Kansas State OC Matt Wells Makes Bold Prediction On Avery Johnson's Future
In this story:
Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson enters his junior season with lofty expecations.
New offensive coordinator Matt Wells is thinking even bigger for Johnson. In an interview with Landon Reinhardt of KSNT, Wells said he believes Johnson has what it takes to make the next level.
“He’ll play on Sunday,” Wells said. “But he’s got a lot of work to do before then. He’ll be the first to tell you, and that’s not a negative thing. That’s a growth thing. We’ve got to continue to grow and push the limits for him physically. Keep gaining weight, keep getting stronger, but also mentally.”
Last season Johnson was handed the reigns after Will Howard transferred to Ohio State. Johnson led the Wildcats to a 9-4 record and a victory against Rutgers in the Rate Bowl. He threw for 2,712 yards with 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Johnson, a junior, likely enters next season with Heisman-like expectations. He is one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the nation. He also ran for 605 yards and seven touchdowns.
The addition of five-star tight end recruit Linkon Cure should also help Johnson. Cure, the nation's top tight end coming out of high school, is the Wildcats' highest-rated player in history.
But it comes down to Johnson if K-State is going to compete for a Big 12 title and a spot in the College Football Playoffs.
Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Kansas State Wildcats On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com
Follow our coverage on Facebook
X: @KStateOnSI
Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star. TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here