Manhattan ? After catching only two passes in Kansas State’s first five games, junior wide receiver Antoine Polite has become a key part of a Wildcats offense that increasingly has been taking to the air.

“Early on, I had anxiety and nervousness,” Polite said. “I think the coaches wanted me to be comfortable in the offense. Once I got in the game against Oklahoma State, they saw what I was capable of.”

In KSU’s last four games, quarterback Ell Roberson has thrown for 954 yards and 11 touchdowns, completing 60.4 percent of his passes. During that time, Polite has 13 catches for 171 yards.

“He’s started believing in himself,” Roberson said. “He’s doing the little things. He’s not the fastest guy we have, but his hands are so good that you can just get it near him and he’ll catch it.”

Polite’s improvement has marked a change in the K-State passing approach. Early in the year, senior wideout James Terry was Roberson’s main target, while Polite and wide receiver Davin Dennis rarely saw a ball thrown their way.

“A lot of receivers are doing a better job of getting open,” Roberson said. “We’re running short, crisp routes, so we can get the ball to them and they can make something happen.”