In the late eighties and early nineties, running back Eric Gallon was part of the foundation used by Bill Snyder in the legendary head coach’s reshaping of the Kansas State football program from Big Eight doormat to Big 12 contender. Two decades later, his linebacker son is headed to Little Manhattan as well.
On his personal Twitter account this week, Eric Gallon II announced that "[w]ith extremely long thought my family and I have decided to ask for a release from the [U]niversity of Virginia and I will be transferring this summer to complete my academic and athletic career at The Kansas State University.” Neither football programs have commented publicly on Gallon’s social media announcement.Blessed. 🙏🏼 @KStateFB pic.twitter.com/GyDObQi638
— Eric Gallon II™ (@KiiDEG12) July 3, 2017
Barring something unforeseen, Gallon would be forced to sit out the 2017 season. He would then have two seasons of eligibility remaining beginning in 2018.
Gallon was a three-star member of the Cavaliers’ 2015 recruiting class. After playing in five games as a true freshman, Gallon played in 10 games last season. All told, he was credited with two tackles in his two seasons.
In 1991-92, the elder Gallon combined to run for 1,807 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Wildcats, adding 31 receptions and 310 receiving yards for good measure in that same span. He led the team in rushing each of those two seasons.
After going 1-10 in what were both Gallon’s and Snyder’s first years at K-State in 1989, the program won a combined 17 games the next three seasons. It was the school’s most prosperous three-year stretch since winning the same number of games from 1953-55.
That success also set the stage for a run beginning in 1993 in which the Wildcats won at least nine games in 10 of the next 11 years, finishing with double-digit wins in seven of those seasons.