For a lot of teams, losing the starting quarterback to graduation or the transfer portal could lead to a drop the next season.
That might not be the case at Kansas State, though.
Will Howard left the Wildcats this winter and is now at Ohio State, but there’s a lot of confidence in his successor, Avery Johnson, and the talent around the sophomore.
The K-State culture is still strong, too.
This summer, BuffZone will preview each of Colorado’s opponents for the 2024 season and in this installment we look at Kansas State, an old rival that will return to Boulder on Oct. 12.
As CU rejoins the Big 12 this year, perhaps the most recognizable part of the conference, at least in football, is that Kansas State is still a winning program that won’t be easy to beat.
This year’s Wildcats are led by Johnson, a true sophomore who flashed his ability last year but now gets a chance to take the reins.
“He’s really special,” head coach Chris Klieman said recently in an interview with 365 Sports. “He’s the fastest kid on the field most games that he plays. … This kid can really roll.”
Howard was a talented player who is a dual threat, but Johnson is even more dynamic on the ground and the Wildcats are adjusting their offense to fit him.
“I’m excited because he’s a much better thrower of the football than he got a chance to probably show last fall,” Klieman said. “We did some things in bowl prep, we did some things in the spring; made some tweaks in what we’re doing offensively, probably to emphasize his strengths a little bit more.
“I’m looking forward to him having a really good year. He’s a very confident guy, but yet a very humble kid. I think he can be really special.”
Around Johnson, the Wildcats have some new pieces in place, but star running back DJ Giddens is still in the backfield. He has rushed for 1,744 yards and 16 touchdowns in his two seasons in Manhattan, Kan.
Giddens is one of only four returning starters on offense, though, along with a pair of linemen and receiver Jayce Brown, who was fourth on the team in receptions (27) and third in receiving yards (437) last year.
“A lot of similar things, but a lot of different things, as far as some run scheme stuff, but then in the pass game,” Klieman said in the spring about the offense this year, adding K-State is trying to get the ball more on the perimeter. “There’s some things that are going to be different that people have not seen here.”
Defensively, the Wildcats are expecting to be just as solid, if not better. They’ve allowed just 21 points per game over the last three years and they have seven starters back. Six of those seven received at least honorable mention all-conference. It’s a group led by senior linebacker Austin Moore.
With a good defense, talented run game and a young quarterback loaded with potential, Kansas State comes into this year projected by many pundits as a top-25 team and a contender for the Big 12 title.
Kansas State Wildcats
Head coach: Chris Klieman, 6th season (39-24; 108-30 career)
2023 season: 9-4, 6-3 Big 12; beat N.C. State in Pop Tarts Bowl, 28-19
Series with CU: CU leads 45-20-1
The Game
Who: Kansas State Wildcats at Colorado Buffaloes
When: Saturday, Oct. 12, time TBA
Where: Folsom Field in Boulder
5 Guys to Watch
RB DJ Giddens: In the running back-rich Big 12, Giddens wasn’t even first or second team all-conference last year, but he was 27th nationally with 94.3 yards rushing yards per game. As a sophomore last year, he racked up 1,226 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, while also catching 29 passes for 323 yards and three scores.
QB Avery Johnson: Made his first start in the Pop Tarts Bowl, leading the Wildcats to a win against North Carolina State (178 passing yards, 2 TD; 71 rushing yards, 1 TD). On the year, he threw for 479 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions, while also rushing for 296 yards and seven touchdowns. He ran for 90 yards and five touchdowns in a win against Texas Tech.
LB Austin Moore: K-State’s leading tackler the last two seasons. Last year, he had 63 stops and also led the team with 12.5 tackles for loss. He added 1.5 sacks and was named second-team All-Big 12. In 2022, he had 87 tackles and 10 TFLs. The former walk-on has started 27 consecutive games.
DE Brendan Mott: A key player on the edge, he started all 13 games last year, finishing with 27 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack and two pass breakups. He received All-Big 12 honorable mention. In 2022, he had six sacks, ranking sixth in the Big 12.
S Marques Sigle: Potentially one of the top defensive backs in the Big 12 this season, he tied for the team lead with 63 tackles last year. He also had nine pass breakups, one interception and three tackles for loss. A former transfer from North Dakota State, he received all-conference honorable mention last year.
Good to know
• CU and Kansas State first became conference rivals in 1948 in the Big Seven. They played every year from 1948-2010 as rivals in the Big Seven (1948-57), Big Eight (1958-95) and Big 12 (1996-2010).
• In Boulder, CU has dominated the series, going 28-5 against the Wildcats, including in the most recent meeting, Nov. 20, 2010, at Folsom Field. CU won that game, 44-36.
• After losing offensive coordinator Collin Klein to Texas A&M, K-State promoted offensive line coach Conor Riley to the coordinator role. The Wildcats also hired former Texas Tech head coach Matt Wells as the co-coordinator, quarterbacks coach and associate head coach.
• Under Joe Klanderman, entering his fifth season as coordinator, the Wildcats have been top 30 in the country in points allowed the past three seasons, including tied for 27th last year (21.0 per game).
• Receiver Dante Cephas didn’t have a lot of production at Penn State last year, with 22 catches for 246 yards and two touchdowns, but could be a huge pickup. He was first-team All-MAC twice at Kent State (playing for former CU offensive coordinator Sean Lewis), racking up a combined 130 catches for 1,984 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2021 and 2022.
• In the last 14 seasons (2010-23), the Wildcats have played in 12 bowl games, missing the postseason in 2018 and the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. They have averaged 8.0 wins in those 14 seasons.
• Kicker Chris Tennant is back for the Wildcats. He went 11-for-14 on field goals and 56-of-57 on extra points last year. In his career, he’s 25-of-36 on field goals and 95-of-98 on extra points. His career long field goal is 51 yards.
• Linebacker Jake Clifton, who was a potential starter this season, chose to leave the program in May and serve a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He made 36 tackles in 19 games over the past two years.
Portal movement
The Wildcats lost 17 players to the transfer portal, including some impactful players. Starting quarterback Will Howard is now at Ohio State, while a pair of starters in the secondary – cornerback Will Lee III (Texas A&M) and safety Kobe Savage (Oregon) – have found new homes, as well. Second-leading rusher Treshaun Ward (Boston College) and edge Nate Matlack (Pittsburgh), who was second on the team in sacks, also moved on. In return, the Wildcats added 10 transfers, including running back Dylan Edwards from Colorado. Tackle Easton Kilty (North Dakota) might be the best incoming transfer, while receiver Dante Cephas (Penn State) could be a top target. Defensively, cornerback Jordan Dunbar (Rice) and safety Jordan Riley (Ball State) should both push for starting roles.
