K-State receiver Malik Knowles misses OSU game, out indefinitely because of injury

The Kansas State football team was without its top receiver during a 26-13 loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium.

Malik Knowles, a redshirt freshman, missed the game because of a foot injury of unknown severity. He didn’t travel with the Wildcats, and his absence was felt as K-State slogged its way to 118 passing yards against the Cowboys.

K-State could use him back in the lineup next week when it hosts Baylor, but it is unclear when the Wildcats will get him back.

“I don’t know how long he will be out,” K-State coach Chris Klieman said. “It’s a lower-body injury. He probably got it at Mississippi State, and we learned about it on Wednesday.”

Klieman said K-State’s healthy receivers could have done more to make up for not having Knowles. Dalton Schoen led the way with three catches for 23 yards.

“We played without Wyatt Hubert and Walter Neil and found a way to persevere (at Mississippi State). It’s next man up,” Klieman said. “Absolutely, you miss a guy. But you give another guy an opportunity to step up. Hopefully we get him back soon.”

Knowles entered Saturday as K-State’s leading receiver with nine catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns. He also returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown in the Wildcats’ last game at Mississippi State.

Without him, K-State will continue to turn to Chabastin Taylor, Phillip Brooks, Landry Weber and Joshua Youngblood. Only Brooks caught a pass out of that group on Saturday, finishing the game with 15 yards.

Tight end Sammy Wheeler also helped out on Saturday by catching one pass for 39 yards.

“It was unfortunate that Malik couldn’t be out there with us tonight,” K-State quarterback Skylar Thompson said. “But we are thinking long term with Malik and we are letting him heal up a little bit. It hurt us. He is a great player.”

This story was originally published September 28, 2019 at 5:10 PM.