K-State RB Joe Jackson Could be Next Breakout Big 12 Star in 2026

K-State is entering a new era in 2026, as Collin Klein is now the head coach of his alma mater after serving as the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M for the last two years. He partners back up with Avery Johnson, as he was the offensive coordinator for the Wildcats in the quarterback's first season in Manhattan. While the pairing of those has K-State fans excited for the upcoming season, it could be running back Joe Jackson that steals the show.

Jackson put together an impressive two-game stretch to end the 2025 campaign

In the final two games of the season, Jackson emerged as the go-to running back for the Wildcats, and he delivered in a big way. In a 51-47 loss to Utah, he rushed the ball 24 times for a school-record 293 yards and three touchdowns. He broke the previous record of 292 yards that was held by Darren Sproles since 2004. Jackson showcased his big-play ability in that game, as he scored on runs of 66 and 80 yards.

Jackson followed that up with another impressive game against Colorado in the regular season finale, as he rushed for another 142 yards and three touchdowns in a game that helped the Wildcats become bowl eligible. He finished his sophomore campaign with 911 yards and eight touchdowns.

The opportunity to play for Klein was opportunity that Jackson couldn't pass on

After a sophomore campaign like the one Jackson had, there was for sure interest from other schools hoping he would enter the transfer portal. During a spring practice, Jackson mentioned that a combination of unfinished business and the change to get to play for Klein was something that Jackson.couldn't pass up.

“It was pretty easy with what I knew about Kansas State, having been in the program already and being familiar with the people here,” Jackson said in April. “We still had a lot of unfinished business, so it wasn’t that tough of a decision, especially when we knew Coach Klein was coming back.”

The familiarity with Klein also stems from Jackson being on the roster three seasons ago when Klein was the offensive coordinator for the Wildcats. Klein played a huge role in recruiting Jackson, and he also does a great job of putting his best players in a position to make big plays. The rushing scheme that Klein will bring back to Manhattan puts his guys in a ton of one-on-one opportunities, setting them up for big plays.

Prediction: Jackson will make a run at a season similar to DJ Giddens in 2024

There is talent in the Wildcats' running back room, but the group consists of transfers who are new to Manhattan. Rodney Fields Jr. had a very good 2025 season for Oklahoma State, as he finished with 614 rushing yards and another 276 receiving yards. The other running back is Oregon transfer Jay Harris, who finished with 151 yards for the Ducks.

Those guys figure to be a contributing part to K-State throughout the year, but much of the rushing burden could fall on Jackson's shoulders to start the year. DJ Giddens is the last K-State player to rush for at least 1,000 yards, as he finished with 1,226 in 2023 and another 1,343 the following year. The Wildcats are going to try and establish a rushing attack early in the season, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see Jackson having a year similar to Giddens.

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