MANHATTAN, Kan. (Ryan Lackey) – Kansas State sophomores Byron Pringle and D.J. Reed were honored for their play in K-State’s 44-38 victory over Texas Tech as they were named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week and Big 12 Newcomer of the Week, respectively, the conference office announced Monday.
Pringle earned his second special teams honor this season (Missouri State), while Reed is a first-time honoree for newcomer of the week, which the conference began awarding this season. K-State has now earned five weekly conference honors this season as Dominique Heath was also the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week following the Florida Atlantic game, while Elijah Lee earned the defensive award after the West Virginia contest.
Both Reed and Pringle had non-offensive touchdowns that factored prominently in the win over Texas Tech. With the game tied 7-7 in the first quarter, Reed jumped in front of a Red Raider pass toward the sideline and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown. It was the Wildcats’ first pick-six since the 2014 Oklahoma game and K-State’s longest interception return since Dante Barnett had a 51-yard return against Michigan in the 2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl.
Right before halftime, Pringle returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, which quickly shifted the game’s momentum. The return touchdown was the first of his career, while it marked the nation-leading 12th straight season K-State has returned a kickoff for a touchdown. The return was also the 42nd combined kickoff- and punt-return touchdown since 2005, which leads the nation.
With the pick-six and return touchdown, K-State now has a nation-leading 104 non-offensive touchdowns since 1999, which also leads the nation.
K-State travels to Oklahoma this Saturday in an 11 a.m., contest that will be shown nationally on ESPN.
K-State’s Big 12 Weekly Honors
Florida Atlantic: Dominique Heath (Special Teams)
Missouri State: Byron Pringle (Special Teams)
West Virginia: Elijah Lee (Defensive)
Texas Tech: Byron Pringle (Special Teams), D.J. Reed (Newcomer)
