Thrilled to Be Back Home

By: D. Scott Fritchen

Needing a win to creep above .500 in the Big 12 Conference standings, Kansas State delivered a knockout with a 38-21 victory at Texas Tech last Saturday. The good vibes that went along with the conquest flowed throughout the Vanier Family Football Complex this week as well.

"It's a night-and-day difference," wide receiver Jadon Jackson said. "You never want that feeling in your mouth after a loss because it's kind of tough to stay positive. We came out with a W, and we'll try to go into this week with the same mindset."

K-State, 4-2 overall and 2-1 in the Big 12 Conference, gets its chance to keep the positivity going as it faces TCU, 4-3 and 2-2, in Saturday's 6 p.m. kickoff (ESPN2) at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, a venue in which they have won the last two meetings against the Horned Frogs.

TCU comes off a 44-11 win over BYU that snapped a two-game skid in which the Horned Frogs followed a 24-21 home loss to West Virginia with a 27-14 loss at Iowa State.

"Our guys are excited and upbeat about playing well last Saturday," TCU head coach Sonny Dykes said. "It's carried over to our mentality. Our guys have a little confidence from Saturday."

The Wildcats haven't played in Manhattan since they beat UCF, 44-31, on September 23. The 28-day gap between home games is the longest in a COVID-free season since 2018.

"It's been what? Three or four weeks since we've been home?" center Hayden Gillum said. "Our great fan base is definitely an advantage for us. We're excited to get back. We feed off the crowd. It'll be good to be back with the fans."

It'll mark the second time this season that the Horned Frogs are leaving the state of Texas. TCU is 7-1 on the road in two seasons under Dykes.

This will mark the third time the teams have met in a year.

K-State suffered a 38-28 loss to TCU in Fort Worth, Texas, last season before topping the Horned Frogs, 31-28, in overtime in last year's Big 12 Championship Game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

"Yeah, brings back great memories when you have the game at AT&T," K-State head coach Chris Klieman said. "Brings back some awful memories when you have the game at Fort Worth. That one didn't end as well."

The Wildcats prepare to make pleasant memories with a quarterback duo that features senior team captain Will Howard and true freshman Avery Johnson.

While Howard (61.5% completion percentage for 1,310 yards with 9 TD and 7 INT) has started all six games this season, Johnson saw limited action in two games before his five rushing touchdowns (tied for most in school history) against the Red Raiders marked the most rushing touchdowns by a player in a game in the FBS this season.

K-State offensive coordinator Collin Klein expects both signal-callers to play on Saturday.

"We've been repping both in practice," Klein said. "I thought both have had a pretty good week. I don't know who'll take the first (snap). We expect both of them to obviously play and be a part of it and contribute."

Asked why a two-quarterback system could work, Klein indicated a path similar to a year ago.

"How they've worked together has been outstanding and very similar to Adrian Martinez and Will last year," Klein said. "It has a very similar dynamic with their heart with the team and wanting to help each other and do whatever it takes to win."

Klein, who shares the K-State single-game rushing touchdown record with Johnson, said that "he was ready and answered the bell and was able to make some huge plays."

"I was excited for him," Klein continued. "He's worked so hard. He really has. Since the day he got here in January, he's really, really truly grinded. He really prepared himself. We've all known he's been ready, he is ready, and talking to him through the game, and how he was seeing things, it was very, very nicely done. I couldn't be more proud of him."

Dykes said, "Certainly we're going to have to prepare for both of them."

"They've played well there," Dykes said. "That hasn't been something where they've struggled at that position."

Meanwhile, Florida State transfer running back Treshaun Ward came alive with his best rushing effort last Saturday. The 5-foot-10, 194-pounder ran for a season-high 118 yards, his first 100-yard game at K-State and the third of his career. He had combined for 105 rushing yards during his previous two appearances.

Ward's emergence came three weeks after DJ Giddens rushed for 207 yards and four touchdowns against the Knights, marking the first time in school history a player had 200 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns in a single game.

"I'm as confident as I can be right now, especially after that game. I was a little timid going into that game, but that first hit, I felt I could go," Ward said. "My confidence is at an all-time high right now."

K-State heads into Saturday ranked 19^th nationally and second in the Big 12 with 36.2 points per game while also ranking 11^th nationally with 214.3 rushing yards per game. The Wildcats rushed for 272 yards against the Red Raiders.

"It was one of our top games as far as eliminating errors and winning the line of scrimmage," Gillum said.

K-State must prepare for a TCU freshman quarterback who made an instant impact last Saturday. Making his first college start, Josh Hoover, who started in place of injured Chandler Morris, threw for 439 yards and four touchdowns against BYU. Hoover earned the Shaun Alexander Award Freshman of the Week honor for his efforts. He completed 37-of-58 passes, the most by a TCU quarterback since 2013.

"Conventional wisdom would tell you with your backup quarterback you rely on the running game, and they went the opposite way with it," K-State defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman said. "Some of it is you take what you're given. BYU was doing some things that may lend itself to throwing the football a little bit more. They took advantage of it, and he did a great job. He throws the ball really well, and I can see why they're comfortable throwing the football with him."

Hoover is the only Power 5 quarterback with 400 passing yards and four touchdowns in his first career start since 2019. His passing yards rank 10^th most by a FBS player this season.

"He came out with a lot of confidence, and our players have a lot of confidence in him," Dykes said. "When you have a starting quarterback who goes down, there's that unknown factor, especially when it's somebody's first start. For him, he set the bar pretty high on Saturday."

For the second-straight week, K-State must defend one of the top running backs in the nation. Emani Bailey ranks seventh in the FBS with 751 rushing yards. He has topped 100 yards in four games this season.

K-State ranks 21^st in rushing defense in allowing just 108.2 yards per game.

"This is a really good football team, and it's going to be a challenge for us," Klanderman said.

K-State will celebrate its annual Harley Day prior to the game.

The Wildcats would like to make plenty of noise on the field as well.

"Playing at home is really big," said safety Kobe Savage, who earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors after making two interceptions against the Red Raiders. "Playing at TCU is tough, but we have a great crowd and atmosphere. I'm really excited to play at home again. That's my favorite feeling, playing at home."

Kansas State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

DJ Giddens

Hayden Gillum

Will Howard

Jadon Jackson

Avery Johnson

Adrian Martinez

Kobe Savage

Treshaun Ward

Related Videos