Kansas State got a little more than a runaway win over Nicholls last week. In the 71-3 rout, first-year coach Collin Klein also got a long look at the quarterbacks behind Avery Johnson, and that kind of game can pay off later in a season.
Jacob Knuth and Blake Barnett both took snaps, giving the Wildcats a chance to build depth at one of the most important spots on the field. That matters if Johnson ever goes down, and it matters even more with next year already in the conversation.
Klein said he was proud of both players.
Barnett finished 4 of 5 for 41 yards and added two carries for three yards. Klein pointed to the way he handled the pocket and stayed composed on third down.
"I thought Blake, even from where he's come from a pocket presence standpoint over the course of camp," Klein said. "And a couple of those third-down throws of staying calm, staying poised, having a good base in the pocket, letting the scheme develop, and finding a receiver and keeping us on the field was really, really good to see in game for his growth and development."
Knuth was efficient as well, completing his only pass for seven yards while running three times for 25 yards. Klein liked the way he handled the closing stretch as Kansas State wound things down.
"I was proud of Jacob of how he managed things down the stretch late in the game," Klein said. "We were trying to take the air out of it a little bit and thought he ran really, really hard and managed things and with those young guys in there really well."
Barnett’s development may be the bigger storyline for Kansas State going forward. Knuth is already in his fifth year after his time with the Minnesota Golden Gophers, while Barnett looks like the likely starter next season if Johnson does not choose to return for a fifth season. The Wildcats could also go outside the program and add a quarterback through the transfer portal.
In Other News...
Kansas State Faces Its First Real Test Under Collin Klein
Kansas State gets its first real measuring-stick of the Collin Klein era on Sept. 12, when Washington State comes to Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan. The Wildcats opened with a win under their new coach, and now they face a Cougars team trying to steady itself after a loss in Kirby Moores debut. It is the kind of early-season nonconference game that can tell a lot about where a team really stands, especially with the oddsmakers already leaning toward the Wildcats.
For Kansas State, the larger question is not just whether it can protect home field, but whether the offense keeps building against a more demanding opponent. Washington State brings enough uncertainty of its own to make this an interesting matchup, and the scouting report points to a game with a few pressure points on both sides. The Wildcats should like their position entering the week, but this one feels more revealing than your typical September tune-up, because the margin for error may be tighter than it looked in the opener. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Faces Its First Real Test Under Collin Klein
Kansas State opened its season with a win over Nicholls, and now the Wildcats get a far different kind of measuring stick when Washington State comes to Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The matchup arrives with a little more intrigue after Washington State dropped its opener against Washington, and it gives Collin Klein a chance to see how his team handles a bigger stage early in the year.
Klein talked this week about the Wildcats performance and what the next game means for a group still trying to settle in under its new coach. The first meeting between the programs is set for 11 a.m. and will air on TNT, which adds a national spotlight to a game that should tell Kansas State plenty about where it stands. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Faces An Early Test That Could Change Everything
Week 2 in the Big 12 brings a slate that already feels like a tone-setter, with a handful of crossover games carrying real weight for teams trying to figure out who they are before conference play tightens the screws. Kansas State is part of that conversation because the Wildcats come off a lopsided opener and now get a much different kind of challenge, one that asks more about readiness, discipline and how quickly a team can build on a strong start.
The matchup also matters because the opponent is not walking in empty-handed after opening the season with a competitive showing of its own against Houston, and that makes this more than just a routine early checkup. For Kansas State, the first roadblock of September could reveal whether the opener was simply a clean warmup or the start of something more durable, and that distinction can shape how the rest of the season is viewed. [Read more 🡒]