Quarterback
*Starters in Bold
Avery Johnson: Snaps – 85 – Comp – 30/50 (60%) – Yds – 292 – Td – 1 – Int – 0 – Rushes
– 6 – Yds – 38Grade: B-
Avery’s passing numbers are fine. I can’t believe he threw the ball 50 times, but that was a weird game in many respects. I have this as a B- instead of a B because of the third quarter. After the 2nd half started with a fumble and a touchdown drive by Cincinnati to tie the game, Kansas State desperately needed their quarterback to put together a drive, settle things down,
and allow the defense to get things sorted out. Instead, Fields got stuffed for no gain on first down, then Fields got brought down in the backfield on a swing pass for a loss of six, and then he completed an 8-yard pass to Oakley, who had no shot at making the first down.
A punt and three Cincinnati plays later, the Bearcats claimed a 24-17 lead.
Avery and the offense responded with a 6-play, 15-yard drive and another punt. If Cincinnati didn’t fumble on what looked like their third straight scoring drive, Cincy would have iced the game in the 3rd quarter. It felt like when Kansas State needed a play most, their best playmaker deferred to the players around him. I put some of that on the coaching staff, who didn’t seem interested in getting their supremely athletic quarterback coming off a huge rushing game outside the pocket and into open air. I don’t think Kansas State is the same team when Avery goes into ball distributor mode instead of dual-threat playmaker mode.
One last thing. I do have more time this week, but I’m befuddled by Avery’s footwork in the pocket. I’m not sure what’s going on with his back leg, but he just lifts it and balances on his left leg while throwing the ball with nothing but arm whip. When things get tight, he reverts to some bad habits. I’m sure if I noticed it, so did the coaching staff.
This wasn’t a bad game from Avery, but it wasn’t enough to beat Cincinnati.
Running Back
- Rodney Fields: Snaps – 43 – Rushes – 12 – Yds – 50 (4.2 YPC) – Td – 2 – Rec – 2 – Yds – 1
- Joe Jackson: Snaps – 45 – Rushes – 11 – Yds – 59 (5.4 YPC) – Rec – 5 – Yds – 10
Grade: B-
Fields and Jackson split the workload pretty much down the middle in this one. I feel the same way about the backs as I felt about Avery. They were fine, good even! The running game averaged 5 yards per carry. You can’t be mad about that, but I kept waiting for a big run that never quite materialized.
They’re both good, quality running backs, but I’m starting to question if either is truly a lead back. Fields seems to be missing that final burst that turns a good run into a great run, and while Jackson has that burst, he always seems to get knocked off balance and go down when all he needs to do is stay up for one more step to clear the defense.
I’m shocked Jay Fields wasn’t utilized in short-yardage situations after he’s thrived in the role this season. The first drive ended in a field goal because K-State couldn’t get a first down or a touchdown despite having the ball 2nd and 3rd at Cincinnati 5. It felt like the staff got a little too cute, and it cost them 4 points. When the job calls for a hammer, and you have a hammer, you should use your hammer; otherwise, why is he on the roster?
This was a fine but uninspiring performance from the backs.
Wide Receiver
- Josh Manning: Snaps – 76 – Targets – 6 – Rec – 1 – Yds – 19
- Jaron Tibbs: Snaps – 10 – Targets – 2 – Rec – 1 – Yds – 6
- Brandon White: Snaps – 56 – Targets – 2 – Rec – 1 – Yds – 4
- Derrick Salley Jr.: Snaps – 74 – Targets – 12 – Rec – 7 – Yds – 124 – Tds – 1
- Izaiah Williams: Snaps – 1 – Targets – 1 – Rec – 1 – Yds – 11
- Adonis Moise: Snaps – 1 – No Stats
Grade: B-
Jaron Tibbs smacked his head on the turf after making his first reception and was sent to the bench for the rest of the game with what looked like a concussion. Jumbo junior college transfer Derrick Salley Jr. took his place and earned himself a larger role in the offense moving forward. He did a good job of using his body to block out defensive backs and give Avery a big target. He made a great catch on Johnson’s only deep ball of the game down the left sideline for 39 yards. You’ve got to be ready to go when your number is called, and Salley Jr. was ready, willing, and able to step up when Tibbs went down. His fumble to start the 2nd half was, in my humble opinion, a bad call. I don’t think Salley ever had control of the ball, but because the refs are supposed to let the play run and then “fix” it with replay, they need indisputable video evidence to overturn it. If that had been called an incomplete pass, I don’t think they would have overturned it with replay.
Here’s the deal, though: Avery keeps doing this thing where he fixates on one receiver. On some level, I get it: if you’ve got a matchup you like, work it. He’s done it with Manning and Tibbs already, and Saturday was Salley’s turn in his sights. It just felt like a couple of the misses to Salley Jr. were forced, especially in the intermediate route area (10-19 yards where Avery occasionally struggles with his timing and accuracy.
After looking like Kansas State’s top-line receiver against Washington State, Josh Manning has 1 reception combined in the last two games. I don’t understand it. Whatever chemistry they had against the Cougars has vanished, and Avery has shifted his attention to other options.
Brandon White was targeted 6 times for 7 yards but only turned those 6 receptions into 25 yards. He felt like another player who was right on the verge of making a big play that never materialized. His fellow slot receiver, Izaiah Williams, certainly makes the most of his limited time on the field. It seems like he sneaks onto the field, immediately pulls down a reception, and then is never heard from again.
Salley had a big game, but Manning continued to struggle, and White’s inability to turn any of his 6 receptions into something more than a 9-yard game pulls the grade down half a letter grade.
Tight End
- Garrett Oakley: Snaps – 76 – Targets – 9 – Rec – 7 – Yds – 80
- Linkon Cure: Snaps – 36 – Targets – 1 – Rec – 0
- Will Anciaux: Snaps – 7 – No Stats
Grade: B-
That was the Garrett Oakley game I’ve been waiting for; unfortunately, it may have required Will Anciaux to sacrifice his foot/ankle in tribute to the always cruel college football gods. Anciaux has been one of the good surprises on the roster and, at times, the most productive tight end. I don’t have any inside information, but I’d be surprised if we see him again anytime soon. Anyways, Oakley set up shop in the middle of the field and played security blanket for Avery. Five of his seven completions went for first downs. It’s unfortunate that his one chance to make a play down the field uncharacteristically caromed off his hand. Regardless of that blemish on his game resume, this was the future NFL draft pick that I thought was on the roster.
As good as Oakley was, Cure was almost as bad. He was on the field for 36 snaps, didn’t have a catch, and didn’t provide much in the way of blocking. I think I’ve mentioned this before, but I’m starting to question Cure’s route running and feel for the game. He’s got everything you want from an athletic standpoint, but Avery can’t find him in the passing game. It may be time to start trying to figure out how to get Linkon the ball without having to throw it to him, because if he’s not catching the ball- and he’s not catching the ball right now- I’m not sure what he brings to the field that someone else can’t do better. I really hope the staff uses the off week to scheme up some new uses for the highest-rated recruit in program history.
Oakley played an A game, Cure played a D game, so I’m giving up another B-.
Offensive Line
Left Tackle
Ryan Howard: Snaps – 85
Left Guard
Tanner Morely: Snaps – 85
Center
Dylan Villarouel: Snaps – 85
Right Guard
Charlie Adams: Snaps – 85
Right Tackle
Gus Hawkins: Snaps – 85
Grade: B-
For the first time all season, Ryan Howard ran into some problems at left tackle. He gave up a team-high 4 pressures in pass protection, but none turned into a sack. He’s been great until this game; he was good, but not great in his first road test. I expect to see more time challenge him with speed rushers in the future, after he was a little slow out of his stance on a few occasions in this one. I wonder if the crowd noise in his first conference road game played into that problem a little.
For the first time all season, the coaching staff scrapped the guard time-share and went with Morely at left guard and Charlie Adams at right guard for the entire game. Adams has outplayed Keiton Jones early this season, and with Morely moving back into his preferred left guard position, Jones gave way to Adams at right guard. Dylan Villarouel continues to hold down the center position. I understand why the coaching staff went with the same 5 all game on the road, but Jones may have been missed in short yardage. He doesn’t move as well as Adams, but he’s the strongest dude on the team and is at his best when he can latch onto someone with his catcher’s mitt-sized hands and drive them backward. The offensive line was humming before this game; I’m not sure the change was a net positive.
Hawkins was flagged for the only offensive-line penalty of the game but otherwise did a solid job in pass protection, allowing only 1 quarterback hurry. He’s still a work in progress in the run game. It’s not a coincidence that the Wildcats tend to focus their rushing attack to the left. Hawkins is good when he can use his athleticism in space as a puller. He’s not so good at dropping his pads and driving someone off the line in the run game. While everything else about college football has changed, I’m still fairly certain the low man wins, and Hawkins wasn’t the low man on a couple of short-yardage runs.
I’m going with a B- for this group as well, because that’s pretty much how I felt about the entire offensive performance, especially in the second half. It was fine; it should have been good enough to win, but it couldn’t knock Cincinnati out in the first half and couldn’t stay on the field when the Bearcats made their big push in the 3rd quarter. Two long drives ended in short field goals inside the red zone, and the last-gasp drive to win the game at the end didn’t look particularly inspired.
