Avery Johnson’s first Saturday of the season looked a lot like the kind of performance that can keep building a legacy.
Kansas State opened with a 71-3 rout of Nicholls at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, and Johnson was right in the middle of it. He completed 15 of 21 passes for 199 yards and three touchdowns, then added a milestone that puts him in rare company: he moved past Will Howard to become the school’s all-time passing touchdowns leader with 49.
That’s the kind of number that starts to change the conversation fast. Johnson was already the type of quarterback people were talking about when he first signed with the Wildcats, with his name being mentioned alongside Michael Bishop, Collin Klein and Howard as one of the best to ever do it in Manhattan. After Saturday, that talk doesn’t feel premature.
The bigger picture is even more interesting. Johnson is entering his senior season with the chance to stack up record after record if this offense clicks the way Kansas State hopes it will. He and Klein already have a built-in connection, and that matters - Klein was a major part of recruiting Johnson to Manhattan, and now he’s coaching him in a system that could give him every chance to thrive.
There’s also an NFL angle here. A big season could lift Johnson’s draft stock, with most analysts currently projecting him as a seventh-round pick. But the Wildcats’ goals go well beyond that.
Kansas State was picked to finish eighth in the Big 12, though some see them as a sleeper team with real upside. If Johnson can steer them into a conference title and a spot in the College Football Playoff, his place in school history gets even harder to argue against.
For now, though, the first step is already on the board. Johnson came out sharp, Kansas State rolled, and the quarterback chase for one of the program’s all-time greats is officially on.
In Other News...
Collin Klein Had The Perfect Reaction To K-States 71-Point Outburst
Kansas States 71-point outburst against Nicholls was the kind of offensive showing that still stands out around Manhattan, especially because it was the first time the Wildcats had topped 70 since 2000. It also brought one of the programs more unusual traditions back into the spotlight, with Willie the Wildcat assigned a marathon push-up challenge tied to the scoring binge.
Collin Klein noticed the toll it took. The head coach offered a knowing reaction to Willies fatigue, saying he could relate to the physical grind of the task, which stretched over three hours. It was a lighthearted postgame footnote, but one that fit the mood around a rare offensive explosion and the kind of celebration that only Kansas State seems to make feel routine. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Backfield Battle Just Got More Interesting Before Washington State
Kansas States Week 2 depth chart came with a small but notable shakeup after the Wildcats 71-3 win over Nicholls, and it landed in the part of the roster that tends to draw the most attention. Collin Klein adjusted the running back order, moving Rodney Fields to the top of the group as Kansas State heads into its next matchup, a sign that the battle in the backfield is already worth watching this early in the season.
Elsewhere, the depth chart stayed mostly intact, which suggests the staff liked what it saw across most position groups in the opener. There were also some updates tied to snap counts and player availability, leaving the backfield change as the clearest indication that Kansas State is still sorting out exactly how it wants to distribute touches before Washington State comes to town. [Read more 🡒]
Avery Johnson Gave Kansas State Exactly What Fans Needed To See
Avery Johnson gave Kansas State a strong early-season reminder of why the Wildcats are counting on him to steer the offense, and Collin Klein had plenty to like in the wake of the lopsided win over Nicholls. In a 71-3 rout that never stopped being comfortable, Johnson looked poised throughout the afternoon, completing 15 of 21 passes for 199 yards and three touchdowns while setting a school record for passing scores.
Klein pointed to more than the box score, too, praising Johnsons pocket presence, decision-making and communication. For a team that still wants to sharpen its identity as the schedule gets tougher, those were the kinds of details that mattered most, and the performance offered exactly the kind of reassurance Wildcats fans were hoping to see. [Read more 🡒]