Kansas State’s hopes for 2026 are tied to one name: Avery Johnson.
With Collin Klein back in the top job, the Wildcats are drawing outside buzz heading into the season, and CBS Sports was the latest major outlet to point to Kansas State as a team worth watching. The catch is simple. That optimism only holds if Johnson delivers the kind of jump that turns promise into production.
CBS Sports described Johnson as a quarterback with a wide range of outcomes, noting that he can flash with his legs one play and then give it back with a costly mistake the next. The question now is whether Klein can help trim the errors while unlocking more of the explosive plays that make Johnson such a dangerous weapon.
"If Johnson can elevate his game - and the offense as a whole - it's not crazy to think the Wildcats could reach the conference title game and play for a CFP berth," the article wrote. "The schedule, which doesn't include the top three teams in the Big 12, provides a very favorable path."
That path is one reason Kansas State is getting a more favorable look than it did entering 2025. Fans still have about 1.5 months to wait before seeing the new version of the program, but the early read is that this team could end up much better than many expected.
Klein, for his part, has made it clear he believes Johnson is ready for a breakthrough. Speaking at Big 12 Media Day, he pointed to the quarterback’s makeup and the connection the two have built.
"He’s a very stoic, laid-back guy, but that processor is going, and his motor is going hot under there," Klein said about Johnson during Big 12 Media Day. "That’s why we got so close and why we fit … We both love the game of football, we both love competing and winning."
In Other News...
Longtime K State Voice Draws Emotional Support After Sudden Health Scare
A longtime presence around Kansas State athletics is now dealing with a much bigger fight off the field. D. Scott Fritchen, who has covered the Wildcats for years, recently underwent emergency surgery after a sudden heart scare, and the procedure was successful. He is now in recovery, while the K-State community and plenty of Big 12 media colleagues have rallied around him with messages of support.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with medical expenses, and the response has already been strong as people around the program look for a way to help. For a beat writer who has spent so much time documenting the Wildcats, the outpouring has been a reminder of how tightly connected that community can be when one of its own is suddenly facing an uncertain stretch ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Jacksons New Backfield Could Change Everything For K-States Offense
Kansas States 2026 backfield is starting to take shape around a familiar name in Joe Jackson, but the real intrigue comes from how the rest of the room fits around him. The Wildcats added Rodney Fields Jr. from Oklahoma State and Jay Harris from Oregon, giving new head coach Collin Klein a trio that looks built to cover different jobs rather than force one runner into every situation.
Fields brings the kind of versatility that can matter on passing downs, while Harris adds the physical edge needed when the game tightens near the goal line or in short-yardage spots. Jackson, meanwhile, remains the primary runner, and the early read from inside the program is that this is less about sorting out winners and losers than figuring out how three different skill sets can make the offense harder to defend. [Read more 🡒]