Kansas State season preview: How deep is the quarterback room?

KSO breaks down what to expect from the Kansas State quarterback this season.

Two Kansas State strengths

An obvious one is that Kansas State is home to quarterback Will Howard. Any team that wins a conference title and returns the starter at the most important position on the field is a dangerous one the following season.

That is what the Wildcats have and what distinguishes themselves in the Big 12.

But it isn’t just the Howard show in the K-State quarterback room. Like he did at North Dakota State, head coach Chris Klieman has turned the spot into a strength every single year in Manhattan. They developed Skylar Thompson into an NFL quarterback, signed Adrian Martinez and revived Howard’s arc and career.

That won’t be the finish, either. Before signing Avery Johnson in the 2023 class, one of the more decorated prospects that Kansas State had ever signed under center was actually when Klieman and Collin Klein reeled in Jake Rubley.

Though the attention has rightfully been on Johnson, Rubley was a four-star prospect himself and will likely see some snaps this season in a back-up role. But the future at K-State does lie with Johnson and his playmaking ability.

Avery Johnson/Kansas State Athletics

Two questions

Speaking of Johnson, will he be used? If he is used, how much? That is one of the hot questions that the media will seek the answers to throughout fall camp at Kansas State. After all, his career in Manhattan will be one of the more anticipated ones in school history.

It is clear that he has the athleticism, speed and playmaking ability to make an immediate and positive impact, at least with his legs. It would not be shocking to see some packages or a collection of plays designed for him to help the Wildcats in year one.

With that being said, it is likely that they create a scenario that includes him acquiring valuable experience, providing the K-State offense a boost and doing all of that while maintaining his redshirt at the same time.

To be honest, another question and intriguing topic is what happens to the Kansas State quarterback room after the season. Does Howard stick around for another season? If Johnson continues to climb up the ladder, does that cause attrition?

Remember, the Wildcats have also added Jacob Knuth as a transfer and have Blake Barnett committed, too.

Two keys

A key at the quarterback spot for every team in the country every year is health. Having your starter go down can derail the season. Fortunately for K-State, they were able to withstand that kind of setback a year ago because of the presence of Howard.

Though Rubley and Johnson are capable, it is fair to say that the difference in experience makes it so that the gap between the starters and reserves this year is a bit wider. Klieman is likely not as comfortable giving either one the keys to the car just yet.

That brings us to the final key and that is for Kansas State to have a plan on how to approach the back-up job. What happens if it is just a case of Howard losing a helmet and having to sit out a play? What if the unthinkable happens and Howard has to miss a few games?

Knowing which quarterback will be the answer in each scenario is important. How critical is it for Johnson to keep his redshirt? How ready is he to see significant snaps and how much of the playbook is at his disposal?

Is Rubley ahead of him in terms of readiness and does that play into the decision-making of who to go to in meaningful situations if that choice has to be made? Fall camp has to be the time when the K-State coaches discover those answers.

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