As Kansas State Wildcats looks ahead to its Week 1 matchup against North Dakota, the story still surrounds the absence of running back Dylan Edwards. Coach Chris Klieman claims he has a plan to deal with this unfortunate circumstance. While he isn’t sure of the return timetable, the OC Matt Wells had some news regarding the depth behind him.

The Dylan Edwards situation was front and center when Wells addressed the media this week. He didn’t hide the reality of what losing his primary back meant for the Wildcats, but he laid out the contingency plan. “We’re going to need to. Yeah, we’re going to have to. So, whether it’s obviously Joe (Jackson), but DeVon (Rice) and JB Price and we’ll see if Antonio (Martin Jr.) where that fits, but yeah, you’ll see some.” That statement is equal parts caution and confidence. Wells knows none of those names carry Edwards’ explosiveness yet, but K-State must spread the load. For a unit that leaned on Edwards to stretch the edge and open Avery Johnson’s RPO game, the next-man-up mantra isn’t optional, it’s survival.

Chris Klieman, meanwhile, kept his attention fixed on the bigger picture. Edwards’ X-rays came back negative, giving Kansas State some relief, but the head coach stressed the importance of durability more than anything. “We have to stay healthy, that’s the one thing I took from this game,” Klieman said. “We’ve gotta develop more depth across both lines of scrimmage. We can’t expect Damian Ilalio to play 60 plays every game.” That was as close to an admission as you’ll get from a coach who knows the Ireland opener revealed more than one soft spot.

The loss didn’t just shift the game plan, it shifted the trajectory of a season that carried legitimate playoff buzz. Which is where the bigger sting sets in. A one-score loss to Iowa State in late October is one thing. It can be brushed off, written into the chaos of Big 12 play. But a Week 0 neutral-site defeat is different. It lingers, and it builds doubt in the playoff committee’s eyes before the Wildcats have even unpacked their bags. As college football analyst Greg McElroy showed in his first 12-team playoff projection, Kansas State was left out in favor of Utah and Miami.

That snub isn’t just about the loss itself, but about what it signals. Can this program actually win the “big” game when the stage demands it? Against ISU, the Wildcats had the chance to land a tone-setting win over a ranked conference opponent, and instead, they blinked. Quarterback Avery Johnson didn’t bother with excuses. His words had the sharp edge of a leader trying to shake a locker room awake. “Guys gotta take accountability,” Johnson said. And accountability in this case means owning the breakdowns. Edwards’ injury forced Johnson to play hero ball, and the makeshift backfield couldn’t generate the balance required.

It also meant the defense spent too long on the field, with Ilalio’s snap count serving as Exhibit A of why depth matters. Kansas State may still control its destiny, but the margin for error has shrunk to the width of a blade of grass.

Rain, noise, and no Dylan Edwards forced conservative play

Wells didn’t shy away from explaining why the Wildcats looked a bit hesitant out of the gates in their loss to Iowa State. The elements, and the absence of Dylan Edwards, played a larger role than many might have realized.

“I think there were one more factor and that’s being backed up,” Wells said. “So, you start the year off and the first series off backed up. It was a little louder than I had been told and we in our research on the previous teams, it was loud. Great. It was loud for both teams, but handling the rain.”

That rain made life difficult, especially with a slick football. “The ball was dry for a minute until it sat on the ground for 30 seconds. And so I think that that and Dylan not being there and certainly he was a big part of that game plan. Not just in the backed up area, but everywhere. So there was a few factors contributing to a little bit being conservative right there at the beginning of the game.” In other words: wet ball, loud crowd, no Edwards. A perfect storm that forced Wells’ offense to dial things down.