Kansas State’s season has been full of setbacks this year, and now the team’s backfield finds itself at the heart of the latest one. Chris Klieman’s Wildcats are facing yet another blow ahead of their Big 12 matchup with TCU, after a rough 2-4 start. Dylan Edwards, the explosive Colorado transfer who was predicted to have a big impact this season, is once again “doubtful” due to injuries that have struck his second campaign.

It’s been a frustrating journey for both Edwards and Kansas State fans this year. With 546 running yards, 5 touchdowns, and even a 71-yard punt return to the house, the RB had shown off his exceptional potential last season. But the year 2025 has not been that kind to him. He left the opener against lowa State early due to a muffed punt and ever since then has dealt with lingering injuries that have restricted him from playing. His agent, Reggie Blackwell, claims that Edwards has no intention of redshirting, which puts an end to the escalating rumors of a potential shutdown or transfer.

The instability around Kansas State’s season has been the same throughout the year; just when it seems like things are getting better, something else comes up. Since that Week 0 loss in Dublin, the RB has been in and out of the lineup, and it’s obvious that his body hasn’t quite caught up to his mentality.

As ESPN’s Tori Petry observed, his emotional outburst on the sidelines following the 35-34 Baylor defeat shows how much the grind has worn him down. Edwards had “shown frustration on the sideline, shoving his helmet on the ground and unhappy about the opportunities he’s gotten,” Petry noted.

When Avery Johnson intervened to comfort him, it was beyond leadership; it was about upholding a locker room that was beginning to feel the effects of a damaged team. “He was limited on Saturday,” Klieman said after the game against Baylor, “and it’s kind of the story of what our season has been as far as a running back and a wideout being limited. We haven’t seen that full arsenal, and hopefully we’ll see it in time, but I haven’t seen it yet.”

It’s not just Edwards who is the only one enduring the pain. Klieman’s team has been suffering from a consistent stream of injuries at key positions.

Injuries keep piling up as Kansas State limps toward TCU showdown

Lately, Kansas State’s offense has been devastated by injuries. Chris Klieman has had to juggle the Wildcats’ once-promising season as he tries to gather a healthy squad every week. The team’s leading pass rusher and leader in sacks and tackles for loss, defensive end Tobi Osunsanmi, is officially out for Saturday’s game against TCU. After almost landing a sack during the Baylor defeat, he fell down and never came back.

Joe Klanderman, the defensive coordinator, admitted that the injury would persist, stating, “It sounds like it might be decently long term… for the next couple of weeks, for sure, it looks unlikely.” He added, “The thing that we’re going to miss with Tobi is when it comes to third down…he’s a threat in the pass-rush game, and we’ll miss that.”

The story doesn’t end there. The receiving corps of K-State has also suffered severe injuries. Jerand Bradley, who was the team’s top receiver before his injury, was officially back against Baylor, where he only saw two snaps and had no targets. As others battled to remain on the field, Jayce Brown showed grit by playing through an injury and managing 53 snaps.

When offensive coordinator Matt Wells said, “Sometimes, you don’t know who you have until Saturday,” he sounded fairly exhausted. “Even in the middle of the game, you have to be pretty flexible,” he added. The coaching staff’s frustration is clearly apparent as they are busy improvising game plans while they wait for key players to recover.

Behind the scenes, there is growing concern about the way injuries are handled. Klieman is trying to find a balance between responsibility and empathy. He praised safety Qua Moss and said that he is the type of player who recognizes that “sometimes playing through it is part of the game.”

Kansas State is obviously in a crisis, especially when you consider the uncertainty surrounding safety Colby McCalister and offensive tackle George Fitzpatrick, neither of whom has played a single snap this season.