Kansas State still doesn’t have a clear answer on Avery Johnson, and that’s the biggest storyline hanging over the Wildcats after Saturday’s 28-17 loss to Arizona State.
Head coach Collin Klein didn’t offer much of a timeline when asked about his quarterback’s status in the wake of the defeat in Tempe.
“There’s a few more questions than answers right now,” Klein said. “Still trying to handle things, and our medical staff and doctors are doing a great job of working through everything and making sure that we do it right.”
That uncertainty now spills into Kansas State’s preparation for next Saturday’s home game against Colorado. Johnson was originally listed as questionable on Wednesday’s injury report, then slid to doubtful on Friday before being ruled out before kickoff.
The school has not disclosed the exact injury.
The issue appears to have started in Kansas State’s win over Kansas in the Sunflower Showdown. Johnson ripped off a 59-yard run in the first quarter, then went down awkwardly and left for one play. He came right back on the next possession and finished the game, throwing for 209 yards and a touchdown while also piling up 132 rushing yards.
With Johnson sidelined against Arizona State, fifth-year senior Jacob Knuth got the first start of his career. He completed 26 of 41 passes for 194 yards and a touchdown, but Kansas State never got its ground game going and finished with only 84 rushing yards.
Klein had good things to say about Knuth after the game, but there’s no doubt the Wildcats are a different team when Johnson is available. Kansas State is now 4-3, and for the moment, there’s real uncertainty about when its star quarterback will be back in the lineup.
Kansas State returns home to face Colorado on Saturday, October 31.
In Other News...
Kansas States Offense Just Raised A Bigger Concern Than One Loss
Arizona States 28-17 win over Kansas State in Tempe did more than hand the Wildcats a loss. It exposed how hard it can be for this offense to function when the running game gets bottled up, because the Sun Devils controlled that part of the matchup and made Kansas State work far too often in obvious passing situations. Even with Knuth stepping in and providing both a touchdown pass and a rushing score, the Wildcats never found a steady rhythm.
The challenge now is bigger than sorting out one result, because Kansas State needs answers for how to keep drives alive when the ground game is taken away. Arizona State got a major lift from Cardae Macks four touchdowns and help from Reed Harris, while the Wildcats spent too much of the afternoon chasing momentum instead of creating it. For a team built to expect more from its offense, that is the concern that lingers after the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas States Frustrating Loss Came Down To One Coaching Decision
Kansas State entered its Oct. 24 trip to Mountain America Stadium already working around the absence of starting quarterback play, and Jacob Knuth did enough to keep the Wildcats in the fight against Arizona State. The offense had stretches where it looked serviceable, the defense had its moments, and the special teams held up in spots, but the bigger picture was a 28-17 loss that left the Wildcats needing more from the sideline as much as from the players on the field.
Collin Kleins third-quarter choice became the kind of turning point that lingers after a game like this, because it arrived just as Kansas State still had a chance to steady the momentum. Instead, the decision helped tilt the afternoon further toward Arizona State and turned a manageable road test into a frustrating defeat, the sort that leads to tough grades across offense, defense, special teams and coaching when the film is reviewed. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Walks Into A Dangerous Road Spot At Arizona State
Kansas State heads into a tricky late-September road trip to Tempe with both teams sitting at 1-2 in Big 12 play, making Saturdays meeting at Mountain America Stadium feel like more than just another conference game. The Wildcats are 4-2 overall, but Arizona State has enough left in the tank to make this one feel like a real test, especially with Kenny Dillinghams group trying to steady itself at home after an uneven start.
The Sun Devils are also coming off a quarterback change, moving from Cutter Boley to Mikey Keene, which adds another layer to a matchup already shaped by desperation and urgency on both sides. With ticket prices and the forecast drawing plenty of attention ahead of kickoff on Sept. 26, Kansas State is walking into the kind of environment where the details around the game may matter almost as much as the game itself. [Read more 🡒]