As Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson is expected to - finally - take that next step as the man leading the way, his receiving core will be essential.
With star Jayce Brown out of the picture, the outlook on the perimeter completely shifts. Brown accounted for much of the Wildcats' offense, so the program needed to bring in players to replace his production.
Johnson believes his current roster boasts the guys to do so. The first name he lauded was Josh Manning, a name the program has had its eyes on for years.
"It’s been a lot of fun connecting with Josh," Johnson said in his latest interview with reporters. "It took us a little while to get on the same page when spring started. But on the back end, we've stacked some really good days and been able to connect on things. The timing is really showing, and I think his confidence is really building. Super excited to throw the ball to Josh this year. A big body, strong hands, and really good with contested catches."
The Wildcats didn't bring in a ton of star power at the position, but the depth in the spring ball unit has Johnson excited for a potential career season.
"We got a bunch of guys," Johnson said. "Transfers like [Brandon] White and Izaiah [Williams] have really shown some good things. Then you've got young guys like Adonis [Moise] coming back, Larry [Porter], and Max [Lovett]. I think we’re doing some really good things, and then we have our vets that have been around. [Jaron] Tibbs, [Sterling] Lockett, and guys like that. I think our room is really deep and probably one of the deepest rooms I’ve had since I’ve been here. So it’ll be exciting to see how we switch those guys up when the fall rolls around and keep guys fresh."
Then again, he uttered similar words last season, and the offense never really took off, especially the passing game. It remained a bottom-three unit in the Big 12 throughout the year, with Johnson failing to elevate to the level many projected for him.
Hopefully, Klein's offensive schemes can revive the passing game. Last season at Texas A&M, Klein helped quarterback Marcel Reed become one of the best signal-callers in the nation. The receiving core was strong, with KC Concepcion and Mario Craver leading the way, and Ashton Bethel-Roman blazing on the perimeter with an SEC-best 21 yards/reception.
Perhaps some of the players Johnson listed will replicate that production, too.
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