Sports Update

By Ben Brake

Another Butler to Serve Wildcat Fans!

With the 2000 college football season over K-State’s football coaches are trying to land recruits for 2001. Kansas State already has several
commitments for the February 7, signing date. One of those commitments is a native of Manhattan and is the son of a former K-State football
star.

Matt Butler (18) will graduate from Manhattan High School this year and then prepare to carry on a career as a Wildcat. Matt started off
following his father’s footsteps by playing running back in high school, but was switched over on the other side of the ball to fulfill team
needs. Matt Butler excelled at linebacker last year and caught the attention of numerous colleges even though he was playing with a broken
arm that was in a cast for most of the year. Matt is 6’2" 215 pounds and runs a 4.5 in the forty. Last year he attended summer training camps
at K-State, Oklahoma, and Nebraska. He made All State this year and will also play in the Shrine Bowl on July 28, 2001. He is hoping to
compete right away at K-State for playing time at the linebacker position during the 2001 season, but will red-shirt if he needs to, according to
his father, Bill Butler. Matt will receive a full scholarship while playing for Kansas State.

Bill Butler (50) played three years for Kansas State from 1969 to 1971. He is still listed as one of the top running backs to ever play for Kansas
State. After leaving K-State Bill went on to play and start in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints for three years from 1972 to 1974. He was
then traded to St. Louis where he was not able to play because he couldn’t pass the physical after he sustained a career ending hip injury. He
is still a Saints fan after all these years. Chris Canty and Darren Howard would be glad to hear that, both are former K-State football player
standouts and play for the New Orleans Saints.

Mr. Butler now works at McCalls Pattern Company locally and is the Manager of the Printing and Pre-press area. Bill also officiates for some
High Schools and Junior Colleges in football and baseball. He is also excited to see his son play football for the Wildcats and stated " I think
it’s pretty neat that he will play on the same football field I did".

Matt should be a lot of fun to watch playing for Kansas State and should be able to add to the level of competition that is already present at
the linebacker position. K-State does a fantastic job recruiting great linebackers every year and developing those players to be even better.

Have a great Wildcat weekend!