Five things to watch as spring football begins at Kansas State

Spring football practice begins at Kansas State on Wednesday. Five things to watch before the Wildcats’ spring game on April 22:

1. All eyes on Bill Snyder

Coach Bill Snyder was diagnosed with throat cancer and spent time away from work to undergo treatment for it this offseason. He made time to visit recruits and make public appearances at basketball games during that time, but these spring practices will mark his return to actual coaching. Will he be any different on the sideline? Snyder will also speak with media for the first time since his cancer diagnosis. What will he say? Fans have showered Snyder with cheers at Bramlage Coliseum in recent weeks. They have also sent countless get-well cards to his office. He should get another ovation at the spring game.

2. Time for K-State’s backup quarterbacks to shine

Jesse Ertz led K-State to nine victories in his first season as quarterback and much will be expected of him next season, but he may not be able to do much during spring practices. Ertz underwent surgery on his throwing shoulder in January to repair an injury he suffered midway through the season against Oklahoma and will likely be more focused on rehab than practice. That means backups Alex Delton and Skylar Thompson may get more work than usual with K-State’s first-string offense. Both could benefit. Delton played in a handful of games last season, usually as a change-of-pace runner. Thompson, a redshirt freshman, spent last season leading K-State’s scout team.

3. Next linebacker up

Charmeachealle Moore, Will Davis and Elijah Lee were K-State’s top three linebackers last season, and all three are no longer on the roster. That means playing time and starting spots will be up for grabs in the middle of K-State’s defense. Who will step up? Trent Tanking played near the end of the season and showed promise at the position on top of his special teams play. He figures to have a bigger role next season. Elijah Sullivan, Jayd Kirby and Sam Sizelove also figure to play quite a bit this spring. They will be joined by incoming recruits in the summer, but, for now, they have a head start.

4. Crowded backfield

The Wildcats never settled on a consistent rotation at running back last season, with Charles Jones, Justin Silmon and Alex Barnes splitting carries. Jones is gone, but the competition for playing time might be as strong as ever. Barnes (442 yards and six touchdowns on 56 attempts) and Silmon (464 yards and three touchdowns on 86 attempts) are back after shining at times a year ago. So is scat back Dalvin Warmack, who could also be ready for an expanded role. Two redshirt freshmen could join the mix – Tyler Burns and Mike McCoy. Burns showed off impressive speed on the scout team, while McCoy showed off his bruising running abilities.

5. New playmaker

Much like Byron Pringle a year ago, a newcomer at receiver may be the player fans most want to see at the spring game. Carlos Strickland, a 6-foot-4 transfer from California, may have what it takes to complement Pringle in the passing game. Strickland was a touted recruit out of Dallas. He transferred to K-State after spending a redshirt season at Cal. He will be eligible to play this season and have three years of eligibility remaining. He was the nation’s 132nd-ranked recruit in the 2015 recruiting class, according to Rivals. He will make his K-State debut at the spring game.

This story was originally published March 28, 2017 at 1:26 PM with the headline "Five things to watch as spring football begins at Kansas State."