Kansas State heads into Saturday’s matchup with Arizona State needing to prepare for a different look than it expected.
The Sun Devils are projected to go with Mikey Keene at quarterback rather than Cutter Boley, a midweek switch that forces the Wildcats to revise their defensive plan before the teams meet.
Kansas State is coming off a statement win over Kansas in the Sunflower Showdown at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. That victory marked the Wildcats’ 18th straight against the Jayhawks and snapped a two-game skid.
Arizona State, meanwhile, is trying to bounce back after a 53-25 loss to Texas Tech, the defending Big 12 champion.
For Kansas State, the game also carries bigger implications. A win would help keep the Wildcats in the hunt for the Big 12 championship game and a possible College Football Playoff berth. The path is there, too: Kansas State avoided league games against BYU, Utah and Texas Tech, all of whom are undefeated and viewed as the conference’s top teams.
That gives Collin Klein’s first-year team a chance to keep pushing toward a title-game opportunity, though the focus has to stay on Saturday first.
There is also a question hanging over Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson. One of the Wildcats’ best players this season, Johnson was listed as questionable on Wednesday’s injury report ahead of the trip to Tempe.
If he can’t go, it would be a significant setback. Kansas State has already been hit hard at backup quarterback, with Jacob Knuth, Blake Barnett and Dillon Duff all dealing with injuries this season.
In Other News...
K-State Suddenly Has A Huge Avery Johnson Problem Before Arizona State
Avery Johnsons availability has become one of the biggest questions hanging over Kansas State heading into its matchup with Arizona State. The Wildcats starting quarterback was listed as questionable after dealing with a neck and shoulder injury suffered in the previous game, and while he played through it last time out, there is no certainty yet about whether hell be ready to go.
Jacob Knuth is the next man up if Johnson cannot play, which puts added pressure on Kansas State at a critical point in the schedule. Any uncertainty at quarterback changes how the Wildcats prepare, and it leaves the staff waiting on Johnsons status as the game approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Former K State Coach Bob Huggins Faces A Serious New Reality
Bob Huggins is set to be honored by the University of Cincinnati Athletics Hall of Fame, another reminder of the long coaching trail that included a memorable stop at Kansas State and a rsum built on 863 career wins. His family recently shared that he is now living with a progressive cognitive condition that has affected both his memory and his day-to-day life, and because of that he will not take part in the press events tied to the induction.
Huggins turned 73 recently, and the announcement adds a sobering layer to a career most fans remember for its victories, intensity and reach across multiple programs. For those who followed him in Manhattan, the news shifts the focus from what he accomplished on the sideline to the support surrounding him now, with his family helping guide him through a difficult new chapter. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas States New Coach Is Already Selling A Bigger Wildcats Vision
Casey Alexanders first Big 12 Media Days as Kansas States head basketball coach came with the kind of stage that immediately tells you how much bigger the job is than what he knew in the Missouri Valley Conference. Even in his first year guiding the Wildcats, Alexander was already talking less about simply stabilizing the program after a difficult season and more about the foundation he wants to build, with culture and leadership at the center of that push.
The preseason outlook around Kansas State is still modest, but Alexander has made it clear he is not interested in shrinking the conversation to meet outside expectations. He spoke with confidence about what the Wildcats can become and about the possibility of an NCAA Tournament run, which is exactly the kind of message a new coach has to sell early if he wants the room to believe in a bigger vision. [Read more 🡒]