Kansas State’s injury list just got a little longer, and the timing could not be much tougher.
Running back Joe Jackson showed up on the Wildcats’ report Wednesday and is listed as questionable for Saturday’s Big 12 matchup with Oklahoma State at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Kansas State was already dealing with a thin margin for error, and Jackson’s status now adds another layer of uncertainty.
Jackson has been one of the Wildcats’ most productive pieces this season. He ranks third on the team in rushing with 384 yards on 84 carries and three touchdowns, and he has also contributed in the passing game with 14 catches for 132 yards and two more scores.
That production matters even more now because Kansas State is already operating without quarterback Avery Johnson. He is expected to miss the rest of the season with an undisclosed injury and has not played since the Oct. 17 win over rival Kansas in the Sunflower Showdown.
In Johnson’s place, Blake Barnett is set to make his fourth start in four games at quarterback. Kansas State has already gone through Jacob Knuth and Dillon Duff in the shuffle, and the constant turnover has made life difficult for first-year coach Collin Klein.
The Wildcats do still have Rodney Fields, who leads the team in rushing, but losing Jackson would leave them even more short-handed against an Oklahoma State team that arrives 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the Big 12 after winning two straight.
Jackson’s role has been one of the more interesting twists of the season. He finished last year as the starter after rushing for nearly 1,000 yards, but this fall he lost the job to Fields, an Oklahoma State transfer who has started every game.
That was a surprising turn after Jackson had beaten out Dylan Edwards for the starting spot shortly after last season began. Now, with Kansas State trying to stop a two-game skid and avoid a fifth loss in its last six games, his availability suddenly looms large.
The Wildcats have stayed competitive in most of their games this year, with Houston standing as the lone exception. But with the quarterback situation still unsettled and another key offensive player in question, Saturday brings another difficult test.
In Other News...
Kansas State Suddenly Has A Road Problem Collin Klein Must Solve
Kansas States strong start has given way to a two-game skid, and the timing has made the Wildcats margin for error feel a lot thinner. Collin Klein has pointed to a broader issue that has followed the program on the road over the past three years, where close games have too often tilted the wrong way and left little room to recover when things start to wobble.
Avery Johnsons injury has only complicated matters, forcing Kansas State to lean on inexperienced backups in spots where composure matters most. The latest setback, an overtime loss to Colorado, fit the pattern all too well, and it leaves Klein with a problem that goes beyond one bad night away from home. The Wildcats now have to find a way to steady themselves before the road keeps dictating the story. [Read more 🡒]
K-State Faces A Brutal Test Keeping Up With Oklahoma State
Kansas State is heading into a matchup that figures to demand points in bunches, and the Wildcats are not pretending otherwise. With backup quarterback Blake Barnett set to run the offense in place of injured starter Avery Johnson, K-State knows it will need to keep pace with an Oklahoma State team that has been piling up yards and points behind quarterback Drew Mestemaker and the Big 12s top offense.
The challenge for the Wildcats is as much about staying aggressive as it is about surviving the matchup. Players and coaches have been clear that Oklahoma States attack can force opponents out of their comfort zone, which puts even more pressure on K-States offense to answer possession for possession. For a team already adjusting at quarterback, the margin for error against that kind of firepower looks awfully thin. [Read more 🡒]
Yamil Talib May Have Earned A Much Bigger Colorado Role
Yamil Talib turned in the kind of performance that can change how a player is viewed in a hurry, and he did it against Kansas State. The Colorado edge rusher piled up eight tackles in the win, including two sacks and two tackles for loss, then talked afterward about how much of the credit belonged to the defensive teammates and coaches around him. He also pointed back to the shoulder injury he had to work through, which makes the timing of the breakout even more notable.
Talib also offered a glimpse into the work behind the scenes, saying some of his preparation habits came from his uncle, former NFL cornerback Aqib Talib. For Colorado, the bigger question now is whether this was just a one-game flash or the start of a larger role for a player who looked ready for more responsibility. Against a Kansas State offense that had to account for him all night, he made a strong case that the next step should come quickly. [Read more 🡒]