Collin Klein doesn’t need Avery Johnson to be perfect in Saturday’s opener against Nicholls. He needs him to be free.
That was the tone from Kansas State’s first-year head coach earlier this week, when he laid out the kind of performance he wants from his quarterback at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Klein made it clear he’s looking for Johnson to play with confidence and tempo, while bringing the edge that made him such an intriguing piece of the Wildcats’ future.
"I want him to be extremely confident, to play fast, and to let his fire, his love to compete, and the care and love for his teammates show," Klein said. "For us to attack this just like every game that we play as an opportunity to learn, to get better, to learn more about ourselves, and to just love competing and take off or throw off anything else that's in his mind or that he's dealing with, or any pressure or thought from anywhere else."
Johnson enters his third season as the full-time starter after a rough junior campaign that never found a steady rhythm. Kansas State went 6-6 last year, and his inconsistency was a major part of that slide. The hope now is that a fresh season - and a familiar coach - can help him reset.
That’s a notable shift after Johnson’s breakout sophomore year, when he threw for 2,712 yards and a school-record 25 touchdowns while adding 605 rushing yards and seven more scores. Those numbers fell off last season, and the Wildcats know they need the better version of Johnson back if they’re going to chase bigger goals.
Kansas State’s margin for error at quarterback is thin. With limited experience behind Johnson, the Wildcats are counting on him to settle in quickly and lead with purpose if they want to stay in the mix for a Big 12 championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff.
There’s also a built-in comfort level here. Klein helped recruit Johnson to Kansas State when he was an assistant in Manhattan, and that relationship could matter as Johnson tries to put last season behind him and start over with a coach who already knows what he can be.
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Kansas State's Late Arrival Is Suddenly In The Secondary Mix
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Collin Kleins NCAA Stance Puts Avery Johnsons Future In Focus
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