Despite Kansas State’s shaky start, quarterback Avery Johnson has emerged as a poised leader of the offense. 

Johnson has totaled 591 passing yards with five touchdowns and zero interceptions. He has showcased an improved deep-ball aggressiveness, an area of his game that needed enhancement entering this season.

"I think you've seen growth, I know I certainly have over the last year and a half," K-State Offensive Coordinator Matt Wells said Thursday. "I would say number one, leadership and maturity. Number two, this year he's thrown a handful of deep balls better. That was a big thing through the off season and improvement for him."

Wells said Johnson now enjoys more freedom at the line of scrimmage than last year, a testament to his growing maturity and the Wildcats’ trust in him. Johnson is also averaging a 67.1 percent completion rate, which has greatly pleased the offensive coordinator. However, he has been urged to be more cautious on 50/50 throws that could result in turnovers.

" {The} zero turnovers, I'm the most proud of," he continued. "Now we did put the ball in harm's way about four times, and we were living right on Saturday night as some people would say. And if you continue to play with fire, you're going to get your butt burned, and he knows that."

  "I think the percentage...should be higher. We've probably missed on eight balls that were inaccurate, whether it's through rain or lazy footwork or whatever the excuse or real occurrence happened. We've been inaccurate on probably seven or eight balls that should be higher, and we've had a few drops, but those things are going to happen. That's the cost doing business."

Johnson will need to elevate his play even further to help the Wildcats regain their status as one of college football’s top teams and put him back into the Heisman discussion. 

As Kansas State navigates its difficult season start, coach Chris Klieman has expressed some disappointment with the team's performance.

It’s even more frustrating considering the injuries that have derailed the original game plan. But repairing the team amid these absences will be even more challenging.

Kansas State was showered with praise heading into 2025, with many believing it could win a Big 12 title and possibly clinch its first postseason berth in program history.

It’s safe to say that doubt is slowly increasing, as the Wildcats haven’t established any dominance in their first two weeks of the season. They skated by FCS North Dakota with a fourth-quarter comeback and lost to Iowa State to open the season. The Athletic was the latest outlet to cast doubt on the team’s ambitions, knocking it 18 spots on its power rankings.

“Kansas State falls to No. 39 after the loss to Iowa State, followed by the narrow win against North Dakota,” the article wrote.

K-State quarterback Avery Johnson is living up to some of his preseason hype, already throwing for 591 yards and five touchdowns. However, the defensive breakdowns, sloppy plays, and constant mistakes have held the team far below its expectations. Injuries to players like Dylan Edwards and Linkon Cure, who are anticipated to be offensive juggernauts, are also restricting the team from reaching its highest potential.

Kansas State hosts Army this Saturday in what feels like a must-have. Should the Wildcats lose or log another down-to-the-wire performance, that may be it for their championship aspirations.