Mailbag: Assessing the Week 2 Kansas State performance

1. Does Keagan Johnson start for Kansas State this week?

DY: Thus far, it seems to be handled similar to the Uso Seumalo situation when he returned from injury, except Kansas State actually played Keagan Johnson more snaps in his first appearance than Seumalo even saw against SEMO.

That’s a good sign. So, I’d lean towards yes if there’s no setbacks.

2. Does Cooper Beebe start at right tackle if Christian Duffie can’t go?

DY: Potentially. I wouldn’t rule it out at this point. But I would point out that the Missouri game has always been the target return date for K-State offensive tackle Christian Duffie, and Cooper Beebe already saw a lot of right tackle versus Troy.

3. Why is Tyler Nelome not in the 2-deep?

DY: Quite frankly, because you have to be freakin’ good to get in the two-deep at Kansas State at the moment. At least at cornerback. All three of Jacob Parrish, Will Lee and Keenan Garber are playing at an incredible level. How do you take them off the field?

He’s probably in a dogfight for playing time with Justice James, but James has recovered from his injury last year and Tyler Nelome has dealt with some nicks and dings.

4. Is the K-State WR corps in the upper half of the Big 12?

DY: It is probably too early to know. Not everyone has played a good enough team or been challenged enough to know where they stand at this point. My naked eye says it’s probably borderline, but K-State needs Keagan Johnson for that distinction.

5. Are Will Howard’s miscues a mental issue or a schematic issue?

DY: I wouldn’t consider it to be either. Will Howard is a fine quarterback. Kansas State is not worried. I am not worried. He’s gotten greedy. Like offensive coordinator Collin Klein shared last Thursday, he needs to remember to not try to do too much.

6. Will Jadon Jackson lose snaps when Keagan Johnson is healthy? I’d rather see Jackson, Johnson and RJ Garcia together.

DY: That’s not the way to look at it. You can think those are the three best receivers for K-State, but it really comes down to the three receiver positions all being different. And most of those don’t now all three or at least aren’t as superior at the other two spots as their primary one.

And I wouldn’t consider either one of Johnson, Jadon Jackson or RJ Garcia to have the slot role be their primary one, if they know it well enough at all to play it on game day.

7. Should we expect the Kansas State offensive line to not be good next year?

DY: Well, first off, they need to worry about this season and rectifying the slow start that has plagued them. But it’s way, way, way, way too early to be concerned about next season when there is a lot we don’t know.

It’s early in the season. A lot of dudes are going to be much better two and three months from now, and that even includes the Kansas State starters. Some are dragging a bit because they are recovering from injuries, too.

Football development can be a fickle thing. Everyone wanted KT Leveston benched and felt that he would never be a contributor, too. Chris Klieman almost kicked him off the team. That was true, until it wasn’t. Sometimes the light bulb just comes on for guys. Everyone develops at a different rate.

Sure, they’ll lose Beebe, Leveston, Duffie and Hayden Gillum but could return Taylor Poitier and will also have Hadley Panzer, John Pastore and Andrew Leingang as well. It’s too early, very too early, to write anyone off at this point.

But when you start three sixth-year seniors and a two-time All-American, sure it’s reasonable to expect K-State to take a step back.

Avery Johnson/Kansas State Athletics

8. Do we see Avery Johnson against Missouri in a quarterback run package?

DY: I’m not eliminating the possibility of a package that includes Avery Johnson, but I wouldn’t say I have heard that it is in store or a foregone conclusion.

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