Topeka linebacker Desmond Purnell has become the voice of Kansas State’s defense
Some college football players could write a book about their recruitment.
Not Desmond Purnell.
Even though the rise of transfers, revenue sharing and NIL deals have created waves of plot twists that can lead a high school prospect to just about any university, none of that had an impact on Purnell. Ask him to explain why he committed to Kansas State as a senior out of Hayden Catholic in Topeka and he can answer with one sentence.
The story goes like this: K-State coach Chris Klieman offered him a scholarship in the December of 2020 and Purnell erupted with excitement.
“It was a dream come true,” Purnell says now. “I accepted on the spot.”
For him, it was an easy decision. He grew up wanting to play for the Wildcats, and the only other school that had offered him a scholarship was South Dakota. There was no reason to hesitate.
“I was born at Fort Riley, just 15 minutes away from Manhattan,” Purnell added. “My parents moved to Topeka, but being from the capital city made me want to play for the best team in Kansas even more. I just have great pride in it. Every single day, I know that I have the opportunity to represent my state to the best of my ability. It’s just phenomenal.”
Nearly five years have passed since Purnell pledged his services to the Wildcats, but his passion for purple hasn’t diminished.
If anything, he has even more school pride now.
You can tell that by the way the senior linebacker hits on the field. He has piled up 119 tackles over the past three seasons, including a whopping 9.5 for loss last year. He is expected to be one of the best linebackers in the Big 12 this season.
“He has got great instincts,” K-State safety VJ Payne said. “He’s not afraid to shoot gaps or make plays when the ball is in the air. You want a linebacker that has instincts, runs to the ball and is just ready to do whatever is needed to go make a play. That’s what he does on every snap.”
But if you really want to feel his EMAW pride, you need to hear Purnell on the field between plays.
That’s when he his school pride really comes out.
“There is nobody louder or smarter,” K-State defensive end Cody Stufflebean said. “He knows everything about our defense, and if you are in the wrong position you are going to hear from him. It’s great for us, because even though he might not always have the greatest tone, I would rather know what we’re supposed to be doing out there than just running around.”
Tough love is what helps Purnell stand out as a good teammate.
“He helps you know what you need to do,” Stufflebean said. “He knows all of our checks and formations. He can see the offense when we have our heads down at the line. He helps us communicate and stay on the same page.”
It took Purnell a few years to find his voice on the gridiron. He sat out his first year with a redshirt and then slowly climbed up the depth chart until he was starting in the middle of Joe Klanderman’s defense.
Once he earned a leadership role, he was all-in.
He has too much K-State pride to play any other way.
“We don’t have a second chance at anything once we’re on that field,” Purnell said. “I just tell guys straight up what’s happening and I get my point across. If they don’t like it, we can talk about it later. But I can’t tolerate people doing something wrong. If you’re not lined up right I’m going to yell at you. Sometimes, that is what it takes to win.”