FRISCO, Texas - Avery Johnson hasn’t sat down with his family to talk through what the NCAA’s new eligibility rules could mean for him, but the Kansas State quarterback knows the door is open.
Under the rules adopted in late June, Johnson could be eligible for a fifth season of college football in 2027 if he wants it. He’s entering his fourth season at Kansas State and his third as the starter, putting him squarely among the players who could benefit from the new age-based model.
“I think if I needed another year to play college football, it's something I'd look into,” Johnson said Wednesday at K-State’s Big 12 Media Day appearance in Frisco, Texas. “It's not something I've talked to my family about or even something I've thought of this year.
I'm kinda more focused on the season. It's time to see how this season goes; I'm looking forward to the season, and that's something that I think we'll all just deal with after.”
Kansas State coach Collin Klein said he has already talked with Johnson about the rule, but he’s not pushing his quarterback to make any long-term decision right now.
“I talked to him about it before it even happened, and I said, 'Listen, I think this is gonna be favorable, and it will give you at least some flexibility,'” Klein said. “I said, 'Let's put our head down and have the best season we possibly can and do what's best for you at the end of it.' That's truly where my heart is behind it, and that's what he needs to do.”
The new eligibility model gives athletes up to five years beginning after they enroll in college or turn 19. It also removes redshirt rules and eligibility extension waivers.
For Kansas State, the quarterback room already has some depth behind Johnson. The Wildcats have Blake Barnett, Jacob Knuth and Dillon Duff on the roster, and they also have a three-star 2027 quarterback committed in Cam Kruse.
Johnson’s future isn’t only about college. He has been open about wanting to play in the NFL, even as early big boards and mock drafts haven’t been especially kind to him in what’s viewed as a strong quarterback class. In some situations, staying at Kansas State as a Power 4 starter could bring in more money than going late in the draft or signing as an undrafted free agent.
He’s also closing in on a few major Kansas State passing marks. Johnson is tied for the school record in touchdown passes, while ranking fourth in completions and sixth in passing yards.
Still, Johnson said he believes the sport should stick to a four-year limit.
“I think you should get one redshirt, medical or non-medical, and then you should just play four years,” Johnson said. “It's just weird seeing people play professional, like a professional baseball player and then come back and play college football.
It's just, I don't know. Maybe they set an age limit on the different sports.”
In Other News...
K-State Is Closing In On A Stadium Change Fans Will Notice
Kansas State is nearing a change at Bill Snyder Family Stadium that fans will notice right away, with athletic director Gene Taylor saying the school is close to finalizing a sponsorship agreement that would put logos on the football field. The deal is being negotiated through K-States sports marketing partner, Learfield, and it is expected to take effect this season, adding another visible layer of branding to a venue that has long been identified with the Wildcats football tradition.
There may be more coming beyond the field itself. K-State is also exploring a possible logo patch on its football jerseys, with the school focusing on local companies as it weighs that option, though nothing has been completed yet. For now, the field sponsorship appears to be the next concrete step, while the jersey conversation remains in the discussion stage. [Read more 🡒]
Austin Romaine Is Already Making K-State Fans Feel This Loss
Austin Romaines departure from Kansas State already has the feel of the kind of loss that takes more than one offseason to fully absorb. A high-profile linebacker with a reputation for competitiveness and real impact, he leaves behind a track record that made him one of the more reliable defenders in the room, and his former teammates have been quick to acknowledge how much he brought to the field.
Now at Texas Tech, Romaine is settling into a new defense and working toward a major role on a unit that expects him to matter right away. For K-State fans, the uneasy part is simple: this is the sort of player who tends to keep showing up on the biggest snaps, and the Wildcats will get a firsthand reminder of what they lost the next time he lines up across from them. [Read more 🡒]
Collin Klein Faces Big First Test As K-State Questions Keep Building
Collin Klein is about to get his first public turn as Kansas States head football coach, and it comes at a stage where every answer will be parsed for clues about what the Wildcats want to become. Big 12 Media Days in Frisco, Texas, on July 8 will put Klein alongside quarterback Avery Johnson, running back Joe Jackson, linebacker Rex Van Wyhe and defensive back Wesley Fair, giving K-State a chance to set the tone for a season that already has plenty of curiosity around it.
The questions are easy to see coming. Klein will be asked about the shape of his offense, Johnsons place in the program under the new NCAA landscape, and what expectations should look like as the Wildcats try to build on recent momentum. There will also be the usual summer health check-ins and roster updates, the kind that can matter just as much in July as anything that happens on a practice field in August. [Read more 🡒]