Barnes’ hard work pays off for Wildcats

There have always been great examples of hard work for Alex Barnes to lean on.

The Kansas State freshman has teammates who exceed expectations on the field because of hard work, and then there’s his family.

The hard work has translated well for Barnes this season, as he’s rushing for 7.69 yards per carry, the second-most by any freshman in FBS.

As Barnes came on for the Wildcats over the past few contests, K-State has reaped the benefits as its rushing offense increased steadily. Barnes rushed for 72 yards on eight carries against Oklahoma State, and then he ran 19 times for 129 yards and four touchdowns against Baylor.

Last week, he became the first Wildcat running back with consecutive…