Loving Being a Wildcat
May 24, 2023 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Avery Johnson, with his long golden locks and contagious smile, saunters into the Wichita Union Stockyards at the Wichita Catbacker event Tuesday evening looking like a guy who's at home. One of the most recognizable 18-year-olds in the Sunflower State and one of the nicest young men you'll meet, Johnson wears a purple polo and carefully pens his autograph again and again and again, and with every autograph comes another request, a photo, and another one — treasured memories for K-State fans to take home to reflect back upon years from now.
He's a young man in his birthplace of Wichita and just 14 miles from Maize High School Football Field, where the top-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2023 threw and ran for 3,585 total yards and 44 touchdowns his senior season en route to Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year honors.
At the moment, he's surrounded by a pack of fans. About 500 gushing admirers in all fill the spacious building adorned with dark wood.
"We have the best fanbase in college football," Johnson says. "The second I walked in here there was love and support from everywhere. Just being able to sign autographs and take pictures and get to know fans is great. To be loved before I even step on the field just shows you what this fan base is all about. You see the love everywhere."
He's one of the highest-rated recruits ever to sign with K-State and reports during spring practice indicated that he already appears at home in the Wildcats' offense.
"Avery Johnson is incredibly athletic with the ball in his hands," says K-State assistant head coach Van Malone, who also serves as passing game coordinator and cornerbacks coach. "He shows big-time speed and ability to be able to push the ball down the field. He shows big-time promise."
Johnson chose K-State over scholarship offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Iowa State, Kansas, Memphis, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Oregon, Pittsburgh, TCU, Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Washington, Washington State and Wisconsin.
He isn't afraid to tangle with anyone.
"No matter what it takes I want to win," he says amid cheers. "I like staying in the pocket and using my arm but whenever something breaks down I get outside the pocket and make plays with my legs."
Is he recognizable on the K-State campus?
"Yeah," he says, sounding a little bit bashful.
Potential? Heck, already he's popular with the video-game developers. He's the No. 3-rated player in the FBS to use when the EA Sports College Football video game returns in 2024. In Tecmo Bowl terms, he's projected to be the second coming of Joe Montana-meets-Bo Jackson. And he has yet to play a down in an official game.
"Growth is never a straight line," says K-State offensive coordinator Collin Klein, who recruited Johnson. "As great of a start as he's gotten and as talented as he is and as well as he's handled everything for all of us coaches and supporters and fans included, you start expecting guys to be kind of perfect because they're excelling. That's not fair, either.
"It's going to be a learning process, a growth process for him. I know his desire is there and work ethic is there and his motives are great as far as being able to help and giving as much as he's receiving. I'm just excited to watch him grow. I'm privileged to work with him and help him be the best he can be."
Although senior Will Howard is the man for the Wildcats in 2023, and deservedly so, Johnson could be a video game waiting to happen once he finally takes the field.
"Avery has really good arm talent and that's the first thing we look at is really good arm talent," K-State head coach Chris Klieman says. "He sees the field really well and can throw it from the hash to the sideline and throws the vertical ball exceptionally well. Then there's the athleticism and ability to make plays with his feet. That's God-given ability to just roll out and run like he does, and you combine that athleticism with the fact that he has tremendous arm talent, and we're excited about the future."
Johnson began growing his hair out in kindergarten. The long hair earned him nicknames such as "Sunshine" when he was young, it became an identity at high school, and it could eventually roll into business opportunities while at K-State. There's no doubt a sunny outlook for Johnson. Some might argue he's Samson with the pigskin. In the classroom, he's just completed his first final exams and believes that he might study finance. It's a whole new world. It's the same old game. The possibilities appear limitless. The grind continues each day.
"I've been so impressed just with his work ethic from day one," Klein says, "and his ability to process and his awareness of what's going on around him from a schematic standpoint and from a leadership standpoint and how fast he's picked things up. Coming in at semester is a lot and he hasn't broken stride and has really put himself into a position to compete and be in the mix this fall."
Already, Johnson has learned plenty about himself in the Little Apple.
"Whenever you get to college some people don't know if they love the game or not," Johnson says. "Getting to college just showed me how much I love thig game and how I want to play it as long as God will allow me to play it. I love the work. I love the grind. Just being in an environment where people are pouring into you and want the best for you, it's great. It's going to make me a better person and a better player.
"I love being a Wildcat."
The crowd applauds Johnson's words.
You get the feeling they'll have plenty to cheer about for years to come.
Avery Johnson, with his long golden locks and contagious smile, saunters into the Wichita Union Stockyards at the Wichita Catbacker event Tuesday evening looking like a guy who's at home. One of the most recognizable 18-year-olds in the Sunflower State and one of the nicest young men you'll meet, Johnson wears a purple polo and carefully pens his autograph again and again and again, and with every autograph comes another request, a photo, and another one — treasured memories for K-State fans to take home to reflect back upon years from now.
He's a young man in his birthplace of Wichita and just 14 miles from Maize High School Football Field, where the top-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2023 threw and ran for 3,585 total yards and 44 touchdowns his senior season en route to Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year honors.
At the moment, he's surrounded by a pack of fans. About 500 gushing admirers in all fill the spacious building adorned with dark wood.
"We have the best fanbase in college football," Johnson says. "The second I walked in here there was love and support from everywhere. Just being able to sign autographs and take pictures and get to know fans is great. To be loved before I even step on the field just shows you what this fan base is all about. You see the love everywhere."
He's one of the highest-rated recruits ever to sign with K-State and reports during spring practice indicated that he already appears at home in the Wildcats' offense.
"Avery Johnson is incredibly athletic with the ball in his hands," says K-State assistant head coach Van Malone, who also serves as passing game coordinator and cornerbacks coach. "He shows big-time speed and ability to be able to push the ball down the field. He shows big-time promise."
Johnson chose K-State over scholarship offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Iowa State, Kansas, Memphis, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Oregon, Pittsburgh, TCU, Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Washington, Washington State and Wisconsin.
He isn't afraid to tangle with anyone.
"No matter what it takes I want to win," he says amid cheers. "I like staying in the pocket and using my arm but whenever something breaks down I get outside the pocket and make plays with my legs."
Is he recognizable on the K-State campus?
"Yeah," he says, sounding a little bit bashful.
Potential? Heck, already he's popular with the video-game developers. He's the No. 3-rated player in the FBS to use when the EA Sports College Football video game returns in 2024. In Tecmo Bowl terms, he's projected to be the second coming of Joe Montana-meets-Bo Jackson. And he has yet to play a down in an official game.
"Growth is never a straight line," says K-State offensive coordinator Collin Klein, who recruited Johnson. "As great of a start as he's gotten and as talented as he is and as well as he's handled everything for all of us coaches and supporters and fans included, you start expecting guys to be kind of perfect because they're excelling. That's not fair, either.
"It's going to be a learning process, a growth process for him. I know his desire is there and work ethic is there and his motives are great as far as being able to help and giving as much as he's receiving. I'm just excited to watch him grow. I'm privileged to work with him and help him be the best he can be."
Although senior Will Howard is the man for the Wildcats in 2023, and deservedly so, Johnson could be a video game waiting to happen once he finally takes the field.
"Avery has really good arm talent and that's the first thing we look at is really good arm talent," K-State head coach Chris Klieman says. "He sees the field really well and can throw it from the hash to the sideline and throws the vertical ball exceptionally well. Then there's the athleticism and ability to make plays with his feet. That's God-given ability to just roll out and run like he does, and you combine that athleticism with the fact that he has tremendous arm talent, and we're excited about the future."
Johnson began growing his hair out in kindergarten. The long hair earned him nicknames such as "Sunshine" when he was young, it became an identity at high school, and it could eventually roll into business opportunities while at K-State. There's no doubt a sunny outlook for Johnson. Some might argue he's Samson with the pigskin. In the classroom, he's just completed his first final exams and believes that he might study finance. It's a whole new world. It's the same old game. The possibilities appear limitless. The grind continues each day.
"I've been so impressed just with his work ethic from day one," Klein says, "and his ability to process and his awareness of what's going on around him from a schematic standpoint and from a leadership standpoint and how fast he's picked things up. Coming in at semester is a lot and he hasn't broken stride and has really put himself into a position to compete and be in the mix this fall."
Already, Johnson has learned plenty about himself in the Little Apple.
"Whenever you get to college some people don't know if they love the game or not," Johnson says. "Getting to college just showed me how much I love thig game and how I want to play it as long as God will allow me to play it. I love the work. I love the grind. Just being in an environment where people are pouring into you and want the best for you, it's great. It's going to make me a better person and a better player.
"I love being a Wildcat."
The crowd applauds Johnson's words.
You get the feeling they'll have plenty to cheer about for years to come.
Players Mentioned
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