Remember when someone floated Kansas State Wildcats to finish No. 1 in the Big 12 just some time ago, all because of QB1 Avery Johnson? That probably needs to simmer down now because that projection took a gut check this week when veteran analyst Phil Steele placed the Wildcats at No. 5 in his Big 12 rankings. And while a top-five spot isn’t anything to panic over, it’s a far cry from the expectation level Johnson has helped inflate since taking the reins.
This team is striking now by design, and with momentum in the program and a dynamic returning quarterback, the stakes are clear: fans might view anything less than Arlington as a letdown. The reality check? It starts at wide receiver. “They probably weren’t where they needed to be at wide receiver for him,” Derek Young of KStateOnline said on 365 Sports. “He made his share of mistakes. That’s Avery Johnson. But the receiver talent probably wasn’t good enough yet to maybe compete at a Big 12 championship level like many would have wanted them to do.” Johnson’s growing pains were well-documented—especially the BYU game, where he was rattled early and never quite recovered in a hostile road setting. That game became a case study for a young QB learning what it takes at this level.
But the pressure isn’t just external. It’s existential for a Kansas State fan base that’s watched the team fall just short in 2023 and 2024 after winning the Big 12 in 2022. “They have to probably make it to Arlington where the fan base collectively I think would probably see it as a disappointment” if they don’t, Young added. “There’s not a guarantee of a whole lot longer of a window when Avery Johnson is your quarterback. If he comes and goes without any trophies or rings, I think it’ll be seen as underachieving.” The urgency has never been clearer, and the window never tighter.
Avery Johnson, for all his growing pains, still snuck into the EA Sports College Football 26 rankings as the No. 11 QB in the game, holding an 89 overall rating. That’s no small feat considering the accuracy issues and mechanical miscues that plagued him at times last season. “I expect him to be incredibly better this year from a decision-making standpoint, where he needs to be a lot better, and from a footwork standpoint, where he needs to be a lot better in order to improve his accuracy,” Young explained. Those are fixable flaws, but only if the pieces around him elevate, too.
And that’s where the concern lingers. With a revamped WR room, Chris Klieman hopes to unlock Johnson’s next level. Phil’s main concerns have been around losing star defensive players and replacing the offensive line. Replacing key pieces along the offensive line and overcoming the loss of a premier running back, DJ Giddens, puts even more of the offensive burden squarely on #2’s shoulders. It’s not just about his talent—it’s about infrastructure. The success or failure of this Kansas State season may hinge more on receiver separation and clean protection than on Johnson’s highlight-reel sprints. Defensively, there’s still juice with LB Austin Romaine expected to anchor the unit, but this story won’t be about defense unless the offense delivers.
Who’s in the catch crew for Avery Johnson’s in 2025?
If Kansas State is serious about making a run to Arlington, Avery Johnson can’t go it alone. He needs his wideouts to rise to the moment and according to Derek Young the top three guys in that room have real juice. “From a receiver standpoint I think they are better when it comes to their top three, the starters so to speak,” Young said. It starts with Jayce Brown, the breakout sophomore who’s already made program history with 823 receiving yards and five TDs. But don’t crown Brown just yet.
That’s because transfer Jaron Tibbs could shake things up. “I think Jaron Tibbs, the transfer from Purdue, will be all Big 12 caliber,” Young added. “And if you put people up to a lie detector test in the Veneer Football Family Complex in Manhattan, they might tell you that Jaron Tibbs is the best Kansas State wide receiver this year—even better than Jayce Brown.”
Add Jerand Bradley, the big-bodied Texas Tech transfer who was once a preseason All-Big 12 first-teamer, and suddenly the Wildcats have a top-tier trio. Don’t forget five-star tight end Linkon Cure. With a reshaped receiver corps, a young quarterback stepping into the spotlight, and key gaps to fill on both sides of the ball, Kansas State heads into 2025 with plenty to figure out. The pieces are in place, the pressure is building, and the countdown to kickoff has already begun.
The post Chris Klieman Faces Avery Johnson Ultimatum as Pressure Mounts on Kansas State appeared first on EssentiallySports.