Calm, Cool and Collected
Oct 21, 2024 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
In the moments after he threw a career-high three touchdown passes to guide No. 17 Kansas State to a 45-18 win at West Virginia, sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson discovered something amiss with the best performance of his young career.
Two passing yards.
That's how many more passing yards Johnson needed to reach 300 for the first time.
"Thinking back at it, I'm probably going to beat myself into the ground," Johnson told reporters, wearing a grin. "That hurts."
It's Johnson, noted for his running ability but now flourishing behind his passing ability, who continues to hurt Big 12 Conference opponents.
"Avery's progress as a passer has been phenomenal," K-State head coach Chris Klieman said.
Johnson completed 19-of-29 passes for 298 yards and three touchdowns against a Mountaineer defense determined to slow the Wildcats and a rushing offense that ranked eighth in the FBS in averaging 241.0 yards per contest. The Mountaineers were successful for the most part in keeping star running back DJ Giddens in check, as the Wildcats gained 114 yards on the ground.
But Johnson used his arm and went through his progressions seamlessly to pick apart the Mountaineers through the air. Johnson completed passes to nine different pass catchers, including touchdowns to wide receiver Jadon Jackson (60 yards), and tight ends Garrett Oakley (16 yards) and Will Anciaux (1 yard).
"He was just calm, he was really cool in the pocket," Klieman said. "We had a really good game plan to attack some things in the throw game that I thought we could get, and we did. We attacked them on some things. That obviously gives him a lot of confidence.
"The kid is calm. He's patient and he understands things. He liked our game plan, and he's not getting antsy in the pocket. He's staying in there and it's fun to see."
The 6-foot-2, 192-pound Johnson, a native of Wichita, Kansas, is turning heads with his all-around game. The No. 1 dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2023 by Rivals, Johnson in his first full season as starting quarterback has shown his ability to rush and throw — pushing back on any preseason labels that he was merely a "running quarterback."
He is the only Big 12 quarterback with 1,400 passing yards and 300 rushing yards this season, displaying versatility that has helped keep K-State, 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the Big 12, in the race for a spot in the Big 12 Championship game.
Johnson rushed for a career-high 110 yards against then-No. 20 Arizona, but most notably has gained comfort in the passing game over the last three games against Oklahoma State (259 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT), at Colorado (224 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT) and at West Virginia (298 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT).
In conference-only games, Johnson ranks third in passing efficiency rating (146.78), fifth in passing touchdowns (8) and completion percentage (61.3%), and he is seventh in passing yards (911).
In all games played, he has thrown nine touchdowns and no interceptions inside the red zone. Only TCU's Josh Hoover (10 TD, 0 INT) and BYU's Jake Retzlaff (10 TD, 0 INT) have been better.
"I'm improving a little bit each week," Johnson said.
And he's making statements along the way.
Against West Virginia, he became the first K-State quarterback to complete passes of 50-plus yards in three-straight games since Skylar Thompson to open the 2021 season. Johnson is the first to do so in Big 12 play since at least 1999.
Jackson chuckled in recalling his 60-yard haul for the first touchdown of the game against the Mountaineers.
"Man, when I turned around and saw the ball, I was like, 'Man, Avery is trusting me, and I have to make this play,'" Jackson said. "It was a very beautiful pass."
And there could be more to come as K-State sets its sights on its rivalry game against Kansas, 2-5 and 1-3, in Saturday's 7 p.m. kickoff (ESPN2) at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
Kansas ranks 14th in the Big 12 in allowing 441.5 total yards in the league season. Kansas has allowed 11 pass completions of 30-plus yards against league opponents. Only Baylor (14) and Oklahoma State (14) have allowed more.
"I mean, you see Avery progressing every day and every week, and the sky's the limit for the kid," Jackson said. "This kid can roll, he can throw, he can do it all. As long as he keeps his mind in the right spot, he's going to do fantastic things."
In the moments after he threw a career-high three touchdown passes to guide No. 17 Kansas State to a 45-18 win at West Virginia, sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson discovered something amiss with the best performance of his young career.
Two passing yards.
That's how many more passing yards Johnson needed to reach 300 for the first time.
"Thinking back at it, I'm probably going to beat myself into the ground," Johnson told reporters, wearing a grin. "That hurts."
It's Johnson, noted for his running ability but now flourishing behind his passing ability, who continues to hurt Big 12 Conference opponents.
"Avery's progress as a passer has been phenomenal," K-State head coach Chris Klieman said.
Johnson completed 19-of-29 passes for 298 yards and three touchdowns against a Mountaineer defense determined to slow the Wildcats and a rushing offense that ranked eighth in the FBS in averaging 241.0 yards per contest. The Mountaineers were successful for the most part in keeping star running back DJ Giddens in check, as the Wildcats gained 114 yards on the ground.
But Johnson used his arm and went through his progressions seamlessly to pick apart the Mountaineers through the air. Johnson completed passes to nine different pass catchers, including touchdowns to wide receiver Jadon Jackson (60 yards), and tight ends Garrett Oakley (16 yards) and Will Anciaux (1 yard).
"He was just calm, he was really cool in the pocket," Klieman said. "We had a really good game plan to attack some things in the throw game that I thought we could get, and we did. We attacked them on some things. That obviously gives him a lot of confidence.
"The kid is calm. He's patient and he understands things. He liked our game plan, and he's not getting antsy in the pocket. He's staying in there and it's fun to see."
The 6-foot-2, 192-pound Johnson, a native of Wichita, Kansas, is turning heads with his all-around game. The No. 1 dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2023 by Rivals, Johnson in his first full season as starting quarterback has shown his ability to rush and throw — pushing back on any preseason labels that he was merely a "running quarterback."
He is the only Big 12 quarterback with 1,400 passing yards and 300 rushing yards this season, displaying versatility that has helped keep K-State, 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the Big 12, in the race for a spot in the Big 12 Championship game.
Johnson rushed for a career-high 110 yards against then-No. 20 Arizona, but most notably has gained comfort in the passing game over the last three games against Oklahoma State (259 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT), at Colorado (224 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT) and at West Virginia (298 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT).
In conference-only games, Johnson ranks third in passing efficiency rating (146.78), fifth in passing touchdowns (8) and completion percentage (61.3%), and he is seventh in passing yards (911).
In all games played, he has thrown nine touchdowns and no interceptions inside the red zone. Only TCU's Josh Hoover (10 TD, 0 INT) and BYU's Jake Retzlaff (10 TD, 0 INT) have been better.
"I'm improving a little bit each week," Johnson said.
And he's making statements along the way.
Against West Virginia, he became the first K-State quarterback to complete passes of 50-plus yards in three-straight games since Skylar Thompson to open the 2021 season. Johnson is the first to do so in Big 12 play since at least 1999.
Jackson chuckled in recalling his 60-yard haul for the first touchdown of the game against the Mountaineers.
"Man, when I turned around and saw the ball, I was like, 'Man, Avery is trusting me, and I have to make this play,'" Jackson said. "It was a very beautiful pass."
And there could be more to come as K-State sets its sights on its rivalry game against Kansas, 2-5 and 1-3, in Saturday's 7 p.m. kickoff (ESPN2) at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
Kansas ranks 14th in the Big 12 in allowing 441.5 total yards in the league season. Kansas has allowed 11 pass completions of 30-plus yards against league opponents. Only Baylor (14) and Oklahoma State (14) have allowed more.
"I mean, you see Avery progressing every day and every week, and the sky's the limit for the kid," Jackson said. "This kid can roll, he can throw, he can do it all. As long as he keeps his mind in the right spot, he's going to do fantastic things."
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