Kansas State left Tempe with more questions than answers, and the biggest one was impossible to miss: why did the Wildcats have to lean so heavily on the pass with a backup quarterback?
That was the reality Saturday night at Mountain America Stadium, where K-State took a 28-17 loss to Arizona State after throwing the ball 41 times with Jacob Knuth. The backup finished 26 of 41 for 196 yards and a touchdown while usual starter Avery Johnson stayed on the sideline.
The run game never gave the Wildcats much help. Kansas State managed only 84 rushing yards on 32 carries, a 2.6-yard average that left Knuth in a tough spot for much of the night. Joe Jackson finished with 17 yards on nine carries, and Rodney Fields had 36 yards on 10 attempts.
“When you rush for 84 yards,” Klein said, “and you’ve got young quarterback from a starting experience standpoint, you know, that was critical. I thought we lost the line of scrimmage on both sides, and that was the difference in the game.”
Kansas State actually got off to a sharp start, building a 17-14 lead before Arizona State turned the game around. The momentum swung hard after the Sun Devils made a quarterback change, a move that seemed to wake up a home crowd that had been booing for most of the first three quarters.
Player of the game honors go to Jake Fette. The freshman didn’t put up huge numbers, completing 3 of 6 passes for 46 yards, but his arrival changed the feel of the game. Once he entered, Arizona State played with more confidence and closed with a pair of critical touchdown drives.
The decisive sequence came late in the third quarter when K-State went for it on fourth-and-12 from the ASU 37. Knuth was stopped well short of the line to gain, and from there the Sun Devils took control the rest of the way.
The stat that best sums it up is the simplest one: Kansas State averaged 2.6 yards per rush. A week earlier, the Wildcats averaged 7 yards per carry against Kansas. That swing told the whole story of the difference between a rivalry win and a road loss.
K-State’s offense earned a C. Knuth showed some promise by guiding the Wildcats into Arizona State territory on six different drives, but finishing was the issue.
His inexperience showed more as the game wore on, especially against the blitz, and Kansas State went empty on its final five possessions. With the ground game stuck in neutral, there was no safety net.
The defense also got a C. Kansas State forced five straight punts in the middle of the game and finished with four sacks while holding Arizona State to 359 yards.
But the pass defense was shaky early, and it faded badly when the game was on the line. The Sun Devils ripped off a 71-yard touchdown drive and a 65-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter.
Special teams came through again and earned an A. Punting and kicking were solid, and Sterling Lockett added a boost as a punt returner.
Coaching gets a C. Klein put together an excellent opening script, one that produced an early 7-0 lead on a touchdown pass from Knuth to Jaron Tibbs.
But the offense only managed 10 more points after that, and the second-half fourth-down aggression backfired too often. For a first-year head coach, the day showed both the upside and the growing pains.
Kansas State now turns to Colorado for another road game next week. The Buffaloes will host the Wildcats at 1 p.m. at Folsom Field in a matchup of teams that badly need a conference win. K-State is favored by 3.5, with the over/under set at 47.5.
The Wildcats are 4-3 overall and 1-3 in the Big 12, and they need a win to keep their bowl hopes moving. Colorado is 2-5 and 0-4 in the league, and it simply needs a victory.
The Buffaloes are coming off a blowout loss at Oklahoma State, but they’ve shown some improvement in recent weeks, staying competitive at times against both Utah and OSU.
There is still no timetable for Johnson to return as Kansas State’s starter. Klein said there are “more questions than answers” about his status, which leaves open the possibility that the Wildcats will be back in backup-quarterback mode again next week.
In Other News...
Kansas State Suddenly Has A Serious Avery Johnson Problem
Avery Johnsons absence against Arizona State changed the look of Kansas States offense in a hurry, and it came after the quarterback was hurt in the previous game against Kansas. With Johnson unavailable, fifth-year senior Jacob Knuth got the start, giving the Wildcats a very different answer at the most important position on the field.
The bigger concern for Kansas State is that there is still no clear timeline for Johnsons return. Collin Klein said the medical staff is continuing to evaluate the injury, leaving the Wildcats to wait and see how long they might have to manage without the quarterback who has been central to their plans. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas States Frustrating Loss Came Down To One Coaching Decision
Playing without starting quarterback, Kansas State still had enough to keep things within reach for a stretch at Mountain America Stadium, where Jacob Knuth filled in and handled the spot well enough to give the Wildcats a chance. Arizona State pulled away for a 28-17 win on Oct. 24, but the loss did not feel like one that was simply decided by injuries or a mismatch on paper.
Collin Kleins offense had its moments, yet one third-quarter coaching decision swung the tone of the game and blunted the momentum Kansas State had built. The result left the Wildcats with a frustrating finish and a film room full of grades to sort through, with offense, defense, special teams and coaching all coming under the microscope. [Read more 🡒]
Collin Klein Sounds Fed Up With What Kansas State Must Fix
After Kansas States 28-17 loss to Arizona State, Collin Klein didnt sound interested in dressing up what went wrong. He pointed to the offensive line and the lack of success on third down as major issues, and his postgame tone made it clear the Wildcats know there is plenty to clean up if they want the offense to function more consistently.
Jacob Knuth drew praise for the way he fought through the game, with Klein commending his toughness and competitiveness in a difficult setting. Beyond that, the message was bigger than one player or one play - Klein said the entire operation, from the roster to the coaching staff, has room to improve as Kansas State looks to regroup and reset. [Read more 🡒]