13 July 2023
ARLINGTON, Texas (KSNT) – Desmond Purnell was running in touchdowns for the Hayden Wildcats just a few years ago.
He isn’t carrying the ball at K-State, but instead packing a punch in the middle of the defense. Purnell was thrown into action in a hurry as a redshirt freshman in 2022 when the Wildcat defense wound up injury-riddled. He played in every game and started in K-State’s victory against Oklahoma State.
Purnell totaled 21 tackles, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery. He also returned a blocked punt for a touchdown against South Dakota.
You can expect more from the Topeka-native in 2023.
“Des had a really good season [last year],” Klieman said. “Love that a Topeka kid is having the success he’s having. He’s one of those core guys of our football team that bleeds K-State and bleeds our culture of what we’re doing.”
Klieman says Purnell learned from guys in front of him and is continuing to do so.
“He split time with Khalid Duke, but we moved Duke to full-time defensive end… that does amplify [Desmond Purnell’s] role dramatically, as well as on special teams,” Klieman said.
Klieman seems to have high expectations for the Hayden-Wildcat-turned-Kansas-State-Wildcat.
“Austin Moore and Daniel Green are the leaders of the linebacker core, but he needs to be the next guy that’s going to lead when those two guys go, as well as be one of the leaders on special teams,” Klieman said.
Purnell will be a redshirt sophomore in the fall of 2023. Sports In Kansas voted him First-Team All-State while at Hayden.