at right tackle and Poitier at right guard, where he spent most of the spring, Panzer will determine who is the fifth starter.

If Panzer is the center, look for junior Andrew Leingang to be the left guard. If Panzer is the left guard, junior Sam Hecht will start at center.

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In his May interview, Klieman said the initial plan is for Panzer to be the left guard and Hecht the center, with Leingang serving as a backup at both guard and tackle.

Wildcats will rely on depth and versatility

A hallmark of Riley’s offensive linemen is versatility. Especially in the spring, he likes to have his players practice at multiple positions.

Leingang and Panzer both could see action in more than one spot. Another possibility to back up Hecht at center is sophomore Michael Capria. Other veterans who could vie for playing time are John Pastore, Drake Bequeaith, Alex Key, and Devin Vass.

“There’s just a lot of different people that can help us there,” Klieman said. “So, we’re just going to see how it shakes out in the fall.”

Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.

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Woman seriously injured Tuesday in western Kansas crash

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Woman seriously injured Tuesday in western Kansas crash


OAKLKEY, Kan. (WIBW) – A woman suffered serious injuries in a single-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon in Thomas County in western Kansas, officials said.

The collision was reported at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday on K-25 highway just south of County Road D. The location was about 15 miles northwest of Oakley.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol’s online crash log, a 2008 Chrysler Town & Country minivan was northbound on K-25 when it left the roadway to the right — or east — side and overcorrected back onto the roadway.

A woman suffered serious injuries in a single-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon in Thomas County in western Kansas, officials said.(Source: MGN)

The vehicle then began sliding sideways into the east ditch, where it rolled once.

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The minivan then came to rest upright facing southeast in a field.

The driver and lone occupant of the vehicle, Terri Threlkeld, 50, of Page City, was transported to Logan County Hospital in Oakley with serious injuries. The patrol said Threlkeld wasn’t wearing her seat belt.



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Where to watch Iowa State vs. Kansas today: College basketball free stream

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Where to watch Iowa State vs. Kansas today: College basketball free stream


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The Kansas Jayhawks hosts No. 2 Iowa State Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET. The Cyclones are 16-0 this season, but the Jayhawks won’t be an easy out at home, led by star freshman Darryn Peterson.

Iowa State vs. Kansas will air on ESPN, and streams live on DIRECTV (free trial).

What: Men’s college basketball regular season

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Who: No. 2 Iowa Cyclones vs. Kansas Jayhawks

When: Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026

Where: Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, Kansas

Time: 9 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

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Live stream: DIRECTV (free trial), fuboTV (free trial)

Here’s a recent college basketball story via the Associated Press:

WACO, Texas (AP) — Emanuel Sharp scored 17 points to lead five players in double figures for No. 7 Houston, which overcame two extended shooting slumps before halftime in a 77-55 win at Baylor on Saturday. The Cougars set a school record with their 16th consecutive road win.

Joseph Tugler had 12 points and 11 rebounds for his second double-double in a row for defending Big 12 champion and national runner-up Houston (15-1, 3-0 Big 12). Isiah Harwell also had 12 points, while true freshmen Chris Cenac had 11 and Kingston Flemings 10.

The Cougars haven’t lost a true road game since at No. 8 Kansas on Feb. 3, 2024. That road winning streak is the longest active run in the country, with all of them Big 12 games for a league record.

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Cameron Carr had 18 points for Baylor (10-5, 0-3), and Tounde Yessoufou had 10.

Houston missed 10 shots in a row over a 5 1/2-minute span early, then had another 0-for-10 span in the final 6 1/2 minutes of the first half. But the Cougars took control of the game with a 23-3 run in the six minutes between those droughts.

Sharp and Harwell both had two 3-pointers in that big spurt. The Cougars trailed 14-6 before Sharp ignited that run, and a 3 by Harwell put them ahead to stay. The lead was 29-17 after Tugler’s dunk off a Baylor turnover with 6:34 left. That was their last field goal of the half, when they still led 33-26 before a 13-3 run to start the second half.

The Cougars shot 39.2% overall (29 of 74) from the field, with only five turnovers and 23 offensive rebounds. They scored 31 points off 16 turnovers by Baylor, which got 33 fewer shots.

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Houston: Home Tuesday against West Virginia.

Baylor: At Oklahoma State on Tuesday.

Can I bet on the game?

Yes, you can bet on the game from your phone in New York State, and we’ve compiled some of the best introductory offers to help navigate your first bets from BetMGM, FanDuel, DraftKings, Bet365 and more.



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Kansas Bird Flu Tops Nation

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Kansas Bird Flu Tops Nation


Kansas is suffering from the worst outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the country, with nearly 414,000 birds affected, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

HPAI, an umbrella term for avian influenza that includes highly contagious strains such as H5 and H7, is considered a low public health risk, although it can pass to humans through birds and dairy products from infected cattle, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“H5 bird flu is widespread in wild birds worldwide and is causing outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows with sporadic human cases in U.S. dairy and poultry workers,” according to CDC.

As of Friday, there are four affected commercial flocks and six affected backyard flocks reported in Kansas, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Avian influenza kills almost 100% of the birds it infects.

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The bulk of the infected birds, about 380,000, in Kansas were reported to be in a commercial operation in Pottawatomie County, USDA reports said.

In a map highlighting outbreaks across the nation, Kansas is the only state showing the most severe reports during the past 30 days. It is followed by Indiana, with about 87,000 birds affected, including two commercial flocks and five backyard flocks.

Kansas has not had a reported instance of avian bird flu in a human, according to CDC records. Since 2024, there have been 74 reported bird flu cases in humans and two deaths.

This year’s outbreak is similar to those during the last few years, said a spokeswoman for the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

“December and January have been the months when we have seen the highest number of positive cases since this outbreak began in 2022,” said Heather Lansdowne. “The winter of 2023-2024 was more active than this year, both in total cases and in number of birds affected. We are hoping this year follows the trajectory of those years and we begin to see a decline in cases moving forward.”

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This year’s outbreak has spread primarily from migrating wild waterfowl, she said. The agency has encouraged poultry farmers and others to protect their birds from contact with migratory birds and their habitats.

“We have been promoting these actions to poultry owners from the start of the outbreak, both in public information and directly through veterinarians, extension agents, 4-H and FFA programs, to poultry owners we have through our systems, etc.,” Lansdowne said.

When the state discovers birds positive for avian flu, they work directly with the business owner to develop a response plan that includes a quarantine and long-term recovery plan, she said.

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Story via Kansas Reflector 

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