It was hardly shocking that Avery Johnson was the most effective rusher on the field, even on a day when Kansas State averaged 9.1 yards per rush and crushed Tennessee-Martin 41-6. In Game 1, the sophomore quarterback for the Wildcats gained 37 yards on three carries of the ball.
With 12.3 yards per rush, the figure is higher than that of Dylan Edwards (8.6) and DJ Giddens (9.5), two of the team’s top running backs. Given this statistic, the following query is raised: Why did Johnson toss the ball for so long last week? The answer is nuanced. Johnson gained 153 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception on 14 of his 21 passes completed.
Although he was more effective with his legs, his arm was sturdy. Given his pace, that will most likely be the case most of the time. Notwithstanding the fact that he has already scored five rushing touchdowns in a single game, the Wildcats do not want to deploy him as a backup running back. They want him to be able to throw the ball because they want him to be a regular quarterback.
One may argue that K-State’s offensive coordinator, Conor Riley, need to work with his quarterback to develop a better run/pass ratio than 21-to-3. But let’s not forget that despite a lackluster offensive performance, the Wildcats defeated the Skyhawks with ease. Johnson will probably run the ball more in the future.
The situation and the game will determine how much. There’s no need for him to carry the ball ten times when K-State is dominating the game, as they were last week. It would be far better for him to pass the ball to his wide receivers, run the ball to his running backs, and try to avoid hits as much as possible. After all, not every quarterback for K-State is built like Collin Klein.
But I believe Johnson will be given the freedom to run around and outmuscle opponents when the Wildcats need him to in a crucial situation. In the NFL, players like Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Patrick Mahomes have a similar behavior. There are certain games that don’t run very well. But throughout the playoffs, they consistently make plays on the ground. Johnson should follow suit.
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