Why Kansas State QB Blake Barnett Is So Calm Entering First Start

Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Blake Barnett refused to make a big deal about it. 

To him, his performance last week against the Colorado Buffaloes was nothing special. He completed 18 of 28 passes for 224 yards and three touchdowns in a surprise relief performance. 

Still, it was just another day for Barnett. 

"I didn't really, like, think, `Well, I threw three touchdowns' until after the game,"' Barnett said. "It's just kind of like what I do and playing football ... It kind of wasn't anything new."'

While many feel the Wildcats are less of a team without starting quarterback Avery Johnson, they should think otherwise. Barnett is set to start his first game when Kansas State plays against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. 

He has all of the confidence in the world in himself to produce on the big stage. So do his teammates. This week, first-year coach Collin Klein raved about Barnett's ability. Tight end Garrett Oakley was complimentary of Barnett's athleticism. 

He is only a backup in name. Barnett is the same player who was the Colorado Class 4A Player of the Year and led Erie High School to the state title as a senior. He threw for 7,518 yards in his prep career with 159 touchdowns, which broke NFL star Christian McCaffrey's record.  

In other words, Barnett is no slouch. This is just another opportunity to prove it. 

The circumstances of Barnett being in the lineup are unfortunate. He is replacing the injured Johnson, who is one of the best quarterbacks in K-State history. Johnson was a three-year starter who was under center for 32 straight games before things unravelled. 

At some point after the victory against the Kansas Jayhawks, he sustained an undisclosed injury. It turned the K-State quarterback room into a revolving door. First, it was Jacob Knuth as the replacement because Barnett was dealing with injury. After Knuth started dealing with ankle problems, the Wildcats went with Dillon Duff last week against the Buffaloes. 

After Duff struggled in the first quarter, Klein turned to Barnett. He responded by almost leading the Wildcats to comeback victory on the road against Colorado in a game he had no idea he was going to get playing time. 

That shows a lot about his ability to stay ready in all situations. So there's no reason to believe Barnett won't be ready for what awaits Saturday against the Cowboys. 

If the Avery Johnson era is indeed over at Kansas State, then this is the best chance for Barnett to start a new one.