MANHATTAN, Kan. (K-State Athletics) – With senior left guard Cooper Beebe being named the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year for a second-consecutive season, Kansas State football collected 30 total postseason conference honors as league announced the 2023 Coaches’ All-Big 12 selections on Wednesday.
K-State’s 30 total selections ranked second in the conference behind Texas (34) and ahead of Texas Tech (28), Oklahoma (27) and Oklahoma State (26). The Wildcats had six players garner first- or second-team honors, tied for second in the league with Oklahoma and behind Texas (11).
Beebe, who was also named an All-Big 12 First Team pick for a third-straight season, is the fifth player in conference history to twice be named the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year, an award that began in 2006. The others were Oklahoma’s Creed Humphrey (2019 and 2020) and Orlando Brown (2016 and 2017), as well as Baylor’s Spencer Drango (2014 and 2015) and Cyril Richardson (2012 and 2013).
A native of Kansas City, Kansas, Beebe is the first K-State offensive lineman to earn three-straight All-Big 12 First Team citations from the league’s coaches since Dalton Risner in 2016, 2017 and 2018. On Tuesday, Beebe was the first player in school history to be named a finalist for the Outland Trophy.
Beebe was joined on the first team by tight end Ben Sinnott, who garnered first-team honors for a second-straight year. He finished the 2023 regular season ranked second nationally among tight ends in receiving yards (676), tied for fourth in catches (49) and tied for fifth in touchdowns (6), leading the Big 12 in the two former categories. He has produced the most receiving yards, catches and receiving touchdowns by a tight end in a single season in school history.
K-State’s All-Big 12 Second Team honors included quarterback Will Howard, defensive end Khalid Duke, linebacker Austin Moore and safety Kobe Savage.
Howard earned his first All-Big 12 citation and is the first K-State quarterback to pick up first- or second-team honors since Jake Waters was a second-team recipient in 2014. He threw for 2,643 yards and a school-record tying 24 touchdowns this season on 219-of-357 aim in addition to rushing for 351 yards and another nine scores.
Duke also earned his first-career All-Big 12 honor finishing the regular season with a team-high 6.0 sacks in addition to 8.0 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Moore was awarded his second-straight All-Big 12 honor as he was an honorable mention pick a year ago. He finished the regular season with a team-high 12.0 tackles for loss and was second with 59 tackles. Savage was an All-Big 12 Second Team pick for a second-straight season as he tied for team-high honors with three interceptions to go along with 57 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss.
Kansas State’s All-Big 12 Honorable Mention picks included punter Jack Blumer, wide receiver and kick returner Phillip Brooks, running back DJ Giddens, offensive lineman Hayden Gillum, cornerback Will Lee III, offensive lineman KT Leveston, defensive end Brendan Mott, cornerback Jacob Parrish, linebacker Desmond Purnell, defensive tackle Uso Seumalo, safety Marques Sigle, place kicker Chris Tennant, running back Treshaun Ward and offensive lineman Carver Willis.
Additionally, Duke picked up votes for Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year, Howard for Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, Moore for Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Sigle for Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year, Ward for Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year, quarterback Avery Johnson for Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, senior Seth Porter for Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year, and linebacker Austin Romaine for Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year.
Kansas State, which finished the regular season with an 8-4 record, will learn of its bowl destination and opponent this Sunday.
Coaches’ All-Big 12 Teams (Kansas State)
Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year: Cooper Beebe.
First Team: Ben Sinnott (FB), Cooper Beebe (OL).
Second Team: Will Howard (QB), Khalid Duke (DL), Austin Moore (LB), Kobe Savage (DB).
Honorable Mention: Jack Blumer (P), Phillip Brooks (WR, KR/PR), Khalid Duke (Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year), DJ Giddens (RB), Hayden Gillum (OL), Will Howard (Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year), Avery Johnson (Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year), Will Lee III (DB), KT Leveston (OL), Austin Moore (Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year), Brendan Mott (DL), Jacob Parrish (DB), Seth Porter (Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year), Desmond Purnell (LB), Austin Romaine (Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year), Uso Seumalo (DL), Marques Sigle (DB, Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year), Chris Tennant (PK), Treshaun Ward (RB, Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year), Carver Willis (OL).