It's safe to say that Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson didn't have the best junior season.
But it might not have been all his fault. One CBS Sports article analyzed which quarterbacks suffered the most dropped passes last season, with Johnson among the 15 who endured the worst. He had a 4.55-percent completion difference adjusted for drops.
Johnson completed 59.8 percent of his passes in 2025, a career high for him but still disappointing for what was projected for him. He threw for 2,385 yards, 18 touchdowns, and six interceptions, while rushing for 477 yards and eight touchdowns. Johnson took a step back in nearly every statistical category.
But as we can see, maybe it wasn't always his doing. Games like Texas Tech and Army are instances of his teammates being poor with ball security, especially against the Black Knights. His game-losing interception against Army was off the fingertips of Joe Jackson, coming just two plays after Jaron Tibbs nearly gave the game away.
Regardless, Johnson is projected for a career year in 2026 with the return of Collin Klein on the sidelines. And yes, we've said this every season for the past three years, but there's a completely new wave of optimism that's fueling his senior year. Klein's last season with Kansas State graced freshman Johnson with a season that projected him to be one of the country's best for years to come.
Above all, Johnson is ready to redeem himself and reach that next level in his final season to do so. The Wildcats veteran has had a decent tenure in Manhattan, KS, but still has Big 12 aspirations. It's also the final season to possibly etch his name on a few NFL Draft boards.
"It’s cool to be able to etch my name in [program] history. But still, in three years, I haven’t really won anything other than a few bowl games," Johnson said in his recent spring ball interview. "So I’m still hungry, still trying to stay humble through everything. I want to go out, win a 12 championship this year, and push for the playoffs and the national championship. Personal accolades are great, but I’m more focused on winning games and getting my team ready and prepared to play when the fall rolls around."
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