29 June 2023
MANHATTAN, KS. (KSNT)- Tradition is strong within Kansas State football.
From the K-State fight song, to the Wabash Cannonball, to the student section holding keys in the air before kickoff, Wildcat fans have shown they’re creatures of habit.
Now, the players on the team have launched a pair of new traditions which are anything but ordinary.
Both traditions come after the Wildcats win on the road.
Shirtless Photos
The first obscure tradition that has recently caught on within K-State football revolves around the offensive line. The K-State O-line took a shirtless photo together after each road win in 2022.
All-American Cooper Beebe tells 27 News this tradition will continue in 2023. He says it actually began after K-State’s 2020 win at Oklahoma.
“It kind of just caught on,” Beebe said. “Anytime we go on the road and win it’s became a tradition now. It will definitely continue, for sure.”
The most shocking part of this specific tradition might be that the offensive lineman convinced their position coach, Conor Riley, to join some of the photos.
“He kind of hides in the back,” Beebe said with a laugh.
Riley says he’s fine with the goofy tradition carrying into 2023.
“I’m on board with it, we continue to win on the road,” Riley said. “Now it’s kind of continued regardless of the circumstances.”
Riley did say he would continue to try and stand in the back of the photos as often as possible.
Opposing Instruments
The second new K-State football tradition, if you can believe it, might be even weirder than the first.
After each road win, K-State long snapper Randen Plattner has become known to post a photo on social media with an instrument from the opposing team’s band.
Occasionally accompanied by a teammate, Plattner tried out several different musical instruments last year. He posed with a trumpet at Iowa State and a tuba at Oklahoma, among others.
Beebe couldn’t confirm or deny whether this tradition would continue in 2023. He says there are currently no plans to launch other unusual traditions… but you never know.
“It might be a play it by ear, see what happens kind of thing,” Beebe said.
K-State returns it’s entire starting offensive line from the 2023 season. Here’s the story of how they all ended up coming back.