K-State’s Chris Klieman Puts Senior Safety On The Spot

Expected to be a breakout player this season, Payne has yet to jump off the screen. The safety has just five solo tackles and one tackle for loss through two games. As one of the few returning starters on K-State’s defense, he may be putting too much emphasis on being a team leader instead of focusing on the fundamentals that made him successful in the first place.

"I know he's going to get through it because VJ is really good, and we've seen him make really good plays," Klieman continued. "He's got to quit making everybody else make sure they're right and continue being a great communicator and just play faster and hit things."

K-State Reaching Historically Bad Territory With Early Season Blunders

Any time a team is compared to the 2024 Florida State Seminoles, it's probably not a good sign.

So it's even more ominous that Kansas State is being equated to this team after its first two weeks. The Wildcats' outside hype is simmering down after their Week 0 loss to a ranked conference opponent, followed by a narrow win over a superior FCS team.

Fans are now saying this Wildcats team mirrors that FSU squad from last season.

The Seminoles entered 2024 with high expectations after a 13-1 campaign (only loss against Georgia in the Orange Bowl) the season prior. They quickly fell below their preseason hype, ending the year with a 2-10 record and several blowout losses.

Kansas State may be headed in the same direction. It's still early in the season, but nothing has changed from last year, though. Kansas State's high expectations banked on a revamped squad that would differ from last season's rollercoaster unit. It hasn't been the leap many anticipated.

Perhaps getting star running back Dylan Edwards back will boost the offensive punch, but it's still been a relatively concerning start for the Big 12 favorites. Junior quarterback Avery Johnson detailed the growth mindset his teammates need to adapt to moving forward.

"If we're gonna play like this every week, we're not gonna be the team that we want to be," Johnson said in his postgame presser. "I just went straight to the leaders on the offense and the defense, and we have to take accountability for the game we had tonight. It was way too close for comfort."