In which BracketCat counts down the 48th day until the 2025 kickoff with a profile of Kansas State linebacker Zach Wittenberg.

#48 Zach Wittenberg

Redshirt Senior | 6-2 | 221 lbs. | El Dorado, Kansas

Position: Linebacker
Previous College: Butler Community College
Projection: Co-Second-String
Status: Preferred Walk-On

Zach Wittenberg (b. April 19, 2003) is a former community college transfer with one season left to play who graduated in December 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology.

He redshirted in 2022 and did not register any playing time as a member of the scout team.

In 2023, Wittenberg played in four games on kickoff coverage and as a reserve linebacker.

He recorded two tackles against both Houston and Baylor, also played against SEMO and in the Pop-Tarts Bowl against NC State, and finished as a first-team Academic All-Big 12 player.

Last season was a breakout for Wittenberg, who played in every game as a member of the kickoff return, kickoff coverage and punt coverage units, ranking first on the team with four tackles on kickoff coverage and tying for second in overall special teams tackles.

He had two tackles on kickoff coverage against Oklahoma State, also saw time as a reserve linebacker against UT Martin and Oklahoma State, was in for 180 total special teams plays and seven defensive snaps on the year, and again earned Academic All-Big 12 honors.

Wittenberg also was named to the National Football Foundation’s Hampshire Honor Society list. I think he might have a chance this year to break through into the linebacker rotation.

Wittenberg played the 2021 season at Butler Community College under then-head coach Tim Schaffner. Read more about his journey from there to here.

Wittenberg totaled four tackles for the Grizzlies, which included a pair of sacks against McDougle Technical Institute, and he also had solo stops at both Hutchinson and Highland.

At Butler, he played with a future fellow Wildcat, DT Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder.

Wittenberg, who was born in Wild Horse Plains, Montana, prepped under head coach Wes Bell at El Dorado High School, where he was named the 2020 Butler County Offensive Player of the Year, while he was an all-state linebacker and running back for those Wildcats.

He rushed for 1,239 yards and 13 touchdowns in just eight games during his COVID-shortened senior season in 2020, while he posted 39 career tackles, including 26 as a senior, and also competed in basketball, earning all-league honors his final three seasons.

Wittenberg was starting to attract interest from multiple FBS programs, according to the Butler County Times-Gazette, but shut his recruiting down early once K-State offered him.