2016 AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL K-STATE VS. ARKANSAS Saturday | January 2, 2016 | 2:20 PM CST | ESPN Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium (60,121) | Memphis, Tenn. TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 Media Information 3 Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium 4 City of Memphis 5 2016 AutoZone Liberty Bowl Preview 6 Team Quick Facts The 2016 AutoZone Liberty Bowl will be Kansas State’s 17th bowl appearance under legendary coach Bill Snyder and sixth straight since 2010. 7 Wildcat Notebook K-STATE FOOTBALL • AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL INFORMATION 13 Depth Chart KANSAS STATE FOOTBALL TEAM HEADQUARTERS Hilton Memphis Hotel 14 Rosters 939 Ridge Lake Blvd. Memphis, TN 38120 16 Head Coach Bill Snyder Phone: 901.684.6664 19 Assistant Coaches KANSAS STATE FOOTBALL PRACTICE FACILITIES Memphis University School 23 Support Staff 6191 Park Ave. Memphis, TN 38119 KENNY LANNOU RYAN LACKEY Associate AD/Communications Assistant Director/Communications 24 The Wildcats 44 Season Review AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL • MEDIA INFORMATION 46 Updated Record Book MEDIA HEADQUARTERS 48 Season Statistics Embassy Suites 1022 S. Shady Grove Road Memphis, TN 38120 60 Game-By-Game Recaps Phone: 901.312.2163 72 Big 12 Standings | Statistics LIBERTY BOWL HEADQUARTERS 959 Ridgeway Loop Road, Suite 101 76 All-Big 12 Teams Memphis, TN 38120 HAROLD GRAETER Associate Executive Director 77 Team Bowl Records 83 Individual Bowl Records 85 Career Bowl Records 2015 K-STATE FOOTBALL RESULTS RECORD: 6-6 [3-6 Big 12 Conference] 86 Opponent Bowl Records ON THE COVER DATE OPPONENT [TV] RESULT ATTEND The 2015 team captain and College 87 Bowl Recaps Sept. 5 South Dakota [KSHDTV] W, 34-0 53,297 Football Hall of Fame Class of 2015 Sept. 12 at UTSA [FS1] W, 30-3 29,424 head coach Bill Snyder. Sept. 19 Louisiana Tech [FSN] W, 39-33 (3 OT) 53,540 Oct. 3 at Oklahoma State* [FS1] L, 34-36 57,618 CREDITS Oct. 10 TCU* [FOX] L, 45-52 53,671 MANAGING EDITOR, LAYOUT & DESIGN: Ryan Lackey Oct. 17 Oklahoma* [ABC] L, 0-55 52,867 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Ryan Lackey, Kenny Lannou Oct. 24 at Texas* [FS1] L, 9-23 88,283 COVER DESIGN: Ron Cook Nov. 5 Baylor* [FS1] L, 24-31 52,108 PHOTOGRAPHY Nov. 14 at Texas Tech* [FS1] L, 44-59 53,833 Scott Weaver, K-State Athletics; Zach Bland; Nov. 21 Iowa State* [FS1] W, 38-35 53,297 AutoZone Liberty Liberty Bowl Nov. 28 at Kansas* [FS1] W, 45-14 23,842 The 2016 Kansas State Football AutoZone Liberty Bowl Guide is a Dec. 5 West Virginia* [FS1] W, 24-23 52,918 product of the K-State Athletic Communications office. Home Games in BOLD * Big 12 Conference Game NIKE is the official footwear and apparel supplier of the Kansas State football program. 1 K-STATESPORTS.COM MEDIA INFORMATION COMMUNICATIONS REPRESENTATIVES BOWL WEEK INTERVIEWS KANSAS STATE Kansas State players and coaches will first be available to the media on Monday, De- Kenny Lannou, Associate A.D. for Communications cember 28, upon arrival at the team hotel. Please refer to the below schedule/media avail- Mobile Phone: 785.587.7867 | E-Mail: [email protected] ability chart for all other media opportunities throughout the week. Ryan Lackey, Assistant Director of Communications Mobile Phone: 785.587.7865 | E-Mail: [email protected] Website: www.k-statesports.com PRACTICES K-State will practice at the Memphis University School during its time at the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. There will be no practice availability during the team’s stay in Memphis. ARKANSAS Patrick Pierson, Assistant AD for Communications Mobile Phone: 479.387.8569 | E-Mail: [email protected] POSTGAME Brett Brecheisen, Assistant Communications Director K-State’s locker room will be closed. Head coach Bill Snyder and requested players Mobile Phone: 479.200.6877 | E-Mail: [email protected] will also be made available to the media at K-State’s designated interview location inside Website: www.arkansasrazorbacks.com Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL Harold Graeter, Associte Executive Director K-STATE PREGAME PEP RALLY Phone: 901.795.7700 | E-Mail: [email protected] The K-State Alumni Association, K-State Athletics, Kansas State University Foundation Patrick Byrne, Director of Sales and Marketing and the President’s Office will host a pregame pep rally from 12 p.m. - 2 p.m. on Friday, Phone: 901.795.7000 | E-Mail: [email protected] January 1, at AutoZone Park. President Kirk Schulz, Athletics Director John Currie, K-State Website: www.AutoZoneLibertyBowl.org football team and coaches, and the K-State band and cheerleaders will all be in atten- dance. Details regarding the pep rally can be found at www.k-statesports.com/bowlgame. FOLLOW THE BOWL Media needing more information on the K-State Pregame Pep Rally should visit www.k- Twitter: @AZOLibertyBowl state.com or contact: Facebook: AZOLibertyBowl Instagram: autozonelibertybowl Kenny Lannou, Associate A.D. for Communications, K-State Athletics Google+: AutoZoneLibertyBowl Phone: 785.587.7867 YouTube: AZLBTV E-Mail: [email protected] LinkedIn: AutoZone Liberty Bowl Linda Cook, Assistant VP/Director of Communications, K-State Alumni Association Phone: 785.532.5051 KANSAS STATE TRAVEL ITINERARY E-Mail: [email protected] Kansas State will travel to the Memphis area directly from Manhattan via charter air service on Monday, December 28. K-State’s travel party will arrive in Tennessee early that afternoon, and head coach Bill Snyder and selected players will be made available to the media at the team hotel (Hilton Memphis) upon arrival. Exact arrival time to the hotel will be determined at a later time. KANSAS STATE PRACTICE SCHEDULE | MEDIA AVAILABILITY [SUBJECT TO CHANGE | ALL TIMES CST] DATE | TIME ACTIVITY LOCATION OPEN | CLOSED INTERVIEWS Monday, Dec. 28 Approx. 4 p.m. Team Arrival Hilton Memphis Hotel Open Coach Snyder and selected players upon arrival Wednesday, Dec. 30 3 p.m. (subject to change) Press Conference Embassy Suites Open Offensive Coordinators and selected players Thursday, Dec. 31 12 p.m. Players and Coaches Luncheon Hilton Memphis Hotel Contact Bowl Staff Both teams will participate in luncheon Thursday, Dec. 31 3:30 p.m. (subject to change) Press Conference Embassy Suites Open Defensive/ST Coordinators and selected players Friday, January 1 12 p.m. (subject to change) Press Conference Embassy Suites Open Both Head Coaches Saturday, Jan. 2 2:20 p.m. 2016 AutoZone Liberty Bowl Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Open Postgame availability 2 IT’S ALL ABOUT FAMILY LIBERTY BOWL MEMORIAL STADIUM LIBERTY BOWL STADIUM In 1965, an unprecedented $32 million was paid for a four year contract with the NCAA to broad- LIBERTY BOWL FUN FACTS cast football games on Saturday afternoons, Edward White became the first American to walk in space, and the Memphis Memorial Stadium opened. The playing surface was natural grass from its inception and was replaced by FieldTurf in 2005 Stadium Stats - 5 decades and AstroTurf in 2012. Designed as a true bowl, the facility is built so that all seats provide a great • 1965 — The date the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium opened. view of the playing filed. Dedicated to Memphis veterans of World Wars I and II and the Korean War, it soon became the • 7 — Number of acres of ground covered by the facility. home of the Liberty Bowl football game, now known as the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. The stadium was • $4 million — What it cost to build. soon renamed the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. In keeping with its patriotic theme, an historic • $80 — Original construction cost per seat. electric American Flag was renovated and moved to the stadium in 1966. Lit at night, the unusual • 16 — Number of sell-outs before recouping the original cost. neon flag can be seen “waving” for miles. • $5 — What a ticket cost per seat ($6 for a box seat) when it opened • $19.5 million — Cost of 1987 renovations • 50,160 — The original seating capacity • 61,008 — Current seating capacity Timeline of Stadium Tenants • 1965 – Present, University of Memphis Tigers Football • 1965 – Present, AutoZone Liberty Bowl Football Classic • 1974 – 1975, Memphis Southmen, aka Grizzlies (World Football League, WFL) • 1978 – 1980, Memphis Rogues (North American Soccer League, NASL) • 1984 – 1985, Memphis Showboats (United States Football League, USFL) • 1990 – Present, Southern Heritage Classic Presented by FedEx annual football game • 1995 - Memphis Mad Dogs (Canadian Football League, CFL) • 1997 - Tennessee Oilers (Now Tennessee Titans, National Football League, NFL) • 2001 - Memphis Maniax (X Football League, XFL) Major Concerts • 1975 – Rolling Stones • 1988 – Monsters of Rock (Metallica, Kingdom Come, Dokken, Van Halen, Scorpions) • 1993 - Paul McCartney • 1994 - Rolling Stones • 1997 - U2 3 K-STATESPORTS.COM CITY OF MEMPHIS MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE ONE OF AMERICA’S HISTORIC DESTINATIONS Memphis, Tennessee has taken its historical roots and leapt into the 21st century. Home to such legendary artists as B.B. King, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, and John Lee Hooker, Memphis’ musical tradition is second to none, but the River City’s appeal doesn’t stop there. From Graceland and the allure of Beale St. to the National Civil Rights Museum, Memphis’ offerings are as diverse and entertaining as anywhere in the Southeastern United States. Memphis has become known the world over for its special brand of smoky barbecue, so it’s no wonder one of the biggest annual events in Memphis is the World Championship Barbecue Contest held in May. Boasting a growing metropolitan population of over 1.26 million, Memphis is a city that gets attention, attracts visitors and does its best to make them never want to leave. For those visiting Memphis or just getting to know the city, below is a list of “can’t miss” things to do while in town. 1. Beale Street 2. The Mississippi River 3.