TABLE OF CONTENTS 2019 AutoZone Liberty Bowl // December 31, 2019 // Liberty Bowl // Memphis, Tenn. K-STATE VS. NAVY Tuesday | December 31, 2019 | 2:45 PM CST | ESPN Liberty Bowl Stadium (57,266) | Memphis, Tenn. TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 Media Information 3 Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium 4 City of Memphis 5 2019 Liberty Bowl Preview 6 Quick Facts The 61st Annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl will be Kansas State’s 22nd bowl appearance and ninth in the last 10 seasons. 7 Notes K-STATE FOOTBALL • AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL INFORMATION 13 Depth Chart K-STATE TEAM HEADQUARTERS K-STATE PRACTICE FACILITY The Peabody Memphis Memphis University School 14 Rosters 118 S. 2nd Street 6191 Park Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 Memphis, TN 38119 16 Head Coach Chris Klieman Phone: 901.529.4000 18 Assistant Coaches 22 Support Staff 23 The Wildcats 43 Season Honor Roll Record Book Update RYAN LACKEY KENNY LANNOU BO SAVAGE EMILY STARKEY 44 Director of Football Executive Associate AD Director of Creative Media Football Creative Specialist Communications for Communications for Football 46 2019 Statistics 56 The Last Time... AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL • MEDIA INFORMATION 61 Game Recaps MEDIA HEADQUARTERS LIBERTY BOWL HEADQUARTERS Holiday Inn Memphis-Downtown 959 Ridgeway Loop Road 73 Big 12 Recap 160 Union Avenue Suite 101 Memphis, TN 38103 Memphis, TN 38120 Phone: 901.525.5491 Phone: 901.795.7700 77 All-Big 12 Teams 78 Team Bowl Records HAROLD GRAETER Associate Executive Director 83 Individual Bowl Records 86 Career Bowl Records 2019 K-STATE FOOTBALL RESULTS RECORD: 8-4 [5-4 Big 12 Conference] 88 Bowl Recaps DATE OPPONENT [TV] RESULT ATTEND ON THE COVER Aug. 31 Nicholls [Big 12 Now on ESPN+] W, 49-14 51,189 Kansas State’s seven captains Sept. 7 Bowling Green [FSN] W, 55-0 46,075 for the 2019 season – quarter- CREDITS Sept. 14 at rv/23 Mississippi State [ESPN] W, 31-24 54,522 back Skylar Thompson, safety , defensive MANAGING EDITOR, LAYOUT & DESIGN: Ryan Lackey Sept. 28 at rv/rv Oklahoma State [ESPN+] L, 13-26 55,509 Denzel Goolsby CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Ryan Lackey, Kenny Lannou Oct. 5 rv/rv Baylor* [ESPN2] L, 12-31 50,448 ends Wyatt Hubert and Reggie COVER DESIGN: Ron Cook Oct. 19 TCU* [FSN] W, 24-17 48,298 Walker, defensive tackle Trey Oct. 26 5/5 Oklahoma* [ABC] W, 48-41 50,394 Dishon, wide receiver Dalton PHOTOGRAPHY Schoen and offensive lineman Nov. 2 at Kansas* [FS1] W, 38-10 47,233 Scott Weaver, Emily Starkey, Olivia Bergmeier and Cooper Kinley Adam Holtorf – have led the of K-State Athletics; Nov. 9 at nr/rv/rv Texas* [ESPN] L, 24-27 97,833 Wildcats back to the postseason AutoZone Liberty Bowl. Nov. 16 West Virginia* [ESPN] L, 20-24 46,332 this year. The 2019 Kansas State Football AutoZone Liberty Bowl Guide is a Nov. 23 at Texas Tech [FS1] W, 30-27 50,117 product of the K-State Athletic Communications office. Nov. 30 23/rv/rv Iowa State* [FS1] W, 27-17 48,990 Home Games in BOLD * Big 12 Conference Game 1 MEDIA INFORMATION 2019 AutoZone Liberty Bowl // December 31, 2019 // Liberty Bowl // Memphis, Tenn. COMMUNICATIONS REPRESENTATIVES KANSAS STATE TRAVEL ITINERARY KANSAS STATE Kansas State will travel to the Memphis area directly from Manhattan via charter air Ryan Lackey, Director of Football Communications service on Thursday, December 26. K-State’s travel party will arrive in Memphis that after- Mobile Phone: 785.587.7865 | E-Mail: [email protected] noon, and head coach Chris Klieman will be made available to the media at The Peabody Kenny Lannou, Executive Associate A.D. for Communications Hotel upon arrival. Mobile Phone: 785.587.7867 | E-Mail: [email protected] Bo Savage, Director of Creative Media for Football BOWL WEEK INTERVIEWS E-Mail: [email protected] Kansas State players and coaches will first be available to the media on Thursday, Emily Starkey, Creative Specialist for Football December 26, shortly after arriving at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis. There are also three E-Mail: [email protected] press conference and one open practice prior to the game. Please refer to the below sched- Corbin McGuire, Creative Writing Specialist ule/media availability chart for all other media opportunities throughout the week. E-Mail: [email protected] Website: www.K-StateSports.com Twitter Handles: @KStateFB/@KStateSports PRACTICES K-State will practice at Memphis University School. All practices, except for individual drills on Saturday, December 28 (roughly the first 30 minutes), will be closed to the media NAVY and general public. Scott Strasemeier, Senior Associate Athletics Director E-Mail: [email protected] Stacie Michaud, Assistant Athletics Director POSTGAME E-Mail: [email protected] K-State’s locker room will be closed. Head coach Chris Klieman and select players Website: www.NavySports.com will be made available to the media in the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Media Room. Twitter Handles: @NavyFB/@NavyAthletics Additional requested players will be made available outside the team locker room. AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL BOWL K-STATE PEP RALLY Harold Graeter, Associate Executive Director At print time, K-State’s pep rally plans regarding K-State’s pep rally have not been Phone: 901.795.7700 | E-Mail: [email protected] determined. An email will be sent to the media regarding those plans once they become Website: www.AutoZoneLibertyBowl.org final. FOLLOW THE BOWL Twitter: @AZOLibertyBowl Instagram: @AutoZoneLibertyBowl KANSAS STATE PRACTICE SCHEDULE | MEDIA AVAILABILITY [SUBJECT TO CHANGE | ALL TIMES CST] DATE | TIME ACTIVITY LOCATION OPEN | CLOSED K-STATE INTERVIEWS Thursday, Dec. 26 4:15 p.m. Team Arrival Peabody Hotel Open Chris Klieman upon arrival Friday, Dec. 27 12:20 p.m. Practice Memphis University School Closed None Saturday, Dec. 28 11:45 a.m. Practice Memphis University School Individual Periods Open None 3 p.m. Offensive Press Conference Holiday Inn Memphis Downtown Open Courtney Messingham and select players Sunday, Dec. 29 12:40 p.m. Practice Memphis University School Closed None 3 p.m. Defensive Press Conference Holiday Inn Memphis Downtown Open Scottie Hazelton and select players Monday, Dec. 30 1 p.m. Head Coach Conference Holiday Inn Memphis Downtown Open Chris Klieman Tuesday, Dec. 31 2:45 p.m. 61st Annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Open Postgame availability 2 STADIUM INFORMATION 2019 AutoZone Liberty Bowl // December 31, 2019 // Liberty Bowl // Memphis, Tenn. 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 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 • 57,266 — 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 (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 CITY INFORMATION 2019 AutoZone Liberty Bowl // December 31, 2019 // Liberty Bowl // Memphis, Tenn. 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. The National Civil Rights Museum 4. The Peabody Ducks 5.