Kansas State not losing Avery Johnson to transferring was a 'huge win' opposing coach believes

The Kansas State Wildcats had a major loss this offseason, when they lost offensive coordinator Collin Klein, who left for the same role at Texas A&M. There is still plenty of good news for the Wildcats’ faithful heading into the 2024 campaign. And one of the biggest reasons for optimism is the undeniable talent of dual-threat quarterback Avery Johnson. He was rated as the No. 9 quarterback in America in the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. And fans in Manhattan are bursting with pride as their star signal-caller prepares for the upcoming season.

An opposing assistant coach in the Big 12 is certainly impressed with his skill set. In the 2024 Athlon Preview for the KSU Wildcats, they had high praise for the man who helped propel his team to a bowl victory in their final game of the 2023 season.

“Losing [former offensive coordinator] Collin Klein is a big deal, but Matt Wells has a ton of experience. If you’re looking for a noticeable change, it will probably come in how they build out the passing game around [QB] Avery Johnson. Keeping him from transferring out after losing the offensive coordinator is a huge win for them; it puts them at the top half of the new league for sure….[Chris] Klieman has done a really fantastic job blending the reality of recruiting and the portal to the K-State identity. They’re still great at developmental talent and finding those hidden players, but they’re out fighting for stars, too.”

When it comes to stars, Johnson certainly qualifies as one of the highest ranked signees in KSU football history. He racked up an extensive number of accolades in high school, including Under Armour All-American honors and U.S. Army All-American Bowl honors. In addition to being selected to those two games, Johnson was an Elite 11 quarterback, becoming the first KSU quarterback to earn that honor since Josh Freeman (2005).

Expectations will undoubtedly be high for him this year after he finished off last season on a high note. He flashed his tremendous talent during the eight games he saw action in 2023 for the Wildcats, including his two starts. In the Pop Tarts Bowl victory against NC State, Johnson brought home MVP honors after he scored three total touchdowns and tallied over 200 all-purpose yards.

Johnson finished the 2023 season throwing for 479 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions. On the ground, he ran for 296 yards and seven touchdowns on just 52 carries. For his efforts, he brough home Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year honors. His seven rushing touchdowns were the second most by a freshman in school history, tying for the most by a true freshman, with the other being Wildcat legend Deuce Vaughn (2020).