Avery Johnson, K-State Running Game Among Key Takeaways in 71-3 Victory Against Nicholls

Avery Johnson and K-State did nearly everything right in Saturday night's 71-3 victory against Nicholls. The offense was in complete control, and all the excitment with it being Collin Klein's first game as the coach only increased after that game.

While coaches will always find things their teams need to improve on from Week 1, Klein and his staff couldn't ask for a better performance than the one on Saturday night.

There were many reasons why K-State won this game, but here are a few of the main takeaways.

Johnson delivers in a big way in Week 1

Johnson was starting the 27th game of his college career, and he looked like it on Saturday night. He finished the game 15-of-21 for 199 yards and three touchdowns, while adding another score on the ground. However, what really stood out was how in control he was of the offense. He never looked rattled, and took what the defense gave him.

The offensive line is a young group that is dealing with a lot of injuries, but it was obvious that he trusts his guys. Even when they let a defender get near Johnson, he remained poised and didn't force anything. Statistics are always something people will look at to grade a quarterback, but the film will show a guy who was in control. He didn't take any big risks, which was important because the running back of K-State was dominant.

K-State has three guys who could be starting running backs in the Big 12

One of the biggest talking points this off-season was that the running back group had a chance to be special. Even though it was one game, the trio of Rodney Fields Jr., Joe Jackson, and Jay Harris proved that to be true.

Fields was the guy who got the most carries, as he rushed the ball 14 times for 101 yards and one touchdown. The Oklahoma State transfer is looked at as a home run threat, but he showcased a complete game on Saturday night.

Jackson was the guy last year for K-State, and he showcased his versatility against Nicholls. He rushed the ball seven times for 38 yards and a touchdown, while also adding another 48 receiving yards and another score. Harris showed mental toughness as well, as he overcame a fumble early to finish with another 53 yards and one touchdown.

The Wildcats as a whole ran the ball very well, finishing with 44 carries for 312 yards. Both of these offensive performances are impressive, but they don't happen without a solid performance from the offensive line.

Offensive line holds up well in Week 1

The biggest talking point over the last couple of weeks has been the offensive line issues. The Wildcats lost All-Big 12 left tackle John Pastore, as well as multiple other players who were supposed to be contributors. While it wasn't a Big 12 type of defensive line on Saturday, the offensive line did its job.

The group did a good job creating running lanes for the running backs, and it was a huge reason why they had such a big night running the ball. However, the most important part of their performance was that Johnson wasn't sacked once.

Does the performance in Week 1 answer all the questions about the offensive line? No, but the group did exactly what it needed to do on Saturday night, and the coaching staff should feel more confident about the line than it did last week.

Special Teams U is back

K-State has been known for quite some time as one of the best special teams groups in the country, and the Wildcats showcased that on Saturday night. Hawaii transfer Brandon White was brought in with the expectation that he would make an impact as a returner, and he did just that.

He took back a punt 65 yards for a touchdown, putting the Wildcats up 22-0 late in the first quarter. Simon McClannan punted only twice on the evening, but he averaged 48 yards per punt.

Defense delivered in a big way

The Wildcats' defense was outstanding on Saturday night, with the ability to prevent the big play in the passing game really standing out. The Colonels in their Week 1 played a huge role in their win against Mississippi Valley State, but the longest pass play of the night was 12 yards. The defense gave up only seven completions, with only five of those gaining a net positive yard.

The rush defense was also outstanding, holding the Colonels to 92 rushing yards on 39 carries. Jordan Peterson had his guys playing at a high level in his first game as the defensive coordinator, and even though they had only one sack, they kept the Colonels' offense uncomfortable all night.

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