Will the Kansas State Wildcats keep calling plays for backup QB Blake Barnett?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kansas State inserted Blake Barnett for four plays, gained 24 yards, sparked offense.
- Coaches view Barnett as a dual-threat option, rising ahead of other backups.
- Staff will weigh expanding Barnett's package at Baylor or reverting to status quo.
Many expected the Kansas State football team to try some new things on offense against UCF last week.
The Wildcats were on a losing streak and had just come off a bye. With extra time to prepare for the Knights, it would have made little sense for Chris Klieman and his coaching staff to keep calling the same plays that weren’t moving the chains or putting points on the board.
Still, it caught many off-guard when backup quarterback Blake Barnett led the offense for four straight plays in the first quarter, while starting quarterback Avery Johnson lined up by his side as a running back.
“It was just a way for us to try and evaluate Blake a little bit,” Klieman said. “Blake is a really good athlete.”
The new strategy worked. K-State offensive coordinator Matt Wells dialed up four straight running plays for Barnett and the redshirt freshman quarterback took advantage by gaining 24 yards and picking up two first downs. K-State went on to win 34-20.
His first play was the best of the bunch. Barnett faked a pitch to Johnson and then took off running to the right for an 11-yard gain. He showed off his speed as he raced to the edge and then he showed off his power by lowering his shoulder on his way to extra yardage.
Barnett then took three more QB keepers up the middle for positive gains.
He exited the game after that and only saw one more carry on the day. But he made an impact while he was on the field.
“It was something that gave us a little bit of a spark,” Klieman said.
K-State showed little interest in using its backup quarterbacks during the first four games of the season as the Wildcats slumped to a 1-3 start. But coaches got creative when they had two weeks to prepare for the Knights.
No one knew if running back Dylan Edwards was going to be healthy enough to play against UCF, so K-State tabbed Barnett as a change-of-pace runner who could give the offense a boost on the ground. He ran the package so well during practice that the Wildcats decided to use it in the game, even though Edwards returned to the starting lineup and rushed for 166 yards and a touchdown.
“We were like, ‘Hey, let’s use it and see how it works,’” Klieman said. “I think it helped Blake. When you get into the game and you have some success, it’s going to give you confidence.”
K-State hasn’t publicly identified its backup quarterback this season, but Barnett seems to have a leg up over fellow reserves Jacob Knuth and Dillon Duff now that he has made a string of quality plays against Big 12 competition.
Barnett is a 6-foot-1 and 220-pound passer from Erie, Colorado. He spent last season on the sideline with a redshirt as he recovered from an injury. But he is flashing his potential now that he is healthy. Perhaps he is the K-State quarterback of the future.
Question is: Will we see him lead the offense again this season?
For now, Klieman won’t commit to anything. Maybe the Wildcats will expand on Barnett’s package of plays when they head to Baylor for a Big 12 road game on Saturday. Maybe they will send Barnett back to the bench.
Either way, Barnett has given opposing defenses something new to think about.
This story was originally published October 1, 2025 at 12:48 PM with the headline "Will the Kansas State Wildcats keep calling plays for backup QB Blake Barnett?."