‘Our Story is Still Unfinished’
Apr 24, 2026 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
The story officially gets underway on March 6, 2021. That's when Kansas State football head coach Chris Klieman, and Collin Klein, the quarterbacks coach-turned-offensive coordinator, ask Avery Johnson, a native of Maize, Kansas, and the top dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2023, to drive two hours northeast and become a Wildcat.
K-State is the third FBS school to offer Johnson a scholarship (TCU and Iowa State were the first to do so), and after K-State's offer, 21 more FBS schools offer Johnson a scholarship as well leading up to June 11, 2022 — the day that Johnson takes his official visit to K-State.
Johnson's stay in Manhattan is memorable — and not just because Klein, the 2012 Heisman Trophy finalist as a Wildcat, makes a sizable impression upon one of the elite talents in the country. Tornado sirens go off across Manhattan as the Johnson family dines inside Klein's home, and the lights finally go out before Klein's solar-powered emergency generator flips on to save the night.
But Klein, Johnson's lead recruiter, already does plenty in discussing sunny fall days at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, and how he envisions utilizing Johnson's gifts to their fullest, and what a ride it could be, this Klein-Johnson duo, and how scoreboards could light up at stadiums across the Big 12 Conference.
"CK was one of the main reasons I chose to come and play at K-State," Johnson says.
Johnson's first true start at quarterback comes in the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl, and Johnson throws for 178 yards and two touchdowns and rushes for 71 yards and another score, as the Wildcats beat NC State 28-19 on December 28, 2023, to finish the season with a 9-4 record. Johnson is named the bowl game's MVP.
Shortly before that, however, Klein, whose K-State offenses rank in the top 25 in multiple categories, and that averaged 32.3 points in 2022 and 37.8 points in 2023, leaves to become offensive coordinator at Texas A&M, where over the course of the next two seasons, Klein also develops a potent offense.
That brings us to December 4, 2025, one day after the retirement of Klieman, and when the news becomes official: Klein is hired as K-State head football coach. It conjures an emotional response from K-State loyalists across the country and one quarterback, in particular — that former 18-year-old sitting in the dark inside Klein's home during a bad storm, trusting Klein in knowing everything will be OK.
"We talked on the phone when his hiring was official," Johnson says on Thursday after K-State's second-to-last spring practice. "A bunch of different emotions went through my brain right there. I'm happy we could reconnect for my senior season."
Then comes the official reunion days later in Klein's spacious office at the Vanier Family Football Complex, when Klein and Johnson hug it out. The teacher and the pupil. Together again.
"It's super special," Johnson says. "Whenever CK left and went to Texas A&M, it's all God's timing, and God's bringing us back together."
Johnson pauses.
"Our story," he says, "is still unfinished."
Less than 23 hours after landing in Manhattan and delivering riveting remarks in his introductory news conference, Klein sits on a padded, purple chair in the suite of K-State Athletic Director Gene Taylor at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The 36-year-old Klein is in the midst of his second day on campus, and he discusses various topics.
Including Johnson.
"Avery is an incredible individual, and it's well known his skillset and God-given talent, but his makeup is special. I knew that full well early on in the recruiting process, just how mature and the depth of his understanding level," Klein says, "which is something that's impressive."
So is Johnson's journey to this point in his career.
The 6-foot-3, 196-pound Johnson enters his senior season tied for the K-State all-time record with 48 touchdown passes, ranks sixth all-time with 5,576 passing yards, fourth among all K-State quarterbacks with 1,378 rushing yards, third all-time in being responsible for 70 touchdowns, and fifth all-time with 6,954 total offensive yards.
Johnson, who has even surpassed a few of Klein's marks, respectively, seeks more.
"It's cool to be able to etch my name into history and be a part of all that, but in three years we really haven't won anything other than a few bowl games," Johnson says. "I'm still hungry, and still trying to stay humble through everything, and go out and win a Big 12 Championship this year and push for the College Football Playoff and the National Championship.
"While personal accolades are great, I'm more focused on winning games and getting my team ready to play when the fall rolls around."
Johnson carries unshakable confidence coming off a 6-6 campaign in which his statistics, while still impressive, took a slight dip, and as the team, while talented, proved inconsistent while coming up just short in several games. Since Klein's arrival, and the hiring of offensive coordinator Sean Gleeson and quarterbacks coach Christian Ellsworth, Johnson has sat in numerous meetings, soaking up the intricacies of Klein's offensive system from different perspectives — and how his talents can help the Wildcats become wildly entertaining and successful on Saturdays in the fall.
"It's super exciting just to see everything CK has learned and how the offense evolved at Texas A&M and his vision for me and this offense in this upcoming season," Johnson says. "I'm super excited for what we're building here and for everything CK is about."
What's Klein's vision for Johnson?
"Just him allowing me to play with my instincts and not be robotic out there," Johnson says. "If I see green grass, take green grass, and take another play. And just being able to dial up some stuff. He's great at scheming things. Learning from him, it's grown my game just this spring.
"He's an offensive mastermind."
With Klein in control, his offenses averaged 32.3 points (2022), 37.1 (2023), 30.4 (2024 at Texas A&M) and 33.8 (2025 at Texas A&M). His offenses also produced 418.8 total yards (2022), 445.2 (2023), 405.8 (2024 at Texas A&M) and 444.5 (2025 at Texas A&M). Klein's offenses consistently ranked in the top 25 in several statistical categories.
"Really, there's just a freedom and how much the offense has evolved since from my freshman year and where it's at now," Johnson says. "We have the relationship to talk through things, what I like and what he likes for me, and with him being able to showcase my abilities in the best ways."
That played a major factor in Johnson deciding to return to K-State to finish out his career.
"I talked with my family and prayed about what was best for me," Johnson says. "I wanted to let everything play out with CK's hiring and talk about his visions for me and what he saw for me. The biggest thing is it's a new staff coming in, people leaving and people staying, and it's a whole bunch of question marks, so it was about trusting him and his plan.
"My biggest thing is I just want to win football games and that's what I told him. He said, 'Hey, if you stay and we get to put good tape out there in the fall, you have nothing to worry about.' I'm super excited and stoked for the plan he has for this team and what we're going to be able to do this fall."
The plan calls for energy and celebration.
"Last year, we got really flat at times and didn't celebrate even small victories like big catches and touchdowns and team periods and red-zone periods, and things like that," Johnson says. "Our new staff really emphasizes the little things and the details. Everything matters, and how you do one thing is how you do everything, so we continue to have that mindset through everything."
Johnson reflects upon his career and his belief and his loyalty to a football program with Klein in control and big success within sight. A star player staying at an institution for all four years has become somewhat of an anomaly, but Johnson is bucking the trend.
"It's super important to me because with how college football is nowadays, people are quick to leave for whatever — personal reasons, money, playing time — and it's a testament to my brothers in here and really wanting to build something and be a part of something more than just — I really wanted to leave a legacy here and do things and show the type of person I am with how college football is going nowadays," Johnson says. "It means a lot to get my degree from K-State in the fall, to graduate from here, and to be a four-year guy here."
As days tick down to the season opener against Nicholls on September 5 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Johnson imagines those first steps out of the tunnel prior to kickoff, when a thousand thoughts can fly through the head.
"It's going to be weird because you don't really realize how fast time goes until you look around," Johnson says. "I'm going to enjoy it and soak everything in and take advantage of every game in The Bill this year, because I don't have many left. It's going to be really fun to run out of the tunnel."
Then it's time to conquer one game at a time.
"It starts with CK and his leadership, and he's put together a great staff, a bunch of guys who love ball and who want to be here, and a bunch of coaches with juice and energy from practice," Johnson says. "Anybody can beat anybody in this league. We're going to come down with that underdog mentality every game, not overlook anybody, and come out strong and start fast."
It's the old-school mantra instilled by Klein several years ago, perhaps back when they were sitting inside Klein's home, and the storm hit, and everything went dark.
On Thursday, the clouds have lifted, sunlight causes Bill Snyder Family Stadium to glow, and Johnson will review video of his performance in spring practice and then prepare for one final spring practice on Saturday.
There will be many more times that Johnson will experience "one final time" in the fall.
But he'll always remember the beginning, sitting with Klein several years ago, pondering a bright future.
The story officially gets underway on March 6, 2021. That's when Kansas State football head coach Chris Klieman, and Collin Klein, the quarterbacks coach-turned-offensive coordinator, ask Avery Johnson, a native of Maize, Kansas, and the top dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2023, to drive two hours northeast and become a Wildcat.
K-State is the third FBS school to offer Johnson a scholarship (TCU and Iowa State were the first to do so), and after K-State's offer, 21 more FBS schools offer Johnson a scholarship as well leading up to June 11, 2022 — the day that Johnson takes his official visit to K-State.
Johnson's stay in Manhattan is memorable — and not just because Klein, the 2012 Heisman Trophy finalist as a Wildcat, makes a sizable impression upon one of the elite talents in the country. Tornado sirens go off across Manhattan as the Johnson family dines inside Klein's home, and the lights finally go out before Klein's solar-powered emergency generator flips on to save the night.
But Klein, Johnson's lead recruiter, already does plenty in discussing sunny fall days at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, and how he envisions utilizing Johnson's gifts to their fullest, and what a ride it could be, this Klein-Johnson duo, and how scoreboards could light up at stadiums across the Big 12 Conference.
"CK was one of the main reasons I chose to come and play at K-State," Johnson says.
Johnson's first true start at quarterback comes in the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl, and Johnson throws for 178 yards and two touchdowns and rushes for 71 yards and another score, as the Wildcats beat NC State 28-19 on December 28, 2023, to finish the season with a 9-4 record. Johnson is named the bowl game's MVP.
Shortly before that, however, Klein, whose K-State offenses rank in the top 25 in multiple categories, and that averaged 32.3 points in 2022 and 37.8 points in 2023, leaves to become offensive coordinator at Texas A&M, where over the course of the next two seasons, Klein also develops a potent offense.
That brings us to December 4, 2025, one day after the retirement of Klieman, and when the news becomes official: Klein is hired as K-State head football coach. It conjures an emotional response from K-State loyalists across the country and one quarterback, in particular — that former 18-year-old sitting in the dark inside Klein's home during a bad storm, trusting Klein in knowing everything will be OK.
"We talked on the phone when his hiring was official," Johnson says on Thursday after K-State's second-to-last spring practice. "A bunch of different emotions went through my brain right there. I'm happy we could reconnect for my senior season."
Then comes the official reunion days later in Klein's spacious office at the Vanier Family Football Complex, when Klein and Johnson hug it out. The teacher and the pupil. Together again.
"It's super special," Johnson says. "Whenever CK left and went to Texas A&M, it's all God's timing, and God's bringing us back together."
Johnson pauses.
"Our story," he says, "is still unfinished."
Less than 23 hours after landing in Manhattan and delivering riveting remarks in his introductory news conference, Klein sits on a padded, purple chair in the suite of K-State Athletic Director Gene Taylor at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The 36-year-old Klein is in the midst of his second day on campus, and he discusses various topics.
Including Johnson.
"Avery is an incredible individual, and it's well known his skillset and God-given talent, but his makeup is special. I knew that full well early on in the recruiting process, just how mature and the depth of his understanding level," Klein says, "which is something that's impressive."
So is Johnson's journey to this point in his career.
The 6-foot-3, 196-pound Johnson enters his senior season tied for the K-State all-time record with 48 touchdown passes, ranks sixth all-time with 5,576 passing yards, fourth among all K-State quarterbacks with 1,378 rushing yards, third all-time in being responsible for 70 touchdowns, and fifth all-time with 6,954 total offensive yards.
Johnson, who has even surpassed a few of Klein's marks, respectively, seeks more.
"It's cool to be able to etch my name into history and be a part of all that, but in three years we really haven't won anything other than a few bowl games," Johnson says. "I'm still hungry, and still trying to stay humble through everything, and go out and win a Big 12 Championship this year and push for the College Football Playoff and the National Championship.
"While personal accolades are great, I'm more focused on winning games and getting my team ready to play when the fall rolls around."
Johnson carries unshakable confidence coming off a 6-6 campaign in which his statistics, while still impressive, took a slight dip, and as the team, while talented, proved inconsistent while coming up just short in several games. Since Klein's arrival, and the hiring of offensive coordinator Sean Gleeson and quarterbacks coach Christian Ellsworth, Johnson has sat in numerous meetings, soaking up the intricacies of Klein's offensive system from different perspectives — and how his talents can help the Wildcats become wildly entertaining and successful on Saturdays in the fall.
"It's super exciting just to see everything CK has learned and how the offense evolved at Texas A&M and his vision for me and this offense in this upcoming season," Johnson says. "I'm super excited for what we're building here and for everything CK is about."
What's Klein's vision for Johnson?
"Just him allowing me to play with my instincts and not be robotic out there," Johnson says. "If I see green grass, take green grass, and take another play. And just being able to dial up some stuff. He's great at scheming things. Learning from him, it's grown my game just this spring.
"He's an offensive mastermind."
With Klein in control, his offenses averaged 32.3 points (2022), 37.1 (2023), 30.4 (2024 at Texas A&M) and 33.8 (2025 at Texas A&M). His offenses also produced 418.8 total yards (2022), 445.2 (2023), 405.8 (2024 at Texas A&M) and 444.5 (2025 at Texas A&M). Klein's offenses consistently ranked in the top 25 in several statistical categories.
"Really, there's just a freedom and how much the offense has evolved since from my freshman year and where it's at now," Johnson says. "We have the relationship to talk through things, what I like and what he likes for me, and with him being able to showcase my abilities in the best ways."
That played a major factor in Johnson deciding to return to K-State to finish out his career.
"I talked with my family and prayed about what was best for me," Johnson says. "I wanted to let everything play out with CK's hiring and talk about his visions for me and what he saw for me. The biggest thing is it's a new staff coming in, people leaving and people staying, and it's a whole bunch of question marks, so it was about trusting him and his plan.
"My biggest thing is I just want to win football games and that's what I told him. He said, 'Hey, if you stay and we get to put good tape out there in the fall, you have nothing to worry about.' I'm super excited and stoked for the plan he has for this team and what we're going to be able to do this fall."
The plan calls for energy and celebration.
"Last year, we got really flat at times and didn't celebrate even small victories like big catches and touchdowns and team periods and red-zone periods, and things like that," Johnson says. "Our new staff really emphasizes the little things and the details. Everything matters, and how you do one thing is how you do everything, so we continue to have that mindset through everything."
Johnson reflects upon his career and his belief and his loyalty to a football program with Klein in control and big success within sight. A star player staying at an institution for all four years has become somewhat of an anomaly, but Johnson is bucking the trend.
"It's super important to me because with how college football is nowadays, people are quick to leave for whatever — personal reasons, money, playing time — and it's a testament to my brothers in here and really wanting to build something and be a part of something more than just — I really wanted to leave a legacy here and do things and show the type of person I am with how college football is going nowadays," Johnson says. "It means a lot to get my degree from K-State in the fall, to graduate from here, and to be a four-year guy here."
As days tick down to the season opener against Nicholls on September 5 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Johnson imagines those first steps out of the tunnel prior to kickoff, when a thousand thoughts can fly through the head.
"It's going to be weird because you don't really realize how fast time goes until you look around," Johnson says. "I'm going to enjoy it and soak everything in and take advantage of every game in The Bill this year, because I don't have many left. It's going to be really fun to run out of the tunnel."
Then it's time to conquer one game at a time.
"It starts with CK and his leadership, and he's put together a great staff, a bunch of guys who love ball and who want to be here, and a bunch of coaches with juice and energy from practice," Johnson says. "Anybody can beat anybody in this league. We're going to come down with that underdog mentality every game, not overlook anybody, and come out strong and start fast."
It's the old-school mantra instilled by Klein several years ago, perhaps back when they were sitting inside Klein's home, and the storm hit, and everything went dark.
On Thursday, the clouds have lifted, sunlight causes Bill Snyder Family Stadium to glow, and Johnson will review video of his performance in spring practice and then prepare for one final spring practice on Saturday.
There will be many more times that Johnson will experience "one final time" in the fall.
But he'll always remember the beginning, sitting with Klein several years ago, pondering a bright future.
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