Kansas State’s new offensive coordinator Sean Gleeson took the podium for the first time on Wednesday, and it didn’t take long for the conversation to shift to the Wildcats’ most important piece on offense: quarterback Avery Johnson.
Gleeson made it clear-this offense is going to start with Johnson. And from the sound of it, he’s already a believer in what the senior signal-caller brings to the table.
“I’ve worked with a bunch of different guys, but he’s unique,” Gleeson said. “He’s one of the fastest I’ve ever coached.”
That’s high praise from a coach who’s spent time developing quarterbacks across multiple programs. Gleeson pointed to Johnson’s explosiveness on tape and in offseason workouts, calling him a “Swiss Army knife”-a nod to Johnson’s ability to hurt defenses both through the air and on the ground.
And that dual-threat dynamic is exactly what Kansas State will need to unlock if they want to take a step forward in 2026. Johnson is entering his fourth season in Manhattan and his third as the full-time starter. That kind of experience is rare in today’s college football landscape, and Gleeson knows it’s a luxury.
“It’s tough to break one in that hasn’t been under the lights,” Gleeson said. “When you have a guy who has some experience, they’ve seen the balls fly a little bit. Combined with his arm, his set of legs, and his experience, I think he makes a great kid to work with.”
Still, there’s no sugarcoating it-Johnson’s 2025 campaign fell short of expectations. He threw for 2,385 yards with 18 touchdowns and six interceptions, numbers that are solid on paper but didn’t quite reflect the dynamic playmaker many expected to see. His rushing totals-477 yards-were modest, and the offense often leaned heavily on short-yardage passing rather than stretching the field vertically.
That conservative approach limited Johnson’s impact, especially for a player known for his ability to extend plays and create chaos for defenses. Now, with key departures like wide receiver Jayce Brown and a wave of new faces arriving via the transfer portal, the challenge only grows.
Gleeson isn’t blind to that. In fact, he sees this transitional phase as a critical opportunity-not just for Johnson, but for the entire offense to find its identity.
“You have to keep your discipline about going about this process,” he said. “You have to come together as a group first before you can learn how to win and handle winning after that.”
That’s the reality of modern college football. With the transfer portal reshaping rosters every offseason, continuity is a luxury. Chemistry has to be built quickly, and Gleeson knows that starts with instilling structure and getting everyone on the same page.
“The ‘come together’ part with all the new portal faces is so pivotal for all of us in college football now,” Gleeson added.
For Kansas State, the pieces are there. A veteran quarterback with elite athleticism.
A new offensive mind ready to tailor the scheme to his strengths. And a locker room that, while reshaped, has the potential to gel into something special.
The question now is whether Gleeson and Johnson can unlock that next gear-because if they do, the Wildcats could be a problem in the Big 12 this fall.