KANSAS CITY – Avery Johnson has had an interesting three years under center in his time at college. Entering the 2024 season, coming off of a couple of impressive performances as a true freshman, Johnson and company had a pretty big expectation to improve. After Will Howard’s 2023 campaign led the Wildcats to a 8-4 record capped off by a 28-19 Pop Tart Bowl win against NC State led by freshman Johnson, the sophomore had put Wildcat fans on notice.
Over the last two seasons as starter, Johnson has thrown for 5,097 yards, 43 touchdowns and 16 picks while rushing for over 1000 yards and 15 more TDs. Johnson has been responsible for some of the best games in the Chris Klieman era and has been the culprit for some of the program’s worst performances this decade. From two bowl win seasons to a frustrating 6-6 season, Johnson has had a lot of ups and downs in his time in Manhattan.
Flash forward to 2026 and former K-State OC Collin Klein returns to Manhattan as a head coach after a brief stint in College Station with the Aggies, and the hype around his return has been through the roof. Former HC Chris Klieman’s departure left holes in some position groups for the Cats, creating a new Wildcat squad that looks completely different than the previous. But the biggest plus for Klein’s first year is the fact that he will have continuity in the QB room, as Johnson stayed back to play for his former coordinator.
With two dual threat stars in the same room with each other, it’s easy to get excited about the possibilities for this offense this season. But, realistically, how much should fans really expect from Avery Johnson?
Pros
Collin Klein – When looking at this season for Johnson, there is a lot to be excited about. The obvious and most exciting pro is the return of Collin Klein, the coach that led the recruiting trail for Avery Johnson out of high school. Johnson’s best rushing performances came from his freshman year, the only year Johnson had with Klein. In that short time, with Howard still taking most of the snaps, Johnson rushed for almost 300 yards and seven touchdowns averaging 5.7 yards per carry. That season also had one of the best rushing performances in K-State history as Johnson scored five rushing touchdowns in a 38-21 smattering of Texas Tech.
Klein seems to have a special connection with the Wichita native; both are native Kansans with similar playstyles and a love for Manhattan. It feels like Klein has been the best of Johnson’s OCs at balancing both sides of his game, showcasing his arm and his legs. Though there are still growing pains for the two, it’s hard to deny that this connection is special and could be reconnecting at the perfect time for both careers.
Joe Jackson – Along with Johnson’s return, senior RB Joe Jackson is back to dawn the Powercat for another year. Jackson’s 2025 season was one of the biggest stories in Manhattan as he began in Dublin playing second fiddle to Dylan Edwards for all of three minutes of regulation. After a disappointing muffed punt and subsequent kick of a metal bench, Edwards was injured and the run-heavy Wildcats relied on Jackson to step into the starting role.
Though the start was slow, Jackson grew a lot in 2025, ending the season with 911 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 5.4 yards per carry. Though those stats aren’t stellar for a whole season, they don’t show the whole picture of what Jackson grew into. In the last two games of the season against Utah and Colorado, Jackson ran for 435 yards and punched in six touchdowns, breaking the program record for most rushing yards in a single game against the Utes with 294. Jackson may have struggled for much of the season, but even picking up a little from where he left off would be a huge advantage for the offense.
Jackson’s return is a win for the run game, which equally translates to a win for Johnson. With a running back like Jackson, the run option poses a big threat for defenses. Add that to Johnson’s arm talent and Klein’s play calling and there is the potential for this offense to really explode onto the scene in 2026. It also doesn’t hurt that Johnson and Jackson have had a couple of seasons to grow with each other and build that chemistry, so there’s a little extra to like about this duo between the tackles.
Cons
The Offensive Line – Avery Johnson was sacked 13 times in 2025, tied for ninth lowest in all of FBS. Though the offense was sluggish, the offensive line was a standout unit last season for the Cats. But as players transfer or move onto the NFL, only John Pastore remains from last year’s line, and he is already ruled out for the whole season with injury. Along with him goes George Fitzpatrick, Oliver Miller and potentially Tanner Morley. Though there have been some additions to the OL, there are plenty of worries about how five new starters will gel.
K-State boasts three juniors and two sophomores on the line, with Ryan Howard, Gus Hawkins and Dylan Villarouel growing in house. Transfers Charlie Adams and Keiton Jones will play as guards, with Tanner Morley coming in if he’s available against Nicholls State. Though most of the line has had time to grow and learn under Chris Klieman, it’s still unfortunate to see how battered the O-line has gotten before the first snap of the season. This group will have to catch on early for Johnson’s senior year to be explosive, something that can only be proven on the gridiron.
The Wide Receivers – Avery Johnson had the luxury of throwing to one of the most explosive receivers in the Big 12 in Jayce Brown for the past two seasons. But the change in leadership led to a change in scenery for Brown as he joined Lane Kiffin at LSU for his senior season.
Though Brown is only a piece of a large wide receiver room, his chemistry with Johnson created some of the best plays in Johnson’s career. Now, Johnson will have to build trust with an almost entirely new room of wide outs in 2026. The one constant for Johnson is second-year Cat Jaron Tibbs, who slid right into a second option role last year behind Brown. He will most likely be the first option for Johnson and has the potential to be a breakout talent in 2026.
With Tibbs is sophomore wide out Adonis Moise and a rag tag group of transfers from all over the place. Brandon White joins K-State after transferring from Hawaii, where he caught 38 passes for 399 yards and two touchdowns. There’s also Izaiah Williams, who follows Klein from TAMU after one season with the Aggies. Finally, there’s Derrick Salley Jr. and Josh Manning. Salley transferred from Hutchinson CC after helping the Dragons head to the national championship games the number one option for an explosive offense.
But Josh Manning is an interesting case. Manning joined Johnson on a visit to K-State when they were in high school and has a close relationship with the Maize grad. Manning ultimately landed at Missouri, but after entering the portal, it was a clear choice for the senior to land in Manhattan.
Even with that connection, there are so many questions about this receiver group. Who can build trust with Avery the most? Can Jayce Brown’s vertical game be recreated? Is there enough experience in this group to hit the ground running, or will they need to heat up? I’m excited to see how the passing game comes together, but I’m nervous about the receiving group this year.
The Bottom Line
Avery Johnson has had a lot of opportunity to grow and learn and make mistakes for two and a half seasons. He has had some great performances for the Cats, but it is no secret that Johnson had his worst year in 2025, with his passing and rushing yards taking considerable dips. But there were also weird decisions from former OC Matt Wells, Johnson lost his RB one immediately and the tight end group had a drop problem.
Above all, Johnson may have a fourth straight change in OC, but he also gets a returning running back and a head coach who knows his style of play forwards and backwards. I think Avery Johnson has the potential to be the breakout star fans have been waiting to see, but it comes down to him and his ability to rebound from mistakes. I expect Johnson to improve from last year’s performance, but I’m not sure if he can turn into a 3,000 yard passer until I see how he plays with the new receivers and line. Until then, I like Johnson’s chances to lead K-State to a bowl game this season and perhaps more. But we will have to wait and see what the new Wildcats can do in the Collin Klein era this Saturday.