How K-State quarterback Avery Johnson got stronger (and even faster) this offseason
Kansas State football players like to brag about their speed.
The fastest members of the team earn special T-shirts that advertise just how quickly they can move up and down the field. And they wear them with pride.
Last year, Avery Johnson was among a small group of Wildcats who topped 22 mph in practice. That number looked good on his chest. This year, he exceeded 23 mph along with Dylan Edwards, Donovan McIntosh and VJ Payne.
Even better. Time to make new shirts.
In the meantime, a picture of the group quickly appeared on social media, accompanied by the tagline: “23 mph club.”
That type of speed will once again set Johnson apart from most college quarterbacks when he leads the K-State offense as a junior next season. But he is already aiming for more.
“That is what we are striving for now,” Johnson said this week. “When I first got here, nobody even thought anybody would hit 23 miles per hour. And now we have four guys that have done it. So why stop now? We have got to keep dreaming and shooting for the stars as we work for that 24-miles-per-hour mark.”
This is what the offseason looks like for Johnson.
The Wichita native has spent the past few months improving his body in the weight room and crafting his game on the practice field. Results have followed since he led K-State to a come-from-behind victory at the Rate Bowl in December. He has found a way to add valuable muscle and even more quickness.
“Credit to the strength staff and nutrition staff,” Johnson said. “They gave me a plan and just told me to go after it and chase it. ... I’m trying to work my hardest in the weight room and when we do our team runs. I’m keeping my nutrition at the top of my priority list so I can sustain more hits this season and be harder to get down whenever I am outside the pocket and doing some quarterback run stuff.”
He followed an unconventional workout plan to reach this point. Instead of dieting and working out like a quarterback, he tried to mirror the physical improvements that former K-State cornerback Jacob Parrish made during his time on campus.
Parrish steadily added muscle throughout his college career without losing speed. The 5-foot-10 NFL prospect proved that much when he weighed in at 191 pounds for the NFL Scouting Combine and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds.
Johnson, who is currently at 6-3 and 188 pounds, wants to do the same.
“You can put on the strength and put on the weight and get faster,” K-State coach Chris Klieman said. “It’s cool to see.”
As a sophomore, Johnson threw for 2,712 yards and 25 touchdowns while adding 605 yards and seven touchdowns as a runner. His dual-threat talents make him a dangerous quarterback in the Big 12.
Klieman thinks he is ready to make a big jump forward as a runner, passer and leader.
Improving his body, and inching toward the 24 mph club, will only help Johnson as he matures.