KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Chiefs have place offensive lineman Paul Fanaika on injured reserve and re-signed veteran linebacker Dezman Moses ahead of Sunday’s season opener in Houston.

The team did not disclose the nature of Fanaika’s injury. He had spent time working with the first-string offensive line while other players were hurt, swapping between guard and tackle, after signing a three-year deal worth $8.1 million guaranteed in the offseason.

Moses spent last season on IR with an elbow injury. He was cut by the Chiefs on Sunday to make room for tight end Brian Parker, whom they claimed off waivers from San Diego.

Moses has started six of the 29 games he’s played in during his career.

 

MANHATTAN, Kan. –  On the heels of this past weekend’s dedication and grand opening of the $68 million Vanier Family Football Complex, Kansas State Athletics today officially launched the public campaign for the next step in the transformation of Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

 

When completed, the $15 million Phase IIIB will complete the northeast corner of the stadium as envisioned in the 2010 Master Plan and for the first time ever provide K-State fans with a complete stadium bowl as well as other spectator and operational enhancements, Athletics Director John Currie announced today.

 

“Although we had anticipated needing a few more years before we could complete the north end zone, the leadership commitment made in July by the Carl and Mary Ice family, followed by wonderful gifts from Jordy and Emily Nelson and many others, puts us in position to aggressively pursue this project now,” said Currie. “Coach Snyder emphasizes the goal of getting better each day, and thanks to our incredible fans and donors nationwide we have made tremendous incremental progress over the last six years in terms of our facility enhancements. With the completion of the West Stadium Center and Vanier Family Football Complex, along with other projects, we have now invested $195 million in facility improvements consistent with our goals of a World-Class Student-Athlete Experience and The Best Fan Experience in the Big 12.  Phase IIIB is the next step as we work to ‘complete the bowl’ and fully enclose the stadium.”

Continuing K-State Athletics’ commitment to fiscal responsibility, the department will once again depend on individual donors throughout Wildcat Nation to build on the $9 million already pledged to reach the total estimate of $15 million and enable construction to begin in December after the conclusion of the 2015 football season with desired completion in time for the 2016 season.  The entire project will be funded without incurring any long term debt and without any state tax or university funds.

 

The project, led by the world-renowned sports design firm Populous in conjunction with the construction management team of Mortenson and GE Johnson Construction, will connect the east side of the stadium to the new north side to create a 360-degree concourse and fully enclose Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The department will also take another step toward its goal of providing The Best Fan Experience in the Big 12 with a new videoboard on the northeast corner that will mirror the new system recently erected on the northwest corner of the stadium.

 

It will also include permanent new visiting team locker, training and officials areas, which will move from their current temporary location inside the Vanier Family Football Complex, and open up the mezzanine above the Strength and Performance area providing more usable space for K-State student-athletes. In addition, the Section 1 seating area will also be re-constructed to connect to the new north end zone concourse and Wabash Landing area, adding additional seating to the section.

 

“I am so very proud of and grateful for the amazing support base that we have to provide the resources to complete this new addition to the Vanier Family Football Complex,” said head coach Bill Snyder. “As I have felt and stated we (Kansas State University) are about people who care about people.  And, a special thank you to the athletics department staff for their hard work in raising the funds to make it happen.”

 

For more information on Phase IIIB, including the latest photo renderings, visit the department’s facility master plan website or AhearnFund.com.

 

 

 

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KENNY LANNOU
Associate A.D. for Communications | K-State Athletics

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Eric Hosmer hit a three-run double, Kendrys Morales drove in another run and the Kansas City Royals hung tough through eight more innings for a 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night that snapped their four-game skid.

Edinson Volquez (13-7) settled down after a shaky start to last seven innings, allowing six hits and two runs – consecutive RBI hits by the Twins’ Brian Dozier and Joe Mauer.

Volquez had been hammered for at least six earned runs in three of his past five starts.

Kyle Gibson (9-10) also recovered from a brutal start to last eight innings, but the Twins’ offense was unable to bail him out. The young right-hander allowed his first six batters to reach, and Hosmer and Morales staked Kansas City to an early 4-0 lead.

The Junction City Lady Jay volleyball team fell to Seaman 25-20 and 25-14 Tuesday, but defeated Highland Park 25-8, 25-7.   The teams competed at Seaman High School.

Madison Roether of Junction City High School finished second in a nine-hole golf tournament at Salina Municipal Golf Course with a round of 36. She lost a one-hole playoff for the championship to Macie Myers of Manhattan.

In the team scoring Manhattan finished first with the low score of 172, and Junction City was 10th with a total of 236.

Also for the Lady Jays, Sierra Snyder shot a 60, Melina Melendez 70, and Trinity Weisler also a 70.

Kansas State’s Joe Hubener is expected to get his first start at Quarterback in both his college and high school career.

Hubener took over at quarterback after Jesse Ertz came off the field after just the second snap in last Saturday’s 34-0 shutout of South Dakota.

On Monday Coach Bill Snyder announced that Ertz would be out for quite some time. Hubener was listed as the number one on the depth chart also released Monday.

In high school the Cheney, Ks native Hubener played a number of positions including quarterback. Having the experience of playing multiple positions throughout high school may not be a disadvantage as some may expect according to Coach Bill Snyder.

“I don’t think that was a tremendous disadvantage, granted he didn’t have four years of experience doing that, but there’s a lot to be said for somebody that’s experienced so many other positions. Because you get a feel about the game from a different perspective. When you can put all of that in the mind of a quarterback then he has perhaps a little better understanding of what’s going on,” said Snyder.

Hubener came to K-State in 2012 as a walk-on but did earn his spot on the team after redshirting in 2012.

After playing almost the entire game last Saturday he said he doesn’t plan to prepare any different for this weeks game against the University of Texas, San Antonio.

“Obviously there’s going to be a little more hype, but I’ve got to block that out and play football,” said Hubener.

With Ertz out and Hubener starting that leaves true freshman Alex Delton as the backup quarterback. Junior College transfer, Jonathan Banks was expected to redshirt this year, but Coach Snyder said that he Banks may have to be prepared to come in and play if necessary.

Kansas State and UTSA kick off from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, Saturday at 11 am.

Kansas State’s Athletic Director John Currie addressed the media Tuesday afternoon regarding the sanctions that have been imposed against the University due to this past Saturday’s Marching Band performance.

The sanctions were imposed due to the band depicting the Kansas Jayhawk on the field and, “has nothing to do with any perverted social media,” according to Currie.

“Our response is solely the fact that we portrayed the disintegration of the Jayhawk by the Starship Enterprise and that was felt in the Commissioner’s inquiry to be an unsportsmanlike act,” said Currie. “As we reviewed it, especially considering the fact that we were coming off of an unsportsmanlike situation at our arena last February, we understood the inquiry from the Conference office.”

Currie added that Kansas State received a sportsmanship inquiry Sunday afternoon from the Big 12 Conference and had until Monday at 5 pm to respond.

“At no time, to my knowledge, did the University of Kansas ever contact the Big 12. We did have contact with the University of Kansas on Sunday, but that was initiated by President Schulz to the Chancellor and myself to Athletic Director Zenger.”

The sanctions are as followed:

• A self-imposed $5,000 fine to be paid to the Big 12 Conference for violation of the league sportsmanship policy.

• A single-game suspension for the university director of bands (Dr. Frank Tracz). The suspension will take place Nov. 28 at the game against the University of Kansas.

• Prior approval for the content of all band halftime shows by representatives from the Office of Student Life and the Athletic Department.

Because the Big 12 Sportsmanship guideline does not outline any specific sanctions for such a violation, Kansas State was in “new territory” when it came time to impose them. Currie noted that the sanctions were developed with input from the Big 12.

“In terms of some of the people talking about some of the misinterpretations out their in the social media world, I fully believe that was never remotely apart of his intent. I know it’s a real painful thing and I feel really bad for him ( Dr. Tracz ) and we support him, and we support the band.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Tommy Milone pitched seven effective innings and Eduardo Escobar reached base four times and drove in three runs as the Minnesota Twins beat the struggling Kansas City Royals 6-2 on Monday night.

The Royals have been outscored 31-9 in dropping four straight, matching their longest losing streak of the season.

Milone (8-4) held the Royals to six hits and two runs, while striking out four and walking one.

Escobar contributed an RBI-single in a three-run sixth and drove in two runs with a two-out single in the seventh off Joba Chamberlain, who was making his Royals’ debut.

Yordano Ventura (10-8), who was 4-0 with a 1.13 ERA in his five previous starts, yielded four runs, eight hits, five walks and two wild pitches in 5 1-3 innings, striking out eight.

Aaron Hicks hit Ventura’s third pitch for his second career leadoff homer.

Jesse Ertz, who started at quarterback for Kansas State Saturday night, will be out for some time.

Ertz was injured and helped off the field with an apparent injury to his right knee after just two plays on offense in the K-State opener against South Dakota.

Bill Snyder stated Monday on the Big 12 media teleconference, “Jesse’s going to be out for quite some time. So we’ll miss him and feel badly about the loss.” Snyder stated that Ertz will be there, and has been very representative of the value system of the Wildcat football team….”really developing as the leader. ” Snyder said he was confident Ertz would remain invested in what the team was doing and would helpful to all of his teammates.

Joe Hubener replaced Ertz in the lineup in the 34-0 win over South Dakota.

The Wildcats play at the University of Texas  at San Antonio Saturday. The Roadrunners lost their season opener last Saturday to Arizona 42-32.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Chiefs could have Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dontari Poe and offensive tackle Eric Fisher back for their season opener Sunday in Houston.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid and general manager John Dorsey said Monday that both were progressing nicely from injuries. Poe had back surgery that kept him out all of training camp, and Fisher had a sprained ankle that kept him from playing the final three preseason games.

Reid also said that Fisher, the former No. 1 overall draft pick, would move from left tackle to right tackle. Donald Stephenson has been handling the quarterback’s blindside while Fisher has been out, and Reid has been pleased with the way he has performed.