K-State Safety Marques Sigle Successfully Made The Jump From FCS To A Power Five Conference
It takes a belief in one’s ability to decide to move up from Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to play in a Power Five Conference.
Kansas State senior safety Marques Sigle had that belief in himself. It's why he decided to leave FCS powerhouse North Dakota State after three years there to test the waters in the transfer portal.
Sigle explained the decision Tuesday afternoon at the Big 12 Media Days in an interview on InForum’s Hot Mic with Dom Izzo.
The way K-State coaching staff reached out to him and his family quickly won Sigle over.
“That’s what got me the most,” Sigle said. “They were talking to my family as much as they were talking to me, building that relationship. And it has stayed to this day.”
Despite going through spring football, Sigle learned on the field that his comfortability playing Division I football in a Power Five conference takes a little time to adjust to. It didn't help he missed the first game.
His first taste of playing a Power Five school came in the second game at Missouri.
“The season came and it started a little fast for me because I missed the first game,” Sigle said. “I had to work into it. “My second game against Missouri it came at me a little fast. It had me thinking was I ready for this? Was I prepared for it?”
The ultimate answer was yes, Sigle was ready for it. He finished the season with 63 tackles and earned All-Big 12 honorable mention honors from the coaches.
“Knowing the type of person I am, I knew I could be on this level,” Sigle said. “I dreamed of it. As the season went on, I got better and better.
“As my guys started trusting me, as my coaches started trusting me and I got more comfortable with the speed and knowing the playbook, I definitely got more comfortable each week.”
David Boyce is a contributing writer to K-State On SI. He can be reached at davidboyce95@gmail.com.
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DAVID BOYCE