Injuries are starting to accumulate at a key defensive position for the Kansas State football team.
Asa Newsom, a redshirt freshman linebacker who has appeared in every game for the Wildcats this season, will be sidelined for the rest of the year due to an injury sustained during Saturday’s 29-27 win over Kansas at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
“Unfortunately, we lost him for the season due to an injury,” K-State coach Chris Klieman said at his weekly news conference on Monday. “We’re a bit thin at linebacker.”
Linebacker depth may be a concern for K-State as the team heads on the road to face Houston later this week.
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Senior linebacker Beau Palmer, from Overland Park, also sustained a season-ending injury earlier this month.
The Wildcats depended on both Newsom and Palmer as backup defenders. Without them, K-State will need increased contributions from key players Austin Romaine, Austin Moore, and Desmond Purnell, along with untested tacklers who may now see more action on the field.
“Some young guys need to step up,” Klieman said, “and we’ll have to make adjustments to our scheme to support that position.”
“Some young guys need to step up,” Klieman said, “and we’ll have to make adjustments to our scheme to support that position.”
This isn’t the first time Newsom has dealt with a tough injury. He also missed the last nine games of his redshirt season due to a season-ending injury after showing promise in his initial appearances.
