Kansas State is heading into another Saturday with its quarterback situation still unresolved.
The Wildcats will either turn to Blake Barnett or Dillon Duff when they face TCU in Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday, Nov. 14.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Avery Johnson is still out with an undisclosed injury, and Jacob Knuth will miss a third straight week after starting in the Oct. 24 loss at Arizona State.
Coach Collin Klein said Monday, Nov. 9, that he had not yet decided who would get the nod against the Horned Frogs, who own the Big 12’s top-ranked defense.
"It's a tough question; it's not anything to do with those guys, they're both gonna compete this week; they're gonna get a lot of reps," Klein said. "We're gonna see how it goes through the week."
Barnett and Duff have already split the last two games. Duff started the Oct. 31 loss at Colorado, then Barnett took over after three drives. A week later in the 66-28 loss to Oklahoma State, Barnett opened the game before Duff replaced him at halftime.
Barnett’s two appearances have told very different stories. At Colorado, he looked sharp enough to earn more time, finishing 18 of 28 for 224 yards and three touchdowns.
His biggest moment came late, when he led a game-tying drive with no timeouts and less than a minute left. Against Oklahoma State, though, he struggled badly, going 7 of 17 for 106 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions in one half.
Duff’s first start at Colorado never really got rolling. He was pulled after nine snaps, completed his only pass and spent much of the stint under pressure.
His second chance, however, looked more comfortable. Against Oklahoma State, he went 10 of 17 for 94 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
"It felt really good for (Duff), and I was really happy for him," Klein said. "It's a different quarterback psychology when that happens, especially as younger players when you're starting a game. Both of the guys need to grow into that."
Klein added that he expects both quarterbacks to play against TCU. He said that had been the original plan going into the Colorado game as well, before Barnett stayed in after giving the Wildcats a "spark."
TCU enters the matchup at 4-5, but its defense has been stingy all season. The Horned Frogs are allowing 15.8 points per game and rank 22nd nationally by giving up 304.7 yards per game. Even so, they have surrendered 441 or more yards in each of their last two games.
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For the Wildcats, though, the spotlight is less about the stage and more about sorting out the quarterback situation after recent losses. TCU has its own frustration after a close defeat to Arizona, so this is hardly a soft landing spot for either side. Still, Kansas States ability to steady itself at the games most important position may end up shaping not just this trip to Texas, but the tone of the rest of the month. [Read more 🡒]