Kansas State football coach Chris Klieman on preseason expectations
Kansas State football coach Chris Klieman says any momentum from last season is gone and that the Wildcats must ignore preseason expectations.
K-State Athletics
MANHATTAN — Cooper Beebe left the Kansas State football program as one of the top offensive linemen in program history.
His younger brother had hoped to carry on the legacy, but it was not to be.
Camden Beebe, who redshirted as a true freshman last year, announced via social media on Monday that his playing career is over after he was unable to overcome a medical issue.
“No matter how hard you work or how badly you want something, sometimes God has other plans,” Beebe wrote. “When I started playing football at a very young age, I have always dreamed of playing at the highest level.
“Unfortunately, due to a medical issue I can no longer live that dream and have decided to medically retire. This is the hardest decision I have ever had to make.”
Camden Beebe was a four-year starter and ranked as one of the top 11 players in Kansas coming out of Kansas City’s Piper High School, which also produced All-American Cooper Beebe, now a rookie with the Dallas Cowboys. Cooper Beebe said one reason he returned to school last season instead of entering the 2023 NFL Draft was to help show his younger brother the ropes.
Related: Kansas State football determined to reload, not rebuild, along the offensive line
Related: How ‘unassuming’ Kansas State football cornerback Jacob Parrish became a vocal leader
The 6-foot-3, 348-pound younger Beebe was one of the first members of K-State’s 2023 recruiting class, committing to the Wildcats in January of 2022 and signing that December. He had a three-star rating by most recruiting services.
Beebe’s announcement came less than two weeks before the Wildcats’ Aug. 31 season opener against Tennessee-Martin at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. But his decision does not mean he is abandoning the program.
“I want to thank my family, coaches and staff for supporting me through this decision,” Beebe said. “Especially the training staff for doing everything they could to try to get me back on the field.
“I will now be joining the coaching staff as a student coach and doing everything I can to help the team I love. Thank you to the K-State family for everything, forever and always a Wildcat.”
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.