As Kansas State nears the end of fall camp, assistant head coach, passing game coordinator and cornerbacks coach Van Malone said on Tuesday that the Wildcats are "full steam ahead" with their 3-3-5 defensive system compared to this time a year ago.

"Last August, we were a little bit hesitant because we were learning who our players were and what they'd be best at, and now we know," Malone said during a news conference following practice. "Now we know what each defensive call is for, and we know how to fix things, so we're moving ahead again to refine the things that we install, to make sure our players understand the next step and what's coming next, and how we can fix any issues.

"It's a very different operation. We were in the elementary school phase and now I'd say we're approaching junior high and middle school, so we're continuing to grow in that way."

K-State returns seven starters — Preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Felix Anudike-Uzomah, cornerbacks Ekow Boye-Doe and Preseason All-Big 12 selection Julius Brents, Preseason All-Big 12 linebacker Daniel Green, defensive tackle Eli Huggins, defensive end Jaylen Pickle, and safety TJ Smith — from a defense that allowed 11.2 points and 100.0 yards per game off its season averages from the year prior.

Malone listed off some familiar faces and several other defensive players who have impressed coaches during fall camp.

"There are some guys who personally I've seen who've kind of stood out — (safety) Josh Hayes, Julius Brents, Deuce Green, those are names we all know, and those guys as expected performed well during this fall camp. (Linebacker) Jake Clifton, who's a younger guy, has stood out to me. Austin Moore, I've seen him really develop from last year to now. Robert Hentz II and Felix Anudike-Uzomah and Eli Huggins and Ekow Boye-Doe — those guys have continued to get better. Of course, they're names that we know. Then there's two younger guys defensively in (cornerback) Jacob Parrish and (safety) VJ Payne — those are guys who've stood out by the way they've played and by the way they've carried themselves throughout these practices."

The K-State defense statistically improved during its first season of the 3-3-5 defensive system in 2021. The Wildcats surrendered just 21.0 points (fewest since 2003), 344.7 yards of total offense per game (fewest since 2009) and averaged 6.9 tackles for loss per game (fewest since 2006).

K-State ranked No. 23 nationally in scoring defense.

K-State also allowed just 3.5 plays per game of 20-plus yards, its lowest mark since K-State allowed 3.3 explosive plays in 2014.

Malone said that there's still room to grow.

The defense could be even more aggressive this fall.

"We're growing as a staff and are growing in this scheme and we're growing in the understanding of the limitations of our players," Malone said. "Without giving you too much (information), we want to find places and ways where we can be more aggressive. As you become more comfortable, then you're more aggressive.

"We have an aggressive staff and aggressive players so we want to do all we can to be more aggressive."

Robert Hentz II is coming on strong at nose guard

After battling injury, it appears Robert Hentz II could make the splash some anticipated when the 6-foot-2, 282-pound NJCAA Second Team All-American transferred to K-State from Northwest Mississippi Community College prior to the 2020 season.

Hentz had 11 tackles in 10 games in 2020 and six tackles in 12 games last season — numbers that defensive tackles coach Mike Tuiasosopo believes might only increase during Hentz's final season.

"Robert Hentz is having a really, really good camp," Tuiasosopo said. "I'm excited that he's finally healthy. His first year, he had a broken hand, and he was playing with a club for the first half of the season. He's doing some things we saw in the very beginning. He's finally starting to flourish.

"I don't know that anybody is having a better camp in our room. He's going to be very reliable and we're going to count on him hopefully in a similar role as we did last year with Timmy Horne."

Tuiasosopo struggled to find enough superlatives to describe sixth-year senior Eli Huggins, who appears primed for an All-Big 12 type of a season. While Hentz appears to be No. 2 in the rotation, Tuiasosopo has been pleased with two younger prospects. Manhattan native Damian Ilalio is a 6-foot-1, 288-pound redshirt freshman, and 6-foot-3, 340-pound Garden City Community College transfer Uso Seumalo was rated as the second-best junior college defensive tackle by ESPN.

"Damian Ilalio and Uso Seumalo are really, really working hard," Tuiasosopo said. "They're going to help us for a long time. We knew Ilalio had a skillset and there were a number of things about him that were exciting to coach him. I'm not surprised."

Austin Moore appears poised to replace Cody Fletcher at linebacker

A former first team all-state running back out of Louisburg High School, Austin Moore redshirted the 2019 season and then played primarily on special teams while serving as a reserve linebacker. Last season, he recorded his first-career start at Kansas (he had a career-high five tackles against the Jayhawks) and finished the campaign with 18 tackles, including three tackles for a loss.

Following the departure of sixth-year senior Cody Fletcher, linebackers coach Steve Stanard sought somebody to occupy the spot opposite preseason All-Big 12 linebacker Daniel Green.

He's apparently found it in 6-foot-1, 217-pound Moore, who enters his junior season bursting with potential.

"Austin has had a great camp," Stanard said. "He's come so far. I'd say he's probably having the best camp of all the linebackers. He's a really smart football player, and he's really developed instinctively from where he was a year ago.

"Austin works at it. He works on his body and works on it mentally. He's really put himself into a position he deserves and I'm really happy for the young man. He's really stepped up. Losing Cody Fletcher was a concern and Austin is going to be able to step in and do a really good job for us this year."

Defensive ends coach Buddy Wyatt is pleased with his depth along the edge

Preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Felix Anudike-Uzomah is a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks and Nate Matlack heads into his sophomore season on the verge of becoming a household name for K-State fans.

But the defensive end positions run deeper than those two standouts.

"We have pretty good depth, and it always comes from somebody you don't expect," defensive ends coach Buddy Wyatt said. "Cody Stufflebean is playing really well and doing some really good things for us, and Brendan Mott is doing some good things."

The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Mott is a name that has floated around fall camp and the junior from Iowa City, Iowa, appears ready to take a step after redshirting the 2019 season, then seeing action against Kansas in 2020, and playing against LSU in the TaxAct Texas Bowl last year.

"Brendan Mott has grown," Wyatt said. "He's having a really good camp. He's always been a long, athletic guy, and he's become a lot more explosive. He's instinctive. He has more confidence, and a little size and strength will do that for you. He's really matured physically and mentally. He's really stepped up."

Stufflebean is an interesting story. One of the top 100 athletes in the Class of 2020, Stufflebean played at both defensive end and tight end at McPherson High School. After beginning his K-State career at tight end, the 6-foot-4, 257-pounder switched to defensive end at the end of last season.

The move appears headed for positive results.

"Cody Stufflebean moved from tight end to defensive end and he's making some strides," Wyatt said. "He hadn't played defense since high school, so he's getting on track, but he's doing well.

"Cody is extremely strong and he's very intelligent. Those are two of his biggest strengths, is his unnatural strength for his size and intelligence. You tell him something and he won't forget it."

Julius Brents and Ekow Boye-Doe are leading young cornerbacks

Preseason All-Big 12 cornerback Julius Brents and Ekow Boye-Doe enter their senior seasons with high expectations. And rightfully so. The 6-foot-4, 202-pound Brents transferred after three seasons at Iowa and became a 13-game starter for the Wildcats last season. Boye-Doe started his freshman season on the scout team and developed into a 6-foot, 171-pounder who has steadily emerged and started all 13 games last season as well.

"Throughout (Boye-Doe's) career, he's continued to develop as a leader," Malone said. "Early on in his career, he didn't know how to survive himself. Then it became a place where he was just in survival mode. Now I see him turning the corner and he's helping the next generation of cornerbacks."

Meanwhile, Malone suggests that Brents has assumed a more all-encompassing role for the Wildcats.

"He's continued to push himself," Malone said. "He's always been one of the hardest workers on the team. He wants to continue to grow relationships throughout our team. That's really good for a transfer to want to come in and not be like a mercenary. He owns this team. He wants to be a part of everything we do. It's been really wonderful to watch him. He's a guy with talent and has the mindset where he wants to do everything he can to help make the younger guys better."

So which cornerbacks are next in line?

"Jordan Wright and Omar Daniels and Jacob Parrish and Justice Clemons and Colby McCalister — I can name 10 guys who are fighting for one spot," Malone said. "When you have intense competition, everyone gets better. (Competition) gives guys who are fighting for those reps hope and helps them be better. I'm excited to see those guys continue to learn and grow in those positions."