What I’m hearing: Kansas State QB run game

Kansas State QB run game

While the Kansas State quarterback run game has been a staple of the program for years, even in the transition from Bill Snyder to Chris Klieman, it is something that they’d like to use less of moving forward despite having the mobile Avery Johnson under center.

Some of it is wanting to highlight the other facets of the offense, such as the passing game and Johnson’s arm. Some of it is also the desire to keep the quarterbacks healthy. It’s harder to do so with more games on the schedule and it can kneecap expectations if the top dog goes down. Just ask Texas Tech.

Even if Collin Klein remained at K-State, it was probably going to lessen. Johnson is insistent on being used as more of a passer than runner. That doesn’t mean he won’t be willing to beat teams with his legs. But they may be inclined to deploy them on scrambles rather than designed runs.

I’m sure a couple games on the Kansas State schedule will include him having to run a double-digit amount of times the designed way in order to win, but I think it will be lesser than past seasons.

NIL funding

I mentioned in yesterday’s K-State recruiting scoop that we were told that college football and basketball recruiting has went from being 15-20 percent about NIL this time a year ago to now about 80 percent. That is no exaggeration, and it’s why Gene Taylor and the head coaches are now making the push.

Since that realization and development, the Wildcats have embraced it much more. One example is eliminating some of the confusion for many and announcing and partnering with WildcatNIL as the school’s exclusive collective.

Progress has been made since that release. It continues to be made after other productive meetings with those that have the capacity to make large contributions.

Another conversation revealed there is others that have an appetite to do so but are waiting until after final financial commitments and pledges have been finished and resolved pertaining to the facility construction and improvements the last few years.

Klein’s goal

Speaking of Klein, many were asking why he was so willing to leave Kansas State for Texas A&M as an alum when he turned down the same opportunities from both Notre Dame and Penn State. What made him budge for the Aggies?

I think there is an element of him wanting to spread his wings and establish himself somewhere on what he perceives as a big stage. There’s always the financial piece, too. Another part is Klein wanting to prepare himself to be the next head coach at K-State.

My argument would be that he made it a bit more complicated to return to Manhattan and grab that distinction. Instead of just being the heir apparent, now he has to hope that his world and the Kansas State world align perfectly. He has to be available when the time is right. That is no sure thing.

But he felt compelled and convinced that going elsewhere, experiencing different operations and different ways to accomplish success, networking with more of the game’s best college coaches and embedding himself in Texas even further would help him in the future at K-State.

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