Why Iowa transfer Keagan Johnson is confident about his Kansas State football debut
Keagan Johnson has played in plenty of college football games before, but he is approaching his debut with Kansas State as if he were fresh out of high school.
This is a new beginning for him, in more ways than one.
Johnson is a 6-foot and 193-pound wide receiver who spent the past two years playing for Iowa. And yet, he feels like he is only just now getting an opportunity to flash his full potential. When he played for the Hawkeyes, he was trapped in a low-scoring offense as a freshman and then perennially injured as a sophomore. Now that he is with the Wildcats, he is part of an offense that wants to score 50 points every week and he is healthy.
You can’t blame him for feeling optimistic about what’s to come, starting with a 6 p.m. game against Southeast Missouri State on Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
“I am just going to let it fly,” Johnson said. “I feel like it’s been a while since I’ve been able to play a full game. I have dealt with injuries in the past and I’m just so excited to go out there and let it fly. What will I show (the fans)? I’m not sure yet, because I don’t know myself, but I just hope that it is positive. Man, I can’t wait.”
K-State football players are also eager to see what Johnson can accomplish in a real, life game.
For weeks, they have talked him up as one of the top performers at training camp.
“His ability to run routes and his ability to attack the football when it is in the air is unparalleled,” K-State quarterback Will Howard said. “He just goes at the ball, wherever it is. He makes me right. If I don’t throw a perfect ball and I throw a dig a little bit behind him he is sticking his hands out and going to get that thing.
“He does a lot of really good things. He is super fast and makes some really good cuts. But what separates him is ability to attack the football. He is just a ball hawk.”
No one will be surprised if he fills the void left by Malik Knowles and leads the Wildcats in receiving yards this season.
“He is really explosive and dynamic with the ball in his hands,” fellow receiver R.J. Garcia said. “A great guy. He is going to make a lot of plays for us. He is fast as heck and as explosive as heck. He catches the ball and runs great routes. I’m excited that he’s here.”
Johnson was a natural recruiting target for the Wildcats because they had some history with him as a high school player coming out of Bellevue, Nebraska. They were impressed when he caught 18 passes for 352 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman. And they weren’t scared away by his injuries as a sophomore.
That gave K-State the inside track for him when he entered the transfer portal.
The Wildcats were also interested in adding a veteran receiver because they lost Kade Warner and Knowles during the offseason. They needed new playmakers, and Johnson was up for the challenge.
He is ready to showcase his skills in a new environment.
“I’m on to something new,” Johnson said. “My explosive playmaking ability is one thing that I’m really looking forward to showing, just my ability to run after the catch and be strong through the catch. There are a lot of things that I’m excited to show.”