George Fitzpatrick to return to Kansas State
While there has been quite a bit of news about players entering the transfer portal, there is still news about Kansas State players returning. K-State offensive lineman George Fitzpatrick will return to Manhattan in 2026, per On3’s Pete Nakos.
Back in July the Ohio State transfer was the talk of Big 12 Media Day among Kansas State players and coaches on the offensive side of the ball. He was likely to be the starter at left tackle in Ireland. However, due to a medical related event he did not play a single snap for the Wildcats in 2025.
It is a big win for new Kansas State head coach Collin Klein. He was actually the offensive coordinator during Fitzpatrick’s original recruitment out of high school. Remember, Klein is from Colorado and has major ties to his home state. He attended Cherry Creek High School which is the same school as 2026 signees wide receiver Maxwell Lovett and offensive lineman Oliver Miller.
It was actually Klein along with then offensive line coach Conor Riley and Chris Klieman who all spear-headed his original recruitment and the effort out of high school led Fitzpatrick to commit to K-State just after winning the National Championship a year ago. In 2024, he played all 15 games for the Buckeyes along their offensive line and field goal kicking unit.
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Offensive line for the Wildcats going into 2026 is a bit of a question mark. Left tackle John Pastore is the only starter set to return to Manhattan next season. It is why the Wildcats will likely be looking to add more offensive lineman out of the transfer portal when it opens up tomorrow. However, the return of Fitzpatrick, who is likely to play a role in 2026, will ease up on the need of more offensive linemen.
Keep it locked into KSO for more information about player retention and movement along with transfer portal info and coaching staff information as Kansas State looks to fill out their coaching staff.
