SE: Fabulous Five Set for One Final Ride in Manhattan
Nov 18, 2021 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Two days after Skylar Thompson underwent surgery to repair his injured throwing shoulder early last October, Kansas State center Noah Johnson sat inside the quarterback's apartment and concocted a plan. Although both players were seniors, the NCAA paused eligibility clocks for the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, granting seniors an additional season.
A rallying cry for the 2021 football season was born.
"(Johnson) said, 'If you come back, I'm coming back, and this thing is going to be a revenge tour,'" Thompson recalled to reporters on Tuesday. "That's kind of been our mindset throughout the offseason and into this season."
Thompson went through Senior Day celebration activities last fall but admits in the back of his mind he believed that he would return to do it all over again in 2021. Johnson said that two days after the conclusion of last season, he asked K-State head coach Chris Klieman if he would "have him back" for another year.
Thompson began recruiting fellow senior teammates after the Wildcats finished their shortened 2020 season with a 4-6 record. He knew many seniors were leaning toward beginning their respective professional careers outside of football and understood "everybody's situation was different."
"I just put it into their minds, 'We have unfinished business, and with the way this season went, we can't walk away with it being this way,'" Thompson said.
That's how K-State formed its Fabulous Five. It's a collection of five sixth-year seniors that will play at Bill Snyder Family Stadium for a final time in Saturday's 4:30 p.m. kickoff against No. 11 Baylor in Manhattan.
Strong safety Jahron McPherson, defensive end Bronson Massie, linebacker Cody Fletcher, Johnson and Thompson are the rarest of the rare. It is believed that K-State has never had five sixth-year seniors on the same team. That's likely because college football never faced a pandemic-marred season.
One by one, each of the Fabulous Five will be announced along with the other 27 seniors (including two juniors who will also be playing in their final home game). They are eager to feel the love from K-State fans one last time in Manhattan.
"When I decided to play at K-State again, there were a lot of days and nights where I was just thinking about what it'd be like and that's all it was for a very long time — just a dream," Johnson said. "To be able to come out here and live that dream has been the most rewarding thing in the world to me."
Fletcher was the last of the five to decide to return. He pondered the idea over the holiday season and announced his decision to Klieman in January.
"It was a tough decision but at the end of the day I'm glad with the decision I made," Fletcher said. "(I wanted) the opportunity to play one more time at this place that I love and to play alongside Daniel (Green) again and to be with my friends and teammates. I really believe in Coach Klieman and what he's brought to the program. He's the biggest reason I decided to come back."
K-State, 7-3 overall and 4-3 in the Big 12 Conference, has won four straight games — the longest active winning streak in the league.
It's hard to think about where this squad might be without its Fabulous Five in Thompson, Johnson, McPherson, Fletcher and Massie.
Thompson has won 23 games as the winningest K-State quarterback since at least 1990. Johnson was a second-team All-Big 12 center in 2020. McPherson, an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection last season, ranks third on the team in tackles and tackles for a loss. Fletcher ranks second in tackles and has one interception. Massie has helped provide leadership to the defensive line.
"I was so happy that they trusted us as a staff and trusted the culture," Klieman said. "They trusted what was going on here and they wanted to finish on a high note. Last season didn't go as well as we all wanted for a variety of different reasons. All those guys, for different reasons, came back, some because they wanted to play with their buddies one more time, some because they have aspirations of playing at the next level, and some just for the love of the game.
"Most importantly, they all love K-State football."
Johnson wouldn't have it any other way.
"Each of us have had our own different journeys, and each of us love this place, and this place has given us so much," Johnson said. "I'm so grateful and indebted to this university. For us to come back together and try to end our careers on the right note for this university is very important to us.
"The job isn't finished, and we're going to keep working."
In a way, it all goes back to that conversation between Thompson and Johnson two days after Thompson's surgery. K-State dealt with some adversity earlier this season in losing its first three Big 12 games but has since bounced back impressively while earning a bowl berth for the second time in three seasons.
As focus shifts to Baylor, which beat K-State 32-31 on a last-minute field goal last season, the revenge tour remains alive and well.
"It gives you a mindset of what we're after and what we're chasing," Thompson said. "When times get hard, when times were hard in the middle of the season, we had to look back at why we're here and why we came back and having that revenge-tour mindset is very powerful. It's been very powerful for our team."
There are plays, games and seasons that have been embedded in the minds of K-State fans for years and decades. From the depths of the pandemic year arose some seniors who chose to return for a sixth year — an act that should remain in the minds of K-State fans for years to come.
It's hard to imagine the 2021 season without this collection of sixth-year seniors.
They're true heroes of this season.
They can be called the Fabulous Five.
On Saturday, K-State fans can applaud them in Manhattan one last time.
Two days after Skylar Thompson underwent surgery to repair his injured throwing shoulder early last October, Kansas State center Noah Johnson sat inside the quarterback's apartment and concocted a plan. Although both players were seniors, the NCAA paused eligibility clocks for the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, granting seniors an additional season.
A rallying cry for the 2021 football season was born.
"(Johnson) said, 'If you come back, I'm coming back, and this thing is going to be a revenge tour,'" Thompson recalled to reporters on Tuesday. "That's kind of been our mindset throughout the offseason and into this season."
Thompson went through Senior Day celebration activities last fall but admits in the back of his mind he believed that he would return to do it all over again in 2021. Johnson said that two days after the conclusion of last season, he asked K-State head coach Chris Klieman if he would "have him back" for another year.
Thompson began recruiting fellow senior teammates after the Wildcats finished their shortened 2020 season with a 4-6 record. He knew many seniors were leaning toward beginning their respective professional careers outside of football and understood "everybody's situation was different."
"I just put it into their minds, 'We have unfinished business, and with the way this season went, we can't walk away with it being this way,'" Thompson said.
That's how K-State formed its Fabulous Five. It's a collection of five sixth-year seniors that will play at Bill Snyder Family Stadium for a final time in Saturday's 4:30 p.m. kickoff against No. 11 Baylor in Manhattan.
We need EVERYBODY there
— K-State Football (@KStateFB) November 17, 2021
Senior Day vs. Baylor | 4:30pm
🎟: https://t.co/7UbuEgnQP9#KStateFB pic.twitter.com/an5F9LPNlb
Strong safety Jahron McPherson, defensive end Bronson Massie, linebacker Cody Fletcher, Johnson and Thompson are the rarest of the rare. It is believed that K-State has never had five sixth-year seniors on the same team. That's likely because college football never faced a pandemic-marred season.
One by one, each of the Fabulous Five will be announced along with the other 27 seniors (including two juniors who will also be playing in their final home game). They are eager to feel the love from K-State fans one last time in Manhattan.
"When I decided to play at K-State again, there were a lot of days and nights where I was just thinking about what it'd be like and that's all it was for a very long time — just a dream," Johnson said. "To be able to come out here and live that dream has been the most rewarding thing in the world to me."
Fletcher was the last of the five to decide to return. He pondered the idea over the holiday season and announced his decision to Klieman in January.
"It was a tough decision but at the end of the day I'm glad with the decision I made," Fletcher said. "(I wanted) the opportunity to play one more time at this place that I love and to play alongside Daniel (Green) again and to be with my friends and teammates. I really believe in Coach Klieman and what he's brought to the program. He's the biggest reason I decided to come back."
K-State, 7-3 overall and 4-3 in the Big 12 Conference, has won four straight games — the longest active winning streak in the league.
It's hard to think about where this squad might be without its Fabulous Five in Thompson, Johnson, McPherson, Fletcher and Massie.
Thompson has won 23 games as the winningest K-State quarterback since at least 1990. Johnson was a second-team All-Big 12 center in 2020. McPherson, an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection last season, ranks third on the team in tackles and tackles for a loss. Fletcher ranks second in tackles and has one interception. Massie has helped provide leadership to the defensive line.
"I was so happy that they trusted us as a staff and trusted the culture," Klieman said. "They trusted what was going on here and they wanted to finish on a high note. Last season didn't go as well as we all wanted for a variety of different reasons. All those guys, for different reasons, came back, some because they wanted to play with their buddies one more time, some because they have aspirations of playing at the next level, and some just for the love of the game.
"Most importantly, they all love K-State football."
Johnson wouldn't have it any other way.
"Each of us have had our own different journeys, and each of us love this place, and this place has given us so much," Johnson said. "I'm so grateful and indebted to this university. For us to come back together and try to end our careers on the right note for this university is very important to us.
"The job isn't finished, and we're going to keep working."
In a way, it all goes back to that conversation between Thompson and Johnson two days after Thompson's surgery. K-State dealt with some adversity earlier this season in losing its first three Big 12 games but has since bounced back impressively while earning a bowl berth for the second time in three seasons.
As focus shifts to Baylor, which beat K-State 32-31 on a last-minute field goal last season, the revenge tour remains alive and well.
"It gives you a mindset of what we're after and what we're chasing," Thompson said. "When times get hard, when times were hard in the middle of the season, we had to look back at why we're here and why we came back and having that revenge-tour mindset is very powerful. It's been very powerful for our team."
There are plays, games and seasons that have been embedded in the minds of K-State fans for years and decades. From the depths of the pandemic year arose some seniors who chose to return for a sixth year — an act that should remain in the minds of K-State fans for years to come.
It's hard to imagine the 2021 season without this collection of sixth-year seniors.
They're true heroes of this season.
They can be called the Fabulous Five.
On Saturday, K-State fans can applaud them in Manhattan one last time.
Players Mentioned
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