Why Kansas State WR Josh Manning Had Extra Motivation Vs. Washington State

Kansas State Wildcats wide receiver Josh Manning had a little extra motivation heading into last Saturday's game against the Washington State Cougars. 

Manning, a transfer from the Missouri Tigers, was facing his offensive coordinator. The Cougars are led by Kirby Moore. 

So, naturally, Manning had a little chip on his shoulder. It showed because he finished with 10 catches for 94 yards and a touchdown. During the post-game media session, Wildcats quarterback Avery Johnson hinted Manning had some extra fuel because he was going up against Moore. 

“I think he came out with fire," Johnson said. "Sometimes they zoned us off a lot early, and he just has a knack for finding the holes in the defense, and I think he did a really good job with that."

Manning has caught 10 passes for 130 yards with two touchdowns this season. He is trying to end his career on a positive note. After being one of the nation's top receivers in high school, he chose to play at Missouri. 

While his numbers with the Tigers were solid, he never reached the expectations of many. That's why he hit the transfer portal after last season when he caught 29 passes for 318 yards and two touchdowns. 

It appears Manning hasn't needed much time to adjust to the new surroundings. He is easily the team's leading receiver and is becoming the favorite target of Johnson. The Wildcats were in need of a  No. 1 receiver after Jayce Brown transferred to play for the LSU Tigers. 

He said it was a challenge at first to learn a new offensive system but the transition has gone smoothly since. It helped he had a full spring to get acclimated with the players and the terminology. 

"I'm not gonna lie, it was tough," Manning said. "It was tough, but I mean, he's a really smart guy. So definitely took me a couple months. Definitely probably like spring, so like probably March, April.”

After a 2-0 start, the Wildcats return to action Saturday against the Tulane Green Wave at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. 

MORE KANSAS STATE NEWS 

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Kansas State hosted a huge group of recruits Saturday, including top quarterback

K-State quarterback Avery Johnson acknowledges early-season missteps 

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Shandel Richardson is the publisher of KStateRoundtable. He can be reached at [email protected]