8 September 2023
MANHATTAN (KSNT)- K-State football had a series of laughable celebrations after big plays in the team’s week one win.
Defensive tackle Uso Seumalo did a dance that he learned from his favorite NFL defensive lineman, Dexter Lawrence of the New York Giants.
Will Howard and Hayden Gillum appeared to chug imaginary beers after a touchdown.
However, it was neither of those celebrations that caught the eye of head coach Chris Klieman.
“I didn’t know about a lot of [the celebrations] and I still probably don’t know and I probably don’t care to know about them,” Klieman said with a smile. “The only one that jumped out at me just because I was in with the defensive guys was [Khalid] Duke’s… casting the rod and reel with fishing.”
Duke, a fifth-year senior who made the switch from linebacker to defensive end this fall, picked up his first sack in K-State’s 45-0 win against SEMO. He celebrated by pretending to reel in a fish. Klieman wasn’t the only coach who took note of Duke’s new moves.
“[That celebration] struck a cord with me,” K-State defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman said. “I’m not a great big fisherman, not patient enough, but he is which is an interesting little factoid about him so I thought that was kind of cool.”
As for Howard and Gillum’s celebration expressing their love of cold beverages… the quarterback says it was all his center’s idea.
“It probably wasn’t the most appropriate thing to do,” K-State offensive lineman Cooper Beebe said with a smile. “[Offensive coordinator Collin] Klein definitely let us know about it… but it’s fun watching dudes celebrate. We just got to do it at the right time so it doesn’t hurt the team in the long run.”
Beebe doesn’t plan to switch to D-line any time soon, but even in a hypothetical world where he got a sack the preseason All-American says he wouldn’t be celebrating it.
“I’d probably be too tired trying to get some water or something,” Beebe said.
Wide receiver RJ Garcia also had a meaningful touchdown celebration, after his 37-yard touchdown reception. Garcia did a ‘Ronaldo’ celebration honoring the world famous soccer star. Why? The R in RJ… is for Ronaldo, his legal first name.