Cody Stufflebean aspiring to become lethal force off Wildcats’ edge
Kansas State defensive lineman Cody Stufflebean (47) helps bring down UCF wide receiver Xavier Townsend during the third quarter Saturday September 23, 2023 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. (Lynn Harrington/stayaliveinpower5)
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Kansas State’s veteran edge rusher is embarking on a senior campaign full of excitement, and becoming a strong presence on the defensive line in fall camp.
Cody Stufflebean is building off the production he put together down the stretch last season. After all, he turned it up a notch, and generated 12 of his 19 total tackles through the month of November. Now Stufflebean is looking forward to anchoring the unit this fall.
With the Wildcats midway through camp, competition is at an all-time high, and Stufflebean is enjoying the intensity. Getting the entire defensive line up to speed will be vital. Stufflebean is taking the younger defenders under his wing, and guiding them in practice, which is the main reason why he returned to the team for another year.
“Yes I do definitely feel a little older, but it’s not all bad, I get to be able to help those guys mature,” Stufflebean said. “Kind of teach them what I’ve been taught through the years of other players being here as well.”
The Kansas native will be playing alongside Brendan Mott again, and the duo gives Defensive Coordinator Joe Klanderman options off the edge. With Khalid Duke now in the NFL, Stufflebean understands that he’s going to have to grind harder. It helps Stufflebean and Mott that there’s depth at defensive end, and Klanderman’s staff will utilize those numbers when the Wildcats navigate through the Big 12 gauntlet.
“Just trying to rotate us in and out a lot, that’s kind of a big deal when we get to go in for a couple of plays,” he said. “That’s huge when you’re not out there for a long stretch of time, and you have fresh bodies rotating in all the time, that definitely helps us out a lot and keeps up fresh with being able to attack the quarterback.”
There’s an emphasis in practice of forcing turnovers, and Stufflebean wants to be at the point of attack. Staying disruptive, maneuvering past offensive tackles, and having a non-stop motor are the requirements when it comes to being an elite edge rusher, and Stufflebean is confident in what he brings to the table.
The six-foot-four, 257-pounder displayed several bright moments in 2023. Stufflebean tallied a season-high, four tackles, including three solo and two sacks in the victory over Baylor. The former three-star prospect also had three solo stops in road games at Texas and Kansas.
Stufflebean feels he’s only cracking the surface of his potential, and those promising performances are a reminder not to stay complacent. Kansas State has fielded some quality edge rushers under Klanderman’s watch too, including Wyatt Hubert, Felix Anudike-Uzomah and Duke.
However, Stufflebean is preparing to build on his legacy with the Wildcats. He can’t wait to wreak havoc off the edge, and make quarterbacks eat grass. There’s no denying that Kansas State needs to be stronger against the run, after finishing 54th nationally in rushing defense.
It’s no mystery that the Wildcats must apply more pressure too, after averaging less than two sacks per game. Still, the entire team is on a mission, and Stufflebean believes the 2024 defense has the potential to be special.
“I’d say this one can be just as good as any other ones, just as long as we play together, be able to communicate well pre-snap and post-snap, that would definitely help us be successful this year.”
