K-State loses star offensive tackle John Pastore for the season; who they turn to and what it means looking ahead

Collin Klein announced on Thursday that Kansas State lost starting left tackle John Pastore to a season-ending lower leg injury this past week. The preseason All-Big 12 First Team selection was the Wildcats’ lone returning starter along the offensive line, starting all 12 games last season on the way to being named Second-Team All-Big 12.

Klein also announced offensive tackle George Fitzpatrick, who missed all of last season after transferring from Ohio State, will miss the 2026 season as well.

I should have knocked on wood when writing this piece on Sundaypreviewing the two-deep of K-State’s offensive line, which included the following on Pastore:

Talent has never been a question when it comes to Pastore. Health has. The 6-foot-6 offensive tackle’s upside had been mentioned repeatedly early in his career, but injuries limited his ability to get on the field. Pastore was able to show K-State fans just how good he can be in his first full season as a starter in 2025, earning Second-Team All-Big 12 honors while starting all 12 games at left tackle. The preseason All-Big-12 First-Team selection will be counted on to be a mainstay protecting Avery Johnson’s blindside.

This is undoubtedly a huge blow for K-State. I had Pastore ranked as the third-most important player on the Wildcats’ roster in my rankings of the top 12 players on the team who will be most crucial for K-State’s success this season.

So who does K-State look to in filling the huge void left by the injury to its 6-foot-6 fifth-year tackle? Does Collin Klein and his offensive coaching staff need to make schematic adjustments without Pastore? Let’s discuss that and much more below:

Who steps up in place of Pastore?

There’s a strong likelihood Pastore’s replacement will be true freshman Oliver Miller, who I listed as No. 2 on my offensive line depth chart on Sunday. Reading the words “true freshman” and “left tackle” is a scary combination and something I know will create trepidation among K-State fans. It would for most fan bases throughout the country. The last true freshman offensive lineman I can recall having played meaningful snaps for K-State was Nick Leckey in 2000, when he started two games and played in nine on the interior of the Wildcats' offensive line. Leckey eventually became a First-Team All-American in 2003.

However, even before the injury to Pastore, the buzz and hype with Miller continued to grow. While this scenario wasn’t what the K-State coaching staff envisioned, it is important to note they were planning on the 6-foot-6, 294-pound Colorado native playing meaningful snaps this season, regardless of whether there was an injury upfront. They believed even before the Pastore injury that Miller is good enough to see the field and help them in year one.

Now he’ll have no choice but to do just that, though this scenario comes with far greater pressure on his shoulders.

Miller was a first-team all-state selection as a senior at powerhouse Cherry Creek High School. He was the No. 669 player nationally and No. 52 offensive tackle in the 2026 recruiting class. But if you were to ask K-State’s coaches, the recruiting services underrated Miller. And if you wanted that belief reaffirmed, know that Ohio State offered Miller during the recruiting process and were trying to flip his commitment prior to signing with K-State.

While the expectations for Miller are high, there aren’t many true freshman offensive tackles you’ll find starting across the country. For that matter, there aren’t many true freshmen starting at any position along the offensive line nationally. We’ll get into that in another piece I’ll publish later this week.

It’s also important to note Tyler Johnson, a 6-foot-6, 312-pound transfer from Auburn, could slide into the mix at left tackle as well. Johnson, who enters his fourth season of college football, was brought in this offseason to be quality depth at both tackle spots.

Johnson spent his first three seasons at Auburn before entering the transfer portal this offseason. He entered his second season with the Tigers as the starter at left tackle in the season-opener vs. Alabama A&M before playing a season-high 38 snaps the following week vs. California. However, he lost the starting job and would go on to play sparingly the rest of the season. In 2025, Johnson primarily saw time on special teams.

Despite that, K-State believes there’s talent to tap into when it comes to the Louisiana native, who was the No. 39-ranked offensive tackle in the 2023 high school recruiting class.

Klein also mentioned 6-foot-7, 295-pound junior Ryan Howard as a possibility at left tackle. The younger brother of former K-State quarterback Will Howard has not played a snap during his first two seasons at K-State.

I also anticipate Gus Hawkins to remain as the starting right tackle rather than moving the 6-foot-7 junior to the left side. Hawkins, the top-ranked recruit in Kansas and No. 169 player nationally in the 2024 recruiting class, played 123 snaps at right tackle last season, but missed the final few games due to an injury.

If there’s one saving grace for K-State, it’s the Wildcats’ schedule early in the season, which should allow them time to work through the new-look offensive line. K-State plays FCS opponent Nicholls to open the season, followed by non-conference games against Washington State and Tulane. Washington State had 17 players on defense play 200-plus snaps last season. All of them are gone. The Cougars only return 36% of their defensive production, the lowest in the new Pac 12, per ESPN’s Bill Connelly.

Meanwhile, Tulane is replacing all four starters along its defensive line and projects to rank No. 86 nationally on defense, per ESPN’s SP+.

The Wildcats then open conference play at Cincinnati on Sept. 26. The Bearcats defensive line is projected as the worst in the Big 12, per Brett Ciancia of Pick Six Previews. According to Ciancia, K-State will face his four worst projected defensive lines in the conference in 2026, including KU, Iowa State and Colorado, in addition to Cincinnati. They will also face his No. 2 defensive line in the conference in TCU, as well as the fourth-best unit upfront in Arizona State and No. 5-ranked Arizona.

How does the absence of Pastore impact what K-State does schematically on offense?

If there’s anything to make you feel comforted as a K-State fan regarding this unfortunate injury, it’s that Collin Klein is a bright offensive mind.

It will be interesting to see if he adjusts his scheme due to this situation. As the offensive coordinator at K-State in 2022 and 2023, Klein used 12 personnel at a high rate (one running back, two tight ends). For example, in 2023, K-State utilized 12 personnel on nearly 40% of the Wildcats’ snaps. The Wildcats ran the ball on over 57% of their plays in 2022, which was 22nd highest in the FBS and most in the Big 12, while they ran it on over 54% of their plays in 2023, ranking 45th nationally in rushing play percentage.

As the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M, Klein still used 12 personnel at a decent clip, but he also incorporated more 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end). The Aggies ran the ball on 53.7% of their total plays in 2025, a mark that ranked No. 51 nationally.

For context, 12 personnel is typically used to leverage more of a power-run game, while 11 personnel is used to spread the field with three wide receivers.

With K-State now missing its stud left tackle, what does Klein do? He could elect to play more 12 personnel, leaving an extra tight end in to block or chip the edge defender on the left side, while also going to more of a power running game. The Wildcats like their top three running backs in Joe Jackson, Rodney Fields and Jay Harris, and they have a dual-threat quarterback in Avery Johnson, who has rushed for nearly 1,100 yards combined over the last two seasons.

Another plus for K-State is the mobility of Johnson. During his two seasons as the Wildcats’ starting quarterback, K-State has ranked 17th nationally in sack rate allowed (3.5% in 2024) and 15th in the country in 2025 (3.9% sack rate). His dual-threat capability could alleviate some of the pressure an inexperienced left tackle faces. I wouldn't be surprised to see Klein get Johnson out of the pocket more, particularly rolling him out to the right and giving him the option to run or pass.

Also, K-State believes they have a talented trio of tight ends, led by preseason Second-Team All-Big 12 selection Garrett Oakley. The senior’s 38 receptions last season tied for second-most by a tight end in a single season in school history, while his 13 career touchdowns are the most by a tight end in the program’s history. The Wildcats also have experienced 6-foot-6 senior Will Anciaux, along with Linkon Cure, the highest-ranked recruit in school history who is headed into his second season of college football. What will be interesting is how they deploy Cure in this offense, and whether he will be used as a more traditional in-line tight end or split out wide.

Klein has also stated wide receiver is the most improved position on the roster from last season to 2026, and he’s named four guys standing out—Jaron Tibbs, Izaiah Williams, Joshua Manning and Brandon White. Going to 12 personnel means only two of these four are on the field at once.

Klein also could use more split back sets at running back, keeping two on the field to help in pass protection and to leak out as a safety valve at times in the passing game.

All that being said, I anticipate Klein to use a multitude of personnel groups and schemes to help relieve pressure on his offensive line, while looking to establish the run to set up the play-action passing game and slow the opponent pass rush down.

Add us as a preferred source on Google