Flanders makes switch

There were a number of positions that were priority spots for Kansas State in this year's recruiting class, but none was bigger than the running back spot.

And after a few weeks of hits and misses at the position, K-State looks like it's landed a back that could be a home-run threat.

Midwest City, Okla., three-star athlete Timothy Flanders has committed to Kansas State, switching from Tulsa and turning down a late offer from in-state Oklahoma State.

"I'm solid with Kansas State," Flanders, who is 5-foot-9 and 200 pounds, said. "If Oklahoma State had offered me a few weeks back then it might be different, but things happen for a reason and K-State wanted me right from the get out. And they wanted me at running back."

Flanders said his interest in Kansas State started to peak when new Wildcat coach Bill Snyder was hired. He took an official visit to Manhattan on Jan. 18, despite his pledge to Tulsa where his brother plays at. Flanders said it was on that visit that Snyder made it clear he was a priority for the Wildcats.

"Coach Snyder said they have a great opportunity for me to play early," Flanders said. "He said they were in need of a good back. They have a couple of guys they're going to switch to different positions and they wanted me and John Hubert to come in and compete for a spot right away. He said I reminded him of a bigger Darren Sproles.

"The running back coach said he thought I was a combination of both Sproles and Eric Hickson, another really good back they used to have. I think it's a great opportunity for me. I knew I was good enough to play in the Big 12, and now I'm going to get that chance."

Flanders said it was tough for him to part ways with Tulsa, the school he'd been committed to for months and where his brother John Flanders plays at.

"It was awfully tough," he said. "At first I wasn't going to consider it, but they told me I was one of their top targets on their board and it was tough to pass up an opportunity to play running back in the Big 12."