Weibert looks the part for Cats

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Apr 19, 2008 by Austin Meek

By Austin Meek

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

MANHATTAN - Judging by Ron Prince's description, Wade Weibert wouldn't look especially out of place at a World's Strongest Man competition or a Metallica concert.

"He looks like Magnus Ver Magnusson," Prince said, referring to the famed Icelandic powerlifter. "He's got a unique style to him. He's got all kinds of earrings and other kinds of things. He's just a really neat kid."

Appearances aside, there's a good chance Weibert will be in the starting lineup for Kansas State next fall. Prince said the 300- pound offensive guard has been working with the first unit in the spring, and he should see significant playing time in Saturday's spring game.

"I've made a lot of strides in the past couple weeks," said Weibert, who transferred to K-State from Butler Community College. "I feel like I'm a little bit behind, and I really am compared to everyone else. But at the same time, they all say I'm actually right on track."

Weibert is part of K-State's bumper crop of 19 junior college signees. He's one of six mid-year transfers taking part in spring drills, which should give him a leg up in the fall.

Picking up K-State's system has been the biggest challenge so far, he said.

"In junior college, we didn't run that many plays as far quantity goes," he said. "Here, there are more. It's just more complicated - more things we've got to look at, more reads we have to make as an offensive line. Overall, the game is just a little more complicated."

Weibert said the transition to Division I football hasn't gone as quickly as he'd like, though in fairness, spring practice started just three weeks ago.

"I don't have a lot of patience with myself," Weibert said. "I'm glad the coaches are really patient with me."

You can't blame Weibert for forming lofty expectations. Last season, he anchored the offensive line for a Butler team that went 12-0 and won an NJCAA national championship.

Weibert said he's starting to regain his old form after picking up some rust over Christmas break.

"Going from (junior college) to where I am now, it's a new level," he said. "I'm not as dominant here as I was in junior college - yet. Hopefully that's the key word."

Valentine shines

It takes a truly extraordinary subject to provoke such a torrent of words from Kansas State's Josh Freeman. The junior quarterback is known for being concise and relentlessly on-message, but even Freeman had to gush about walk-on running back Keithen Valentine.

"Keithen Valentine, he's a great player," Freeman said, breaking into a grin. "He'd be working out at the same time as me sometimes. I remember the day we were maxing out on squats. He comes in and gets on the rack with me and a couple other guys doing what I consider a fairly high weight.

"We had the rack up where it was comfortable for some taller guys. He comes and jumps in and we're all like, 'What's this guy doing, this little walk-on running back?' I'd never really met him, didn't know his name or anything. He just jumps in.

"We had to help him get the bar off because it was a little high for him, but he ended up squatting more than all of us. He's a player, man.

"When he got out there, the first time he touched the ball, he hit a crease and was gone. In my book, he's one of the top guys we've got."

Valentine came to K-State sans scholarship from Mississippi Delta Community College. He stands 5-foot-9, which prompts a natural comparison to former Wildcat Darren Sproles.

"So much for recruiting, right?" Prince said. "As much as anything, it's his work ethic and personality and everything."

Receivers in flux

K-State's receiving corps is a work in progress, with Deon Murphy sitting out the spring for academic reasons and a trio of junior college signees expected to arrive in the fall.

As a result, most of the reps have gone to Ernie Pierce, Cedric Wilson, Lamark Brown and newcomer Adrian Hilburn.

"Cedric's had a great spring," Freeman said. "He started off on a run and kept it up."

Brown was a highly touted prospect from St. Louis who moved from running back to receiver in college. The transition didn't always go smoothly, but Prince said Brown has made strides this spring.

"Here of late, Lamark Brown has done a terrific job," Prince said. "He was really difficult to deal with in the red zone the last couple of days. That was real encouraging; you see a little extra pep in his step."