Avery Johnson could be the only quarterback to suit up for the Kansas State Wildcats Saturday against the Cincinnati Bearcats
Avery Johnson has held the title of QB1 for the Kansas State Wildcats for the past three season.
That label could take on a new meaning this week against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the Big 12 opener at Nippert Stadium. The Wildcats are facing the possibility of Johnson being the only quarterback available for the game.
One of the backups, Blake Barnett, is listed as out for the game. The other two, Jacob Knuth and DIllon Duff, are pegged as probable on the injury report.
Last week first-year coach Collin Klein hinted there could be some issue at the quarterback position because of injuries. The good news is the Wildcats offensive line has done a solid job of protecting Johnson so far this season.
It also helps that Johnson is playing perhaps the best football of his collegiate career. He is coming off a huge game in last week's victory against the Tulane Green Wave. He had a career-high 151 yards and two touchdowns in the 31-20 win.
With the exception of a bad interception in the first half of the win against the Washington State Cougars, Johnson has played nearly flawless football. It seems he is thriving because of Klein's presence.
Johnson began his K-State career by showing so much promise in his sophomore season. His numbers then took a decline the following year. He struggled with inconsistency, which eventually led to the Wildcats finishing with a disappointing 6-6 record.
When Klein took over for Chris Klieman, who resigned, it allowed Johnson to easily transition to a new coach. Klein, who had already been a K-State assistant, was one of the key figures in recruiting Johnson.
Now, the focus is keeping Johnson healthy. The Bearcats have already said he is the focal point of the defense because of his dual-threat capabilities. The offensive line needs to do its best to protect the quarterback and Johnson has to show caution when running the ball.
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Shandel Richardson is the publisher of KStateRoundtable. He can be reached at [email protected]
