At occasions, the cannon retorts from coaching workout routines at Fort Riley appear to shake elements of Manhattan from its basis, the highly effective bursts echoing by means of the air with out warning. They’re drills, solely drills, a increase-increase-increase that has grown on townies over the years, and for a Fort Riley native named Des Purnell, a reminder that his birthplace, the place this story started, is not too far-off, whereas the Kansas State senior linebacker every day grows nearer to closing the e book on his fabulous profession at his second house — the Little Apple.
On Saturday, the retorts had been loads loud inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium, the place a sellout crowd of 51,316 stood and cheered as Purnell skilled a kind of sluggish-movement moments, as the 6-foot, 232-pounder in zone protection broke on a go thrown by TCU quarterback Josh Hoover close to the center of the area, intercepted the ball, and returned it 25 yards into the finish zone to present Ok-State a 21-7 lead early in the third quarter of an eventual 41-28 victory by the Wildcats.
Cue the fireworks. Cue the increase-increase-increase. Was this occurring? Yeah, it was actual. It was like the stadium was able to shake. And as soon as the smoke cleared, actuality absolutely set in.
Purnell had recorded the first decide-six of his profession.
“It kind of felt like high school days a little bit with the ball in my hand,” Purnell mentioned, standing in the crew theatre in the Vanier Family Football Complex after the recreation. “That was all set up from the guys around me. Just kudos to everybody. It was huge. Us and the offense, we were just battling back and forth in a tight game, and we just needed a big play to happen. Fortunately, it was just me.”
Purnell has performed in 47 video games in his profession, and it has been great to observe how the Hayden High School All-State standout from Topeka has progressed from highschool security to an All-Big 12 caliber linebacker.
On Saturday, in a recreation most defenders can solely dream about, Purnell had 5 tackles, together with 2.0 tackles for loss and one sack, and two interceptions with a decide-six. It was the first time a Ok-State linebacker recorded two interceptions in a recreation since Elijah Lee did so in 2015. He is considered one of solely two linebackers in the nation with a two-interception recreation this season and considered one of solely two Big 12 linebackers with a multi-interception recreation since 2022.
“The kid probably should be player of the week,” Ok-State head coach Chris Klieman mentioned throughout his postgame radio present.
Moments later at his postgame information convention, Klieman mentioned: “Des was having one of those days. I’m so happy for Des and his family and the game that he had. Des is one of the best players in our conference, and I’ve said that for the last couple years. He’s very underrated.”
Purnell now has 155 profession tackles, together with 18.5 tackles for loss with 5.5 sacks and three interceptions in his profession, and at present is tied for second on the crew with 37 tackles this season. That features a profession-excessive 10 solo tackles towards Army and a profession-excessive 11 whole tackles the following week at Arizona.
But there’s nothing fairly like seeing a defensive participant head into the finish zone. It touches all people on the crew. At least, that is how Ok-State quarterback Avery Johnson described it after the recreation.
“It was the best feeling in the world,” Johnson mentioned. “We had come to the sideline after considered one of the worst three-and-outs that we have had shortly. We had been actually annoyed. Coach Matt Wells was attempting to get us proper, speaking to Jaron Tibbs and speaking to me to get all the pieces discovered, and then you definitely heard the crowd erupt and Des was strutting into the finish zone.
“Me and Coach Wells just looked at each other, and in that moment there’s nothing you can do but smile and be happy.”
While Johnson appreciated Purnell’s landing, he appreciates Purnell for a lot of extra causes as effectively.
“Man, Des is a warrior,” Johnson mentioned. “He’s a really good leader. He’s super intense in practice. He’s somebody you can compete with on the field and joke with inside the locker room. Having a guy like that, he’s capable of having a breakout game like he just did every week. He just does things the right way and plays hard, and he was rewarded today being in the right spots. And he almost had a third interception.”
The third interception late in the fourth quarter did not occur. But by then, Purnell had made his presence felt throughout the area.
“Des? Man, he’s a player,” security Wesley Fair mentioned. “He’s a Dawg.”
Lorenzo Purnell noticed this coming all alongside.
Although Des Purnell outraced defenders and tore up soccer area throughout his flag-soccer and pee-wee soccer days, Lorenzo, who performed soccer at Pittsburg State, maintained different concepts for his youthful brother in the coming years. He believed that Des would emerge as an amazing defender.
As Purnell grew up, his legend throughout northeast Kansas highschool soccer grew as effectively, as he emerged as a dominant power at Hayden High School in Topeka. He was a finalist for the 2020 Kansas 3A Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year by Sports in Kansas. As a senior, he had 811 speeding yards, 469 receiving yards, 22 touchdowns, and he additionally had 80 tackles as a security. He was additionally the No. 6-rated prospect in the state of Kansas for the Class of 2021 by 247Sports.
It was throughout one explicit recreation towards Manhattan High School that Purnell turned all the proper heads. Ok-State head coach Chris Klieman occurred to be in attendance to observe his son, a member of the Manhattan High Indians.
But it was Purnell who dominated.
“Coach Klieman came up to Topeka and watched Manhattan play Hayden,” Purnell mentioned. “We beat them fairly dangerous. That subsequent day, (Ok-State director of recruiting) Taylor Braet known as my head coach, and we had been in communication ever since.
“That first conversation (with Klieman) was like, ‘Well, you beat the crap out of our sons.’ It was all genuine and love from the very beginning.”
After redshirting as a freshman in 2021, Purnell has performed in each recreation in his profession. In Purnell’s first-ever Ok-State recreation, on particular groups, he returned a blocked punt for a landing in the 2022 season opener towards South Dakota. On the area, he performed in each recreation at linebacker in 2022. He had 21 tackles, two go breakups and a fumble restoration over 301 defensive snaps and 194 particular groups performs. Last season, he totaled 46 tackles, together with 9.5 tackles for loss with 4 sacks, a go breakup and a fumble restoration whereas enjoying 670 defensive snaps — fifth on the crew. He ranked second on the crew with 9.5 tackles for a loss and recorded full sacks towards Colorado, Kansas and Arizona State.
While Purnell is fast to credit score defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman, linebackers coach Steve Stanard, and his teammates for aiding in any success on the soccer area over the years — he earned 2023 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention accolades — his menacing presence goes again to following a easy system.
“I’ve just had to focus on one thing at a time each and every day and stack great days upon great days, which has led to opportunities for me to make great plays out there,” he mentioned.
It has additionally required one other ingredient alongside the means.
“I needed to be patient,” he mentioned. “My freshman year, I was really frustrated with myself. I had to take a step back, take a deep breath, understand who I am, and take it day by day.”
He’s had his household supporting him each step of the means.
“Having them just drive down the road to come see me play has been great,” he mentioned. “It’s been phenomenal to see them whenever I can. My first year, I was homesick even though I was an hour away. It’s been really important and impactful for me knowing they’re that close to me.”
After Saturday’s recreation, standing with the Ok-State soccer household, Klieman known as Purnell out into the center of the locker room. Ok-State gamers erupted. Klieman introduced Purnell with the prestigious sledgehammer, an award bestowed upon gamers with standout performances in a specific recreation. Purnell accepted the sledgehammer and waved it excessive in the air. Ok-State gamers erupted once more.
There had been no cannon stories inside the locker room, however there was loads of celebration.
“It was electric,” Purnell mentioned. “Water everywhere.”
But now Purnell is targeted on October 25. That’s when Ok-State performs its subsequent recreation and visits Kansas for the annual Sunflower Showdown — a heated rivalry recreation that Ok-State has received 16 occasions in a row, and that’s particularly close to and pricey to the hearts of in-state soccer gamers, together with Purnell.
“We have a great team coming up,” he mentioned. “That’s going to be a really fun game over there in Lawrence.”
It’s a recreation that might shake the state of Kansas from its basis.