Damian Ilalio

Biography

THE ILALIO FILE PERSONAL Year in Coaching: First in 2026 Year at K-State: First in 2026 Hometown: Manhattan, Kan. Education: Kansas State, 2025 (Bachelor's in athletic training and rehabilitation sciences) Wife: Morgan Children: Oakley, Phoenix COACHING EXPERIENCE 2026: K-State (Defensive Graduate Assistant) POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE 2021: Texas Bowl (K-State)* 2022: Sugar Bowl (K-State)* 2023: Pop-Tarts Bowl (K-State)* 2024: Rate Bowl (K-State)* * As a Player A four-year letterwinner for the Wildcats who played in 41 games with 28 starts over the last four seasons, Damian Ilalio is in his first season as a defensive graduate assistant in 2026. Ilalio enters the coaching profession immediately after helping the Wildcats earn a combined 34 wins over the last four years, including a 2022 Big 12 Championship thanks to a 31-28 overtime win over No. 3 TCU. In that game, Ilalio was in for the stop on 4th and Goal inside the one-yard line in overtime, which eventually led to K-State’s game-winning field goal. A 2025 All-Big 12 honoree, Ilalio came away with 65 career tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. In 2024, the Manhattan, Kansas, native produced 34 tackles, 4.0 TFLs and 2.0 sacks over 461 defensive snaps. It was the most tackles by a Wildcat interior defensive lineman since 2017 and the most TFLs and sacks since 2021. Included in that total was a safety against Kansas. Ilalio, who was voted a team captain as a senior, was a two-time Acade