Five questions facing Kansas State football's defense ahead of Big 12 media days

Kansas State middle linebacker Daniel Green decided to return as a super-senior this year after an injury-plagued 2022 season. What started out as an experiment, unveiled for the 2021 season opener against Stanford, has become a defensive staple for Kansas State. When Chris Klieman — a defensive coordinator before becoming a head coach — and current coordinator Joe Klanderman scrapped their traditional four-man front in favor of a 3-3-5 alignment, the Wildcats saw immediate results and are now all in. In the 27 games since making the switch, K-State has allowed just 21.4 points per game, which ranks 23rd nationally and second in the Big 12. It is definitely a results-based defense. A year ago, the Wildcats ranked 64th nationally in total defense (375.1 yards per game) and passing yards allowed (224.4), and slipped to No. 68 against the run (150.8). And yet those numbers all ranked in the top half of the conference. What's more, they were No. 29 nationally in scoring defense (21.9), tied for 14th in turnovers forced (24 in 14 games) and top 30 in both third and fourth down success. The Wildcats also held every one of their Big 12 opponents under their season scoring averages coming into the game. Two years of tweaking has given the defensive staff a better handle on how to recruit to the 3-3-5. But challenges remain, namely replacing All-America defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah, second-round NFL draft pick Julius Brents and Ekow Boye-Doe at cornerback, sixth-round selection Josh Hayes at a safety and steady nose tackle Eli Huggins. Here are five defensive questions to ponder as K-State heads to Arlington, Texas, for Big 12 media days. The two-day event opens Wednesday, with the Wildcats scheduled to appear Thursday. What will be the impact of a healthy Daniel Green at linebacker? Middle linebacker Daniel Green, a preseason all-conference pick last year, was seldom at full strength in 2022, first fighting through a foot injury and then torn cartilage in his ribs. He still appeared in 13 of 14 games and tied for fourth on the team with 58 tackles, but was a shell of the player who led the Wildcats with 89 stops and 16 tackles for loss in 2021. Coaches and teammates alike were pleasantly surprised when Green decided to return as a super-senior this season. Even while battling injuries, he had a positive impact as a leader both on and off the field. Throw in Austin Moore, a breakout star last year, on the weak side and several promising younger players on the other side, and linebacker should be a strength for the Wildcats. How will Khalid Duke's return to defensive end bolster the pass rush? Before switching to strong-side linebacker at the start of an injury-plagued 2021 season, Khalid Duke was a feared pass rusher for the Wildcats. Now that Anudike-Uzomah has moved on to the NFL, he is back at his natural position at defensive end. At 6-foot-4, 246 pounds, Duke is a natural to take over as an edge rusher. When deployed in that way last year against Texas Tech, he recorded three sacks and said this spring that he has embraced the change. Who is next in line to clog the middle at nose tackle? Eli Huggins was, arguably, the most underrated member of last year's defense at nose tackle. And Robert Hentz wasn't too shabby as a backup. With both of them gone, the question is: Who will step in to plug the middle of the line? The most likely suspects are 345-pound senior Uso Seumalo from Garden City Community College, who came on strong at the end of last year, and Mississippi State junior transfer Jevon Banks. He recorded 17 tackles in 10 games last year for the Bulldogs. Another player to watch is sophomore Damian Ilalio, a Manhattan High School product who was in the game for the Wildcats' fourth-down overtime stand that helped lead to a Big 12 championship game victory over TCU. Are the Wildcats ready for a changing of the guard at cornerback? For two years, Brents and Boye-Doe held down the cornerback spots for the Wildcats, and now both are gone — Brents to the Indianapolis Colts, while Boye-Doe had a tryout with the Kansas City Chiefs. What the Wildcats lack in Division I game experience, they make up for in numbers, and Klanderman said he anticipates rotating more players at the corners. He has a lot to choose from. Jacob Parrish, who played in all 14 games as a true freshman, certainly will get a look, as will junior college transfers Jordan Wright and Justice Clemons, both of whom redshirted last year, and converted wide receiver Keenan Garber. The top newcomer is sophomore transfer Will Lee, who helped lead Iowa Western to a national junior college championship. Is there enough depth at safety after Kobe Savage? The Wildcats lost three key contributors from last year's safety group, including two of their three leading tacklers. Drake Cheatum (74 tackles) and Hayes (72 stops, including 5.5 tackles for loss) are gone, along with primary backup Cincere Mason. The good news is that second-team all-conference selection Kobe Savage (58 tackles, three interceptions) is back after suffering a season-ending injury in the 10th game last year. So is VJ Payne, who played in all 14 games with four starts as a true freshman. North Dakota State transfer Marques Sigle is expected to fill the third safety spot, but finding enough depth to make it through an entire season could be difficult.