Kansas State football transfer Jordan Riley adds a veteran presence to Wildcat secondary
MANHATTAN — Kansas State football newcomer Jordan Riley had a feeling from the time he arrived at the beginning of the semester that he would fit in just fine with the other Wildcat safeties.
The transition to spring football did nothing to change his thinking.
"Everybody here is built upon working, working, working," said Riley, a 6-foot, 190-pound senior transfer from Ball State. "So, if they see you're not B.S.ing, and they see you're getting into that film, getting into the playbook and really trying to invest in ourselves, you'll fit in quite easily."
As it turns out, Riley wasn't the only one to learn something about the safety room over the course of spring practices, which concluded April 13. Head coach Chris KIieman called the position group one of the pleasant surprises of the past couple of months.
"The safety positions, we've got a lot of depth right now," Klieman said. "You know (Marques) Sigle. Everybody knows about VJ (Payne, who) was held out because of an offseason (injury). Colby McCalister was held up because of an offseason deal.
Related: Kansas State football quarterback Avery Johnson is ready to lead the Wildcats' offense
"But guys like Jack Fabris have a year into the program. Wesley Fair, Mikey Bergeron, Jordan Riley, a transfer, those guys have really stepped up have made us a lot better and a lot deeper in the in the secondary."
That might not have been the case last December when two-year starter Kobe Savage entered the transfer portal before the Pop-Tarts Bowl, leaving true freshman Fabris and redshirt freshman McCalister to hold down the Jack safety spot.
Sigle, a senior and 12-game starter at free safety, and junior strong safety Payne both are back, along with McCalister and Fabris, who preserved his redshirt by appearing in only four games. But injuries to Payne and McCalister have created opportunities for redshirt senior Nickendre Stiger, a Butler Community College transfer, along with promising redshirt freshmen Fair and Stiger.
And then there's Riley, who started 24 of 37 games over three years at Ball State.
"We've bolstered that position quite a bit, I think with the addition of Jordan Riley," said defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman, who also coaches the safeties. "He's come in and just seamlessly fit into what we do. He's going to be a major part of who we will be next fall."
Related: Kansas State football coaches are bullish on their young and talented defensive ends
Currently Riley and Fabris are battling it out for the starting Jack safety spot, while Sigle remains at free and Payne at strong safety.
"VJ and Marques, they're going to start regardless, but it's still a competition between me and Jack," Riley said. "Nothing is solidified yet, and I love Jack. He's very helpful.
"He's a downhill guy, and I fee like the competition is just going to get better through the fall."
The Jack position is a new one for Riley, though he seems to have taken to it well.
"Jordan Riley has made huge strides, just learning to play with us and learning how we are" Sigle said. "I think he made huge strides in that."
Not that there haven't been a few bumps along the way.
Related: Kansas State football quarterback Avery Johnson looks sharp during Wildcats' open practice
"It's a big adjustment I would say, because at my old school we never tracked tight ends across the field," said Riley, who in addition to the Jack has spent time at free safety in the Wildcats' dime package. "At the beginning, it's very hard knowing all the fits, and then knowing when you're in a run fit, when you're in the pass.
"So, I feel like from beginning of spring ball to now, I'm a completely different person."
Adding a veteran like Riley to the secondary already has paid off, according to Sigle, the most vocal leader in the room.
"You can definitely tell when he's on the field," Sigle said. "He's an older guy. He understands and learns quick and how he comes to the game like with his brain style or how he handles the game."
With Riley and the younger players emerging during the spring, Klanderman's concern no longer is filling the three safety spots but rather finding enough playing time to keep everybody happy.
"I think that's going to be a fairly deep room for us," Klanderman said, "and we've got to find ways to utilize those guys in the best skill sets."
Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State football safety Jordan Riley bolsters Wildcat secondary
