Kansas State quarterback John Holcombe has announced on Twitter he's leaving the Wildcat program.

Holcombe, a redshirt freshman and former three-star rated recruit, had played 27 snaps this season for the Wildcats behind starter Skylar Thompson and co-No. 2 quarterback Nick Ast (30 snaps).

Holcombe played five snaps in last Saturday's 26-13 loss at Oklahoma State, splitting time between quarterback and receiver with Thompson also on the field.

Holcbome's departure leaves K-State with Thompson and true freshman Jaren Lewis as the only two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster. That is, unless you count true freshman Chris Herron, who signed as a quarterback but is working at wide receiver.

Ast has entered the game before Holcobme as the No. 2 quarterback this year - at Mississippi State - but he's not on scholarship.

K-State has Will Howard committed as part of the Class of 2020. The Wildcats now have 82 players, total, on scholarship.

For the season Holcombe had completed 1-of-3 pass attempts for eight yards while rushing 13 times for 71 yards. The Wildcats had been working on a package to use Holcombe as a ball carrier over the early portion of the season.

Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman was asked two questions about Holcombe in today's press conference:

On the offensive play of John Holcombe II...

“He plays fast. That’s one thing that we were excited about watching John. He gets off the football fast. He can block the point of attack. We put him at tight end during the week of practice, and he’s physical. He blocked the point of attack. He wants to be involved, and that’s a really good thing. Now, technique-wise, knowing the tight end position or the flex position is going to take some time, but he’s at least wanting to learn so that he can help our football team. So, he’s doing some really good things. Now is he ready to play 60 snaps there, no, but we’re hopeful that the more he can understand, he can be out there.”

On miscommunication when John Holcombe II came into the game at OSU...

“I think one of them was read wrong on a wristband. (On) one of them, I don’t think we had the right personnel out there. There’s no question they were both supposed to be out there and we had miscommunication. It can’t happen though. We have to clean it up. It absolutely can’t happen.”

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