Manhattan ? All four of Kansas State’s defensive ends are in agreement: To stop Texas quarterback Chris Simms, they will have to put pressure on him. And lots of it.

It may take all of them to do it.

Head coach Bill Snyder wouldn’t have it any other way. Although Snyder will start two players at defensive end, all four on his two-deep depth chart juniors Andrew Shull and Thomas Houchin and seniors Melvin Williams and Henry Bryant could play today against the Longhorns.

“They’ve all played pretty well,” Snyder said.

Defensive ends coach Del Miller, Synder said, “will tell me constantly that he thinks you can just draw them out of a hat because they are all playing pretty well. Therefore, the competition is there and the competition is good. I think it’s good for our defense and I love the competition.”

The ends have combined for 85 total tackles in six games and have been able to pressure opposing quarterbacks.

Overall, the Wildcats are fifth in the country in total defense at 268 yards per game.

Shull and Williams lead the team with three sacks apiece. Williams recorded two sacks last week against Oklahoma State and Shull had two sacks Sept. 7 against Louisiana-Monroe. Houchin has 112 sacks, and Bryant has 312 tackles for loss but no sacks.

Texas quarterback Chris Simms walks off the field after UT lost to Oklahoma last Saturday at Dallas. The Longhorns have another big game today when they meet Kansas State at Manhattan.

“We’ve got four starters that can all play,” Williams said. “We’ve all got great talent and everyone has something different to his game. It’s kind of hard for offensive tackles to scout us and it wears them out.”

But Williams and the other three know that this week could be different with Simms.

Simms has thrown for over 1,317 yards and 10 touchdowns. Shull said that with Simms’ wide receivers Sloan Thomas, Roy Williams and B.J. Johnson the Wildcats can’t afford to give Simms time to throw.

“It’s going to be very important,” Williams said. “Our front four have to get to him all day. If we get to him, it will change the outcome of the game.”