Like most college football players, Kansas State safety Tysyn Hartman has grown physically with each passing season.
As a junior, the added weight was especially handy as Hartman found himself having to drag down opposing ball carriers 86 times, second among all Wildcats and 19th in the Big 12.
"We are built for covering, our bodies aren't always built for tackling, so our bodies got kind of beat up," said Hartman, who in 2010 came in a handful of pounds heavier than the previous season at 205. "It's always tough staying healthy in this conference because it's so good, so physical."
Kansas State finished last in the Big 12 (231.4 yards per game) against the run, so many of Hartman's 86 tackles were against backs that had just flown by the Wildcats' front seven with a full head of steam, rather than pulling down a receiver immediately after making a reception.
"I know our top two tackle leaders were David Garrett at nickel and me at safety and I want to say [freshman safety] Ty Zimmerman was there at third, so when you have more secondary guys leading the team in tackles it's tough," said Hartman.
Actually, Zimmerman was fourth, three stops behind linebacker Alex Hrbec. But when three of the teams' four leading tacklers are among three of the four lightest players on the field, it can wear a secondary corps down.
Hartman finished stronger than he started, with 32 of his tackles coming in the final four games and his two interceptions against Texas in the eighth game.
One of the reasons for Hartman's slow start was he was his recovery from a knee injury that he refused to use as an excuse. The other was he was needed more as the team's run defense faltered.
KSU surrendered 40 points a game in the four games after defeating Texas 39-14.
"We didn't finish well as a defense mainly due in part to our run defense, but we finished fourth or fifth in passing efficiency defense and in this conference that is tough because we have the best quarterbacks and receivers, and coordinators who know how to get the ball to the playmakers," said Hartman. "That's something we can build on, especially with the returning starters we have in the secondary and the new speed we have at linebacker."
Hartman has peaked at 213 pounds since Kansas State's 36-34 loss to Syracuse in the inaugural New Era Pinstripe Bowl. He plans on playing at about 210 in his last season at Manhattan.
He also intends on not having to make as many tackles against the run with the addition of Miami transfer and high school All-American linebacker Arthur Brown and the return of Hrbec and freshman Tre Walker.
Kansas State is also switching from the 4-2-5 to a 4-3-4 formation.
"[Rushing numbers] get skewed a little bit because of how much they pass in the Big 12, but the way it is now with how much speed we have at linebacker we are expecting those [rushing] numbers to get cut down, which will save our bodies," said Hartman.
Hartman, a former quarterback, is one of three co-captains and is being counted on to help acclimate three new cornerbacks to the depth chart.
"We'd like for him to have as much total command of the secondary, because he has good working knowledge of what goes on back there," said Kansas State coach Bill Snyder. "He's worked at [free safety] and gets better and better at it."
One of the cornerbacks Snyder hopes Hartman can help out is Kip Daily, an A&M Consolidated star who had five interceptions last season with Blinn College.
Daily is second string on the depth chart.
"His athletic abilities are good enough to start for us," said Hartman. "He can contribute on special teams and cornerback and we look for him to progress, pick up the system as fast as he can and hopefully get out there and do some damage for us."
NOTES -- Tysyn Hartman was one of 56 players selected to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, an award which recognized contributions and community services made by a student athlete. ... One of Kip Daily's teammates at Blinn was Justin Tuggle, who will battle Collin Klein as the replacement for Carson Coffman. ... Arthur Brown isn't the only Brown with All-American pedigree who transferred in and will likely start for the Wildcats. Arthur's brother Bryce Brown returned to Kansas (Wichita), after attending Tennessee ... One of Kansas State's best freshman recruits is defensive end Ian Seau, nephew to NFL all-pro linebacker Junior Seau. Linebacker Tate Snyder doesn't have to go far for a family reunion. His dad, Sean Snyder, is an associate head coach/special teams coordinator, and head coach Bill Snyder is his grandfather.
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