Kansas State’s offense had the kind of afternoon that shows both the ceiling and the little warning lights built into Avery Johnson’s game.
Strip away the two first-half interceptions, and Johnson was terrific against Washington State. He shook off the halftime pick-6 and helped Kansas State take over the second half, flashing the full package that makes him look like one of the best quarterbacks in the country when everything is clicking.
The bigger difference Saturday, though, came on the ground. Last season, Johnson often seemed intent on escaping to the sideline.
Against Washington State, he ran with the end zone in mind, looking to make defenders miss instead of sliding early. That added layer to his game made the passing-game mistakes easier to absorb.
Jacob Knuth handled six snaps in garbage time and remains the only backup quarterback option while Duff continues to work through a camp injury and Barnett deals with the hamstring he tweaked in the opener. Kansas State is going to need more out of Johnson if it wants to win the Big 12.
The backfield, though, was as dangerous as advertised.
Rodney Fields Jr. topped 100 yards in fewer than 15 carries, and Joe Jackson matched that kind of efficiency with 100 all-purpose yards in fewer than 15 touches. Fields ripped off a 75-yard run, while Jackson piled up 50 yards after first contact and caught four of the five passes thrown his way, with the lone miss coming on a drop.
Add Johnson’s rushing threat and Kansas State suddenly looks loaded with explosiveness. Jay Harris gives the group something different too, serving as the power option off the bench.
At receiver, Josh Manning was the story. The Missouri transfer got Avery Johnson’s attention early and often, and most of his production came on shorter routes inside 10 yards of the line of scrimmage.
Still, he also delivered the game’s longest catch, a 36-yarder split out wide. Manning gives Kansas State a big target who can break tackles underneath and go up for deep balls.
Jaron Tibbs only had two catches, but he still made his presence felt as a blocker. He was finishing on corners and chasing down safeties, and that work helped turn some short gains into first downs. That kind of value matters when a receiver can influence the game without piling up targets.
Brandon White and Izaiah Williams entered the season as the top slot options, but White now seems to be taking the bulk of those snaps. He is sharing the field more with the tight ends than with Williams.
White brings the quickness, while Manning and Tibbs bring the muscle. White was the target on both of Johnson’s interceptions, though the turnovers weren’t really on him.
Kansas State’s staff will want the quarterback and receiver to keep sharpening their timing as the season goes on.
The depth behind the starters at wideout didn’t really show up in this game, and it looks like Coach Klein is comfortable leaning on his experienced group as long as the injuries hold off.
Tight end was the quietest part of the passing attack. With Manning and White combining for 20 targets, that volume had to come from somewhere, and it mostly came out of the tight end bucket.
Oakley remains the top tight end and the most complete player in the room, but this feels more like a one-game shift than a long-term change. Linkon Cure, meanwhile, is still looking for a clear role.
He’s an elite athlete, but he hasn’t yet turned that speed into separation, and while he’s been fine as a blocker, Will Anciaux is better. If Cure can’t start drawing Johnson’s eye as a receiver, Anciaux could begin to chip away at his snaps.
Up front, Kansas State was playing with a patched-together group, but you wouldn’t have known it from the results. The Wildcats averaged 7.4 yards per carry, and both Fields and Jackson found huge lanes by following the line’s movement into daylight. Johnson had a clean pocket all day, and Washington State never recorded a sack, managing only one hit on the quarterback.
Ryan Howard held up again at left tackle, and Gus Hawkins played every snap at right tackle outside of six garbage-time plays. The staff appears ready to ride the tackles and center for the full game while rotating guards.
Tanner Morely is still easing back in at left guard, and Chase Duarte has carved out the right guard spot. Offensive line coach Mike Schmidt still has seven dependable options even after losing one projected starter and two reserves to injury, and freshman Oliver Miller is expected to start ramping up his activity as he works toward a return.
It’s still unclear whether he’ll slot in at tackle or guard, especially with Howard and Charlie Adams both stepping up.
The bigger picture is simple enough: Kansas State has the kind of offensive line depth teams usually spend a whole season trying to build. There will be some bumps, but if this group stays intact, the Wildcats are setting themselves up pretty well.
In Other News...
Collin Klein Has K-State Carrying Extra Edge Into Tulane Rematch
Collin Klein still carries the memory of Tulanes visit to Manhattan in 2022, when Kansas State came up short at home and he was serving as the Wildcats offensive coordinator. The matchup has lingered because these programs have already built a small but meaningful history, with the teams splitting the previous two meetings before this final game in their three-game series. Now Klein is back in charge of the program, and the rematch has given the Wildcats a little extra edge as they prepare to see a familiar opponent one more time.
Kansas State players have noticed the tone around the game, with the past meeting and the coaching changes since then helping frame it as more than just another nonconference date. For the Wildcats, it is a chance to close out a series that has stayed relevant inside the program for a few seasons, and to do it with the coach who remembers the last setback most vividly. Whether that memory turns into motivation or just adds to the tension is part of what makes this one worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Collin Klein Is Rewarding The K-State Grind Fueling This Offense
Collin Klein has leaned into the kind of details that tend to define Kansas State football, and one of the clearest examples this fall is a program built around blocking. The Wildcats coach introduced EMAW 10 as a way to recognize players who do the dirty work that helps spring big plays, with rewards ranging from T-shirts and shorts to hoodies and dinners depending on how often those blocks show up.
It is the sort of internal incentive system that fits a team trying to make every rep matter, and it has already put a spotlight on senior wide receiver Jaron Tibbs. His blocking on a touchdown play against Washington State drew notice, the kind of selfless work Klein wants to keep highlighting as this offense tries to build more of its identity around effort and execution away from the ball. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State's Defense Just Made Avery Johnson's Rough Night Easier
A rough night for Avery Johnson and the Kansas State offense could have turned into a much more stressful September home opener, but the Wildcats defense made sure it never got there. Kansas State beat Washington State 34-7 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, and the tone was set by a unit that kept the Cougars bottled up for long stretches while Rodney Fields provided the biggest spark with a 75-yard touchdown run.
Washington State managed only 166 yards of offense, and after its lone touchdown the Cougars never found the end zone again. For a Kansas State team still looking to settle in on offense, that kind of defensive control is exactly what Collin Klein can point to as the Wildcats keep building, and it offered a reminder that this group can win in more than one way. [Read more 🡒]