Kansas State Wildcats will get peek at future when Avery Johnson starts in bowl game
For the first time in program history, Kansas State is in a position where its bowl game will feel more like a preview for next year rather than a culmination of the current football season.
The Wildcats have played in 24 bowls and they have put considerable effort into trying to win all of them. Things like transfers and opt outs, which have turned many postseason games into glorified exhibitions in recent years, have never really affected them.
Until now.
K-State will head into this bowl season with a decimated quarterback room that now features just two players — Avery Johnson and Jacob Knuth.
Usual starter Will Howard has decided to enter the NCAA transfer portal and play elsewhere next season as a “super senior.” Reserve passers Jake Rubley and Adryan Lara are also on the move after never climbing their way up the depth chart.
That means Johnson will take over as the presumptive starter after the Wildcats learn of their bowl destination, most likely the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando or the Texas Bowl in Houston.
Those circumstances may seem unusual, and possibly even adverse for Chris Klieman’s team. But it actually adds quite a bit of intrigue to the bowl game because it will mark the beginning of a new era for both Johnson and the offense.
Fans have been clamoring for Johnson to play more ever since he burst onto the scene with a phenomenal game against Texas Tech earlier this season in which he rushed for 90 yards and a school record five touchdowns. Klieman and his coaching staff pivoted back to Howard full-time late in the season, but it was abundantly clear that Johnson was the QB of the future.
His time is now.
Normally, we would have to wait until next year to truly see what Johnson can do as a full-time starter. Now, we get a sneak peek at the bowl game.
That should make this postseason a fun experience for everyone involved, even if it is different.
Johnson will be ready for his opportunity. The freshman from Maize has looked nothing like a rookie this season. He has thrown for 301 yards and a touchdown and also rushed for 225 yards and six touchdowns. He has a strong arm and he can run. His scrambling ability and propensity to make plays outside of the pocket give him a high ceiling.
Those talents have been on display for parts of seven games this season. But he hasn’t made a single start. It will be fascinating to see how he handles things as QB1.
One question that the Wildcats must solve between now and late December is who will serve as backup quarterback for the bowl game. Knuth seems like the obvious choice, but a team spokesman confirmed that he will need a waiver to play this season because he transferred from Minnesota to K-State under unusual circumstances.
Knuth was on an athletic scholarship with the Gophers last season, but he joined the Wildcats this year as a recruited walk-on. For whatever reason, NCAA rules dictate that players sit out a year in that scenario.
Coaches are high on Knuth and he projects to be the backup next year. But it’s too early to know if he will be allowed to play in a bowl game next month.
Regardless, K-State will need reinforcements at the QB position. Junior safety Max Marsh would be a prime candidate to help in a reserve role. He spent his first two seasons with the Wildcats at quarterback before switching to defense.
This story was originally published November 28, 2023 at 10:27 AM with the headline "Kansas State Wildcats will get peek at future when Avery Johnson starts in bowl game."