K-State’s Chris Klieman will face odd QB decision if Skylar Thompson can’t play at Texas
Skylar Thompson’s latest injury comes at a difficult time for the Kansas State football team.
The Wildcats will hit the road for their final game of the regular season on Black Friday at Texas, which gives Thompson a quicker turnaround than usual to recover from a left ankle/foot injury, which he suffered late during a 20-10 loss to Baylor on Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
It is unclear if Thompson, a senior quarterback, will be ready to start for the Wildcats against the Longhorns as he recovers from an injury to his left ankle. But the odds seem to be against him.
If Thompson is unable to play, K-State coach Chris Klieman will have a difficult decision to make before kickoff. Which quarterback should he start in Thompson’s place?
He could go with Will Howard or Jaren Lewis, but there is an obvious down side for the player he goes with. Both Howard and Lewis have played in exactly four games this season, which means either one of them will no longer be eligible for a redshirt season if they take another snap this year.
Klieman was clearly hoping to preserve a redshirt for both players, as he started Howard in games against Nevada and Oklahoma State earlier this season but then stopped sending him into games entirely as soon as he reached his four-game limit against Kansas.
It was Lewis who finished out a K-State victory over West Virginia last week and came in for one play (an interception) in relief of Thompson on Saturday.
The plan was clearly for Howard and Lewis to play in four games apiece and save their eligibility for future seasons. But that will no longer be an option if Thompson is limited or sidelined.
So who’s it going to be?
“That is something that we’ve got to talk about as a staff,” Klieman said. “It’s a good question. I just don’t know. I have got to talk with (offensive coordinator Courtney) Messingham and talk with (quarterbacks coach Collin) Klein and see where we’re at.”
Howard seems like the most likely choice.
Not only is he more experienced than Lewis, the sophomore from Downingtown, Pa., still has four years of eligibility remaining even though he has already made nine starts for the Wildcats. Remember, last season was a free year for college athletes because of COVID-19
Howard threw for 1,178 yards and eight touchdowns while playing nine games in relief of Thompson last season. He has a 2-5 record as a starter, but also helped close out victories over Texas Tech and Southern Illinois after Thompson was injured in the first half.
Howard’s best game of this season came against Nevada when he threw for 123 yards and a touchdown while helping K-State to a 38-17 win.
But Lewis has also had his moments. The sophomore from Columbia, Mo., has thrown for 154 yards and a touchdown this season and split time with Howard when Thompson was sidelined earlier this season.
Though unlikely, it’s possible Klieman could choose to go in a different direction and play freshman Jake Rubley. He hasn’t played in a game all season, so he can maintain his redshirt by playing. But Rubley is also unproven at the college level. Preparing him for a road start against Texas would not be easy.
These possibilities are up for debate after Thompson appeared to tweak his left ankle after misfiring on a pass to Phillip Brooks in the fourth quarter against Baylor on Saturday. Thompson fell to the turf in agony afterward. He needed help from a pair of K-State trainers to make it off the field and headed straight for the team’s injury tent on the sideline. After a few minutes of examination, he was then carted into the locker room.
It didn’t look good.
Klieman said he didn’t have any updates on Thompson’s injury immediately after the game. But Thompson was seen moving around the K-State football complex on Saturday night with the help of crutches and a walking boot wrapped around his left foot.
This story was originally published November 20, 2021 at 11:12 PM with the headline "K-State’s Chris Klieman will face odd QB decision if Skylar Thompson can’t play at Texas."