Numbers can't measure Felix Anudike-Uzomah's impact on Kansas State football defense

NEW ORLEANS — Felix Anudike-Uzomah is living proof that numbers can lie and that sometimes less is more.

Just ask the Big 12 coaches or media members who voted him conference defensive player of the year and a third-team All-American. Or better yet, ask Kansas State defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman, who has seen the junior defensive end grow up before his very eyes over the past three years.

The fact that Anudike-Uzomah's numbers are down slightly from a year ago — 11 sacks in 2021 to 8.5 through 13 games this season and from 14.5 tackles for loss to 11 — is not an indictment, but rather a testament to just how disruptive he is on the field.

"Yeah, he dictates so much attention," Klanderman said. "We've seen teams that have turned their protection to him when we give no other looks.

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"And he's made life a lot easier for a guy like (junior end) Brendan Mott, who has had a tremendous year, in part because of himself, but also as the byproduct of the attention that Felix garners. Nate Matlack, Jaylen Pickle, some of these guys are really the beneficiaries of what Felix can do and how disruptive he can be."

Anudike-Uzomah said earlier this season that he could count on one hand the number of plays where he was not double-teamed or in some other way accounted for in his attempts to reach the quarterback. And still, he leads the Big 12 in sacks with one more game to go.

"I remember last year I usually got one-on-ones most every play and I made the most of it," Anudike-Uzomah, a 6-foot-5, 255-pounder from Kansas City and Lee's Summit High School, said. "This year they like to slide the protection my way or have me double-teamed right off the bat on a pass play.

"Honestly, I did the most I can, really, and that's how much attention I got this year."

"The other D-ends and nose tackles and a lot of those guys up front tell you he gets most of the double teams, because he's a force up there," said senior middle linebacker Daniel Green. "He's one of those guys up front, when you see him line up in front of you, you've got confidence that he's going to do what he has to do to make a play.

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"So really a dude that we look to in big moments to make plays, and he's done it all year."

And it's not as if the double teams have shut Anudike-Uzomah down. He's still sixth on the team and top among the Wildcat linemen with 44 tackles along with one pass breakup, four quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles.

"It's really big, and it opens up other opportunities for other people to make plays," said weak-side linebacker Austin Moore. "Even when he has all that attention, he's still making plays, too."

Instead of getting frustrated by the attention he commands, Anudike-Uzomah has tried to embrace it.

The linebackers that play behind him see the same thing.

"It made me better to see how I could still be an effective pass rusher and do pressures on the quarterback, even though I'm getting double-teamed," Anudike-Uzomah said. "That was basically practicing every day on how to defeat the double-team and how to still be a relentless rusher.

"It gives me confidence because they're actually focusing on me more."

It also has freed up Mott, a former walk-on, to enjoy a breakout season at the other end position in the Wildcats' 3-3-5 defensive formation. Mott is second on the team with six sacks, while strong-side linebacker Khalid Duke has three and end Nate Matlack two despite battling injuries for much of the season.

"Since they're focusing on me, it has allowed people like Mott and Nate (Matlack) to get more sacks and stuff like that," Anudike-Uzomah said. "You saw (at) West Virginia, all their attention was on me, but Mott had a three-sack game, which was amazing.

"So honestly, it's not as frustrating because I know that people right beside me will make plays, too."

It's likely that No. 5 Alabama will pay special attention to him as well when the Sugar Bowl kicks off at 11 a.m. on Saturday, but that might be the end of the double-teams, if Anudike-Uzomah decides the game marks his college swan song.

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NFL Draft analysts have him going as early as the late first round, should he decide to skip his senior year and turn pro. Anudike-Uzomah hinted that he'll reveal his future plans soon enough.

"I haven't really decided that yet," he said. "I'm still talking with my parents to make sure, just to finalize what I'm going to do.

"But honestly, I really want to focus on this (game) and then if you ask me questions about it after the game, probably I'll have an answer."

And that, Klanderman said, speaks volumes for the progress Anudike-Uzomah has made in his three years at K-State.

"There's another guy that just the growth over two years, where he was to where he is now, is incredible," Klanderman said. "Just maturity.

"Not only on the football field, but off. I'm so proud of him and the journey that he's made so far."

Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Felix Anudike-Uzomah's impact on Kansas State's defense is immense