What’s next for K-State QB Avery Johnson? Here’s what he said after Colorado win
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Avery Johnson weighs staying at K-State, entering transfer portal or NFL.
- Johnson threw for 2,385 yards, 18 TDs and rushed 477 yards, 8 TDs.
- Coach Klieman expects to keep key players, but roster decisions remain.
The time has come for most college football players to start thinking about their futures.
Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson is aware of that.
The junior from Wichita helped Chris Klieman and the Wildcats win six games and qualify for a bowl this season by throwing for 2,385 yards and 18 touchdowns to go along with 477 yards and eight touchdowns as a runner. But it sounds like he has some thinking to do before he decides whether to continue on with K-State, enter the transfer portal or maybe even declare for the NFL Draft.
Here is what he said about what might come next for him after K-State defeated Colorado 24-14 on Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
“Playing for Coach Klieman has been great up to this point,” Johnson said. “There are going to be question marks and this, that and the other. Obviously, there are things that are going to be taken into account, but there’s no doubt in my mind I want to play for Coach Klieman and this is the place I want to be.
“But there are things I have got to talk to my family about and pray about. I’m committed to this place, and I love this place more than anything in the world. It’s definitely something I’m just going to have to sit down with my family about.”
From a financial perspective, Johnson would likely earn the most by staying put as a senior.
Not only do the Wildcats value him, he has NIL partnerships with many local businesses.
But he could desire a new college football experience, similar to when Will Howard transferred to Ohio State and helped the Buckeyes win a national championship during his final year of college football.
There is also a chance he thinks he is ready for the NFL, though few are projecting him as a surefire draft pick.
For what it’s worth, Klieman has expressed confidence that K-State would retain key playmakers like Jayce Brown, Austin Romaine and Johnson.
“I sure as heck hope so,” Klieman said. “I don’t speak for them, but let’s let them enjoy this. It’s the end of the season. It’s always emotional for kids, so we won’t do a whole lot with the guys this week. We need to let them have some air and breathe, and then we’ll have those conversations.”
One thing is for sure, Johnson gave his all to K-State this season.
He said he suffered some minor injuries to his upper body during last week’s loss at Utah. He was “in and out of practice” all week as he worked to recover. But he never thought about sitting out the final game of the regular season against Colorado.
“I was trying to do everything I could to get back on the field this Saturday to lay it out on the line for those guys,” Johnson said, “because I was trying to prove to them how much I care about them and how much I care about this team. I wasn’t going to let anything stop me from playing.”