MANHATTAN (AP) — Kansas State coach Bill Snyder is going against the grain on defense this season.
While many programs switch to hybrid schemes with multiple defensive backs to combat the proliferation of spread offenses in college football, the wily old coach is going back to a more traditional 4-3 scheme in an attempt to help one of the worst defenses in the nation last season.
The Wildcats ranked 109th of 120 teams in total defense, and 119th against the run.
“The speed at linebacker that we have, it’s completely different than how we played last year,” said senior defensive back Tysyn Hartman said. “Really, the speed all around.”
Snyder adopted the 4-2-5 defense — a setup that features four down linemen, two linebackers and five defensive backs — after he returned to the sidelines from a brief retirement.
Snyder had noticed how teams like Texas Tech under then-coach Mike Leach were spreading out the field on offense, creating matchup problems with linebackers and safeties tasked with covering wide receivers. With the extra defensive back, the Wildcats would better be able to guard against the passing game, but the result was huge lanes for opposing teams to run against them.
So with more depth at linebacker than in previous year, Snyder is going back to a 4-3 defense.
“We’re quicker. We’re probably a little bit more physical. We’re certainly rangier,” Snyder said this week. “We have better length that what we did.”
With such glowing reviews, it’s hard to believe none of the three linebackers expected to start on the revamped defense has played more than a year at the position at Kansas State.
Emmanuel Lamur is projected to start at strong side linebacker. He’s perhaps best remembered for blocking an extra point against Iowa State in 2009 that secured a one-point victory, back when he was still playing safety. This year, he’s bringing his speed and athleticism from the defensive backfield closer to the line of scrimmage, where he’ll join Arthur Brown and Tre Walker at linebacker.
Lamur acknowledged it’s been a difficult adjustment. He’s had to learn to play out of a lower stance, read the intentions of offensive linemen and running backs, and keep his hands more active.
“The transition, it’s been difficult, it’s been challenging,” he said, “but I was ready for it.”
Brown may have more eyes on him than anybody else on Saturday, when the Wildcats open their season against Eastern Kentucky.  Kickoff is set for 6:10 p.m. at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
Brown, a former prep standout from Wichita sat out last season after transferring from Miami, but he impressed teammates and coaches alike with his work ethic to the point that he was voted a captain without having played a single down that counts.
“He’s very passionate,” Lamur said. “He has a lot of love for the game. He plays with a lot of enthusiasm. He doesn’t say much, but just his actions — he plays all out, and that’s what you want from a linebacker. He plays physical. He’s just a great player to watch.”
Walker broke into the rotation last season as a freshman and has apparently earned his keep.
“He’s a hard worker for a young guy, and that’s what you need,” Lamur said. “He’s tough.”
Depth across the board has been a problem for Kansas State since Snyder returned to the sideline a few years ago. But for the first time, there appears to be quality second-string players in the linebacker corps. Senior Alex Hrebec and junior Blake Slaughter saw significant time at the position last season, even earning several games between them.
With such sobering statistics from last season still serving as a motivational chip on the defense’s collective shoulder, Kansas State is ready to show Saturday that there’s been improvement.
No more so than at linebacker.
“We all bring a lot to the table,” Lamur said, “and we’re going to surprise a lot of people this season.”