Kansas State was delivered a debilitating blow on Monday, when safety Kobe Savage announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal.

Savage finished the season with 57 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and three interceptions. In their win against Texas Tech, Savage had two of those interceptions.

Savage will have one year of eligibility at this next school.

It's likely not playing time-related for Savage, who played the most snaps on the defense last season.

It's also hard to believe that this is a situation where Savage is being forced out. Savage was one of the better players on the defense, posting a 68.1 grade on Pro Football Focus.

It's possible that Savage, who only has one season of eligibility remaining, wants to compete for a National Championship.

While the expanded playoff helps teams like K-State get a seat at the table, Savage will be in demand in the portal and will likely receive offers from some of college football's better programs.

That's the life of college football post-portal, and it's one Kansas State will need to deal with.

Sometimes, "smaller" teams lose top players to other programs, especially if bigger programs start calling. It doesn't always have to be related to playing time.

In Joe Klanderman's 3-3-5 defense, Kansas State will need three safeties who can play a lot of snaps.

Last season, those three were Savage, VJ Payne, and Marques Sigle, who all played over 600 snaps for the Wildcats.

All three players had different roles in the defense. Sigle mostly played as the slot corner, while Payne moved between the box and free safety. Most of Savage's snaps came in the box, but in some games, he also played as a traditional deep safety.

Barring another transfer, Payne and Sigle are set to return for next season and should maintain those spots in the defense. That leaves just one safety spot in need of replacing.

The in-house answer would likely be Colby McCalister.

McCalister played in all 12 games last season, finishing with 176 snaps played. He spent most of those snaps in the slot, but also played as the box safety. His size (5-feet-10) would be a problem, but he's the most experienced remaining safety on the roster.

Kansas State could go into next season with Sigle, Payne, and McCalister, but that seems unlikely, given the grand scheme of the team's defense.

Without a starting cornerback (and their fourth cornerback in Jordan Wright), K-State should prioritize gaining experience across the defense. McCalister doesn't have that experience.

Safeties are the most important part of Klanderman's defense, and it's not a position you can neglect with younger players.

McCalister can certainly see more playing time next year as the team attempts to groom him into a starter, but he can't be the only addition to that position.

Look for K-State to add an experienced safety, potentially someone from the Group of 5 ranks with a lot of experience. This addition would allow McCalister to develop as a player.

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