Kansas State’s quarterback picture is still cloudy heading into Saturday’s trip to Colorado, and even Collin Klein doesn’t have a clean answer yet.
Two days removed from Jacob Knuth stepping in for Avery Johnson in a 28-17 loss to Arizona State, the Wildcats still don’t know who will be under center at 1 p.m. Saturday at Folsom Field. Klein said neither quarterback is guaranteed to be available.
“I don’t know exactly who is going to take the first snap on Saturday,” Klein said. “That is where we’re at.”
Johnson remains out with an undisclosed neck/shoulder injury, and there is no timetable for his return. The senior had started 32 straight games before sitting out against the Sun Devils.
His latest setback traces back to an awkward fall late in a 59-yard run against Kansas two weeks ago. He stayed down for several minutes in obvious pain, then returned after missing only one play, but the concern never really went away.
Klein called Johnson “day to day,” but said he won’t play until the medical staff clears him. For now, the coach isn’t offering guesses.
“A lot of it is going to depend on how fast his recovery process goes,” Klein said. “He’s working hard at it and doing everything that he can.
Some of that is going to be out of his control in this deal. We are just going to kind of see how that progresses.
We’re monitoring it obviously very closely. Our doctors and trainers have done a nice job of protecting him and detailing this thing.
We will do the right and best thing for him.”
Knuth, meanwhile, got his first college start against Arizona State and put together a workable line: 26 completions in 41 attempts for 194 yards, plus a touchdown through the air. He also ran for 19 yards and another score.
But his night came with a price. Klein said Knuth tweaked his ankle multiple times, and he was limping after the game.
By the fourth quarter, the mobility that helped him get through the day had clearly been compromised.
“You could see he was battling through it,” Klein said. “I just respect the heck out of the effort that he gave our program and his teammates.”
If both Johnson and Knuth are unable to go, Kansas State would have to dig deeper. Dillon Duff appears to be the next man up.
The 6-foot-2 quarterback has been with the program for two seasons and looked positioned to be the primary backup before a lower-body injury late in training camp knocked him out of the non-conference games. He’s healthier now, though he has still never taken a college snap.
Blake Barnett is another possibility. The third-year quarterback was injured in the season-opener against Nicholls, but he dressed at Arizona State and is trending in the right direction. Barnett rushed for 40 yards on 14 carries last season, and he could be asked to add to that workload soon if Kansas State’s quarterback depth gets tested again.
For now, though, the Wildcats are still waiting - and the answer at quarterback remains unresolved.
In Other News...
Kansas State Suddenly Has A Season Problem It Cant Ignore
Kansas States season took another rough turn with a 28-17 loss to Arizona State, a defeat that left the Wildcats 4-3 overall and 1-3 in conference play. The problems were familiar and hard to ignore: the run game never found a rhythm, and the defense had just as much trouble slowing the Sun Devils on the ground, making it a frustrating afternoon for a team trying to stabilize under first-year coach Collin Klein.
There was at least some reassurance in the quarterback situation, where backup Jacob Knuth handled relief duties well after Avery Johnson was injured. Even so, the bigger concern is starting to define this team, because Kansas State cannot keep leaning on spot fixes while the same issues keep surfacing on both sides of the line of scrimmage. [Read more 🡒]
K-State Heads To Colorado With A Growing Problem It Can't Ignore
Kansas State heads to Colorado still sorting through the fallout from a loss at Arizona State, and the timing is not ideal. The Wildcats are trying to keep their season on track for bowl eligibility, but the trip to Folsom Field comes with a new layer of uncertainty because starting quarterback Avery Johnson is dealing with an injury and there is no clear return date yet.
That leaves the Wildcats in line to lean on Jacob Knuth again if Johnson cannot go, which only sharpens the pressure on a game they need to have. Colorado enters with a losing streak, but the Buffaloes have been more competitive lately, and on the road that is exactly the kind of test Kansas State can ill afford to mishandle while the quarterback situation remains unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Heads To Boulder With Less Margin Than Fans Expected
Kansas State heads to Boulder for a Big 12 matchup that looks a lot tighter on paper than some fans might have expected. The Wildcats are still getting the edge in the early market, but the number is slim enough to suggest oddsmakers see a game that could swing on a handful of possessions at Folsom Field.
The betting board also points to a fairly ordinary scoring range, which fits the feel of a conference game where both sides know each other well and margin for error is thin. Colorado gets the chance to defend home turf, while Kansas State will try to justify that slight favorite status in a spot where the line leaves very little room for comfort. [Read more 🡒]