Kansas State heads into Saturday’s trip to Arizona State with its quarterback situation still unsettled, as Avery Johnson was listed as doubtful in Friday night’s availability report.
Johnson had been tagged questionable since the Wildcats’ first report on Wednesday, but the designation worsened as game day approached. Kansas State and Arizona State are set to meet Saturday, Oct. 24, at 2:45 p.m. CT in Tempe, Arizona.
The uncertainty is notable because Johnson is coming off a game in which he briefly exited early. Against Kansas last week, he missed one play in the first quarter after stumbling to the turf at the end of a long run, then returned on the next possession and finished the game without any obvious sign of injury.
Kansas State coach Collin Klein didn’t offer any injury update on his quarterback during Wednesday’s weekly radio show, and he wasn’t asked about one before the report was released.
If Johnson can’t go, the Wildcats may have to turn to Jacob Knuth. He stepped in for the one play Johnson missed and handed the ball off to Rodney Fields for a four-yard touchdown. Knuth is a fifth-year player who had appeared in four games over three seasons in Manhattan before this year.
This season, Knuth has seen action against Nicholls, Washington State and Kansas. Across those snaps, he has completed one pass for seven yards and added three carries for 25 yards and a score.
Kansas State has already been juggling quarterback health this season. Barnett has been on crutches since the Wildcats’ Week 1 win over Nicholls, while sophomore Dillon Duff has been on the injury report every week since the Sept. 26 loss at Cincinnati and did not dress for the first three games.
The Wildcats will post a final availability report Saturday at 1:15 p.m. CT.
In Other News...
Kansas State Suddenly Faces A Huge Avery Johnson Concern
Avery Johnsons status suddenly turned into the biggest pregame storyline for Kansas State after he landed on the Wildcats Friday availability report as doubtful ahead of the matchup with Arizona State. The quarterback had briefly left the previous game after a run, then came back and finished without any obvious sign of trouble, so the late-week designation caught plenty of attention around a team that has built its offense around his presence.
If Johnson cant go, Kansas State would be forced to turn to backup Jacob Knuth, a situation that changes both the game plan and the pressure on the rest of the offense. For a Wildcats team trying to keep momentum against a tough Big 12 opponent, the final decision on Johnson looms as one of the most important developments of the week. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Walks Into A Dangerous Road Spot At Arizona State
Kansas State heads into a tricky road test at Arizona State on Sept. 26, with both teams sitting at 1-2 in Big 12 play and looking to keep from slipping further in the standings. The Wildcats will see a Sun Devils team that is still searching for traction under Kenny Dillingham, and the change at quarterback from Cutter Boley to Mikey Keene adds another layer of uncertainty to a matchup that already has plenty on the line.
Mountain America Stadium figures to have the kind of atmosphere that can make a September trip uncomfortable, and the game-day details only add to the feel of a real crossroads spot for Kansas State. Between the ticket buzz and the forecast for Tempe, this one has the ingredients of a road game that asks plenty of a team still trying to steady itself in conference play. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Fans Finally Get Their First Look At Casey Alexanders Team
Kansas State fans are about to get their first real glimpse of the Casey Alexander era, with the Wildcats set to face Missouri in an exhibition at Bramlage Coliseum as part of preparations for the 2026-27 season. It will be an early chance to see how a nearly completely rebuilt roster fits under a nearly entirely new coaching staff, with Alexander taking over after Jerome Tang was fired.
The matchup should draw plenty of attention simply because so much has changed in Manhattan, and exhibition games often tell at least a little about where a team is headed. Fans who cannot make it inside Bramlage will still have multiple ways to follow along, with the game set for ESPN+ and the K-State Sports Network, plus live stats and social media coverage throughout the night. [Read more 🡒]