Chris Klieman shares positive injury news on key K-State football players before TCU

Chris Klieman described Kansas State as a “beat-up football team” when the Wildcats walked off the field more than a week ago following their most recent game at Iowa State.

Things have changed significantly since then.

“Everybody that played against Iowa State is, right now, on target to play this Saturday,” Klieman said Tuesday during his weekly news conference.

That is good news for K-State football players such as Deuce Vaughn, Nate Matlack, Khalid Duke, Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Daniel Green and Adrian Martinez, who all showed signs of wear and tear at the conclusion of a 10-9 victory over the Cyclones.

They are all expected to suit up when No. 17 K-State heads to No. 8 TCU on Saturday for a game that will decide which team stays on top of the Big 12 standings.

Duke, a junior linebacker, exited that game with a lower-body injury in the first quarter and was unable to return. Vaughn, one of the nation’s top running backs, got tangled up with an ISU defender in the fourth quarter and also spent the rest of the game on the sideline.

It might have been a challenge for both of them to play over the weekend, but K-State’s off-week came at an ideal time.

Coaches gave most of their starters some valuable rest last week, which allowed the Wildcats to get healthy at several important positions.

Martinez and Vaughn both spoke with media on Tuesday, which is usually an excellent sign that a player is at full strength.

“At this point in the season, you get some nicks and bruises and things like that, but that’s what football is, man,” Vaughn said. “I’m excited for this next half of the season.”

Klieman shared last week that he expected most of K-State’s players to be ready to play against TCU. But he expressed some concern about Duke and Matlack.

He is more optimistic about both of them now.

On Duke: “He should practice today on a limited basis, but we anticipate him being able to play.”

On Matlack: “The open week probably benefited Nate as much as it did anybody. He still wasn’t 100% against Iowa State. We shelved him most of last week and gave him a chance to get quite a bit more rehab and build strength. A lot of those guys have been banged up. Now it’s about getting their conditioning back up.”