Kansas State Football: Nicholls State Position Group Review – Offense

The Wildcats started the season with a bang last Saturday against Nicholls State. I’m not sure things could have gone much better for Coach Klein’s debut. The stadium looked great, the crowd was electric, and a good time was had by all, with the exception of the poor souls on the opposing sideline. The offense started hot and stayed hot. Kansas State didn’t run up the score; they just kept scoring, and as wild as it is to say, the game wasn’t as close as the 71-3 outcome indicates. If the goal was to score as many

points as possible, records could have fallen.

I’m a little behind this week because of the holiday, but I wanted to get this out before shifting my attention to Washington State.

Note: Starters are in bold

Quarterback

Grade – A+

1. Avery Johnson – 46 snaps, 15/21, 199 Yds, 3 TDs, 0 INTs, 4 Rushes, 23 Yds, 1 TD
2. Blake Barnett – 16 snaps, 4/5, 41 Yds, 2 Rushes, 3 YDs
3. Jacob Knuth – 10 snaps, 1/1, 7 Yds, 3 Rushes, 25 YDs, 1 TD

Thoughts:

You couldn’t ask for a better start from Avery. He was crisp in the passing game, completing 71% of his passes while spreading the ball around to a multitude of wideouts and tight ends, instead of locking onto his primary target. He put a little too much mustard on a couple of deep balls, but I’m going to chalk that up to having a little extra juice for the opener. He’s consistently hit them throughout his career. When he needed to gun the ball into a small space, he had no trouble revving up the RPMs on his throw, but showed better touch than I remember on passes around the line of scrimmage. I’m sure his receivers and backs appreciated not having to catch his fastball at point-blank range.

Despite running the ball only 4 times, he was decisive when he did take off. His touchdown run looked more like 2024 Avery and less like 2025 Avery. That’s a very good thing. The offense didn’t need his legs on Saturday, but that’s going to change in upcoming games.

Blake Barnett was the first quarterback off the bench, and I’m pretty sure he tweaked his hamstring on his first run of the game. We’ve seen him run in actual games before, and I don’t remember him being slow or having a limp. He worked through it and did a nice job in the passing game. I assume he’ll be good to go moving forward.

Finally, Jacob Knuth came off the bench in the 4th quarter and showed his value in the run game. Barnett was the designated runner off the bench last season, but Knuth showed he’s got plenty of get-up-and-go as well. I wonder if he can find a role as a short-yardage power-running QB to save Avery a few hits. He’s a big dude and has several years of sitting on the bench frustration to work out.

Running Back

Grade – A

1. Rodney Fields – 35 snaps, 14 rushes, 101 Yds, 1 Td
2. Joe Jackson – 19 snaps, 7 rushes, 38 Yds, 1 Td, 2 Rec, 48 Yds, 1 Td
3. Monterrio Elston Jr. – 15 snaps, 6 rushes, 53 Yds, 1 Td
4. Jay Harris – 9 snaps, 6 rushes, 53 Yds, 1 TD, 1 Fumble

Thoughts:

The depth chart lied. Joe Jackson was listed as the starter, but Rodney Fields started and received the lion’s share of the snaps. There’s something about seeing a 5’9” Kansas State running back carve up a defense that feels right, and that’s exactly what Fields did on Saturday. He had his most success running outside, including a 26-yard scamper off the right edge, but wasn’t bad between the tackles either, picking up 3 first downs on interior runs. It looks like he has a firm grasp on the starting job moving forward.

At the same time, Joe Jackson showed utility as the primary backup. He broke off 2 runs of 10+, including a touchdown off right guard, but his 2 receptions for 48 yards showed what he can bring to the offense. He looked faster than I remember on his 43-yard catch-and-run touchdown. I’m going with the theory that a decreased workload in the run game will allow him to use his speed when called upon in the passing game.

Jay Harris was the third back off the bench and showed his hard-running style. Unfortunately, he also fumbled the ball on his second rushing attempt of the game. This is a deep group of backs, and Coach Klein won’t hesitate to put fumblers on the bench. Even with the fumble, Harris brings size and a nasty attitude to the run game. He has short-yardage back written all over him; I know I wouldn’t want to try and tackle him.

Monterrio Elston Jr. was the beneficiary of Harris’s misfortune and took one of his extra carries 46 yards to the house. Fields, Jackson, and Harris are the top 3 backs, but Elston Jr. made his case to make this a 4-back rotation. If nothing else, he’s a great hedge against a Fields or Jackson injury. It’s always nice to have a back with his speed in reserve for the long season.

The Fields fumble took this out of A+ territory, but it’s hard to complain about your running back group contributing 5 touchdowns to the cause.

Wide Receiver

Grade: A

1. Josh Manning – 45 snaps, 3 Rec, 33 Yds, 1 Td
2. Jaron Tibbs – 44 snaps, 4 Rec, 39 Yds, 1 TD
3. Derrick Salley Jr. – 29 snaps, 4 Rec, 38 Yds
4. Brandon White – 23 snaps – 2 Rec, 20 Yds, 1 Rush, 7 Yds
5. Adonis Moise – 23 snaps – No stats
6. Izaiah Williams – 19 snaps, 1 Rec, 10 Yds
7. Sterling Lockett – 10 snaps – No stats

Thoughts:

One thing I was interested in watching coming into the game was the wide receiver rotation. It played out about how I thought it would. Manning and Tibbs were on the field for the majority of the snaps, with Brandon White and Izaiah Williams splitting time in the slot with the first unit.

Tibbs was Mr. reliable, catching 4 of his 5 targets with a team-high 3 first-down receptions. Jaron isn’t the fastest guy on the field, but he’s big, athletic, and knows how to use his body to shield off defenders. He was a star on the hardwood before he was a star on the gridiron, and he plays receiver like someone who knows how to get a rebound.

Manning loses some points as the only receiver with a drop on the day, but otherwise, he was fine. He’s the designated deep ball receiver, and Avery came close to hitting him early in the game. He also found the end zone in his much-delayed Kansas State debut. If Johnson puts a little less on another deep ball, Manning ends the game with 2 TDs and 60+ yards.

White started in the slot over Williams, but this feels like a season-long time share. They’re both quick and can beat man coverage in the short and intermediate routes. Together, they caught 3 passes, and all 3 went for first downs. That’s their role in this offense. Manning stretches the field; Tibbs is the physical receiver, and White and Williams get open over the middle on 3rd down. That’s how it played out on Saturday.

If you’re looking for an off-the-radar type player who balled out on Saturday, look no further than junior college transfer Derrick Salley Jr. The 6’3”, 235-pound receiver (my goodness) tied Tibbs with 5 targets and 4 completions. Like Tibbs, he’s a big body who runs through defensive backs and jumps over them as opposed to running past them. I like the idea of Tibbs, Salley Jr., and Oakley in the redzone where the entire objective is to catch the ball and fall down for 6 points. That’s NFL-level size across the board.

Adonis Moise and Sterling Lockett both received some snaps later in the game. Neither ended up with a catch, but Moise brings plenty of speed to the equation and could help stretch the field along with Manning moving forward.

Overall, the receivers weren’t overly dynamic, but this offense isn’t built on deep balls over the top. When the Wildcats needed a first down, they got the ball past the sticks and handed it back to the running game. What really struck me is that Tibbs, Manning, and Salley Jr. finally give Avery a set of big-bodied receivers who don’t need the perfect throw to make a catch. I like Jayce Brown, but he needed Avery to drop the ball in his hands. Once that happened, he was off to the races, but it’s nice to be able to throw the ball in someone’s general direction and be confident in the fact that your receiver is going to outcompete the defensive back. It makes playing quarterback much easier.

Tight End

Grade: B-

1. Linkon Cure – 32 snaps
2. Will Anciaux – 27 snaps
3. Garrett Oakley – 26 snaps
4. Lawson McGraw – 7 snaps

Thoughts:

The only position group on offense that didn’t live up to its lofty standards was tight end, but some of that is because the wide receivers played well. Oakley’s 31-yard run after catching the ball behind the line of scrimmage was the highlight. I’m confident the senior will take care of business when called upon.

Linkon Cure didn’t deliver the game I expected. He led the tight ends in snaps but was only targeted once on a deep ball down the right sideline. According to Pro Football Focus, he had the worst run-blocking grade on the team (slightly worse than Oakley, who was second-to-last). I take that with a grain of salt, but Linkon isn’t exactly known for his blocking either. If he’s not catching the ball and not blocking well, I’m not sure how he fits. I know he’s supposed to be a downfield threat, but it seems like he’s never quite on the same page as Avery. Fully weaponizing Cure will take this offense to the next level, but I’d like to see him do more than go deep and try to out-athlete a defensive back. My kingdom for a Linkon Cure tight end screen.

While Avery and Linkon weren’t on the same page, Will Anciaux, the supposed blocking tight end in this group, pulled down 2 receptions, both going for first downs. He’s the most balanced tight end on the roster, and that’s important to Coach Klein. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him eat into Cure’s snaps as the second tight end behind Oakley because of his versatility.

Offensive Line

Grade: A+

1st unit

1. LT – Ryan Howard – 46 snaps
2. LG – Charlie Adams – 33 snaps
3. C – Dylan Villarouel – 47 snaps
4. RG – Keiton Jones – 41 snaps
5. RT – Gus Hawkins – 46 snaps

2nd unit

1. LT – Tyler Johnson – 16 snaps
2. RT – Delvin Morris – 23 snaps
3. LG – Navarro Schunke – 17 snaps
4. RG – Chase Duarte – 22 snaps
5. C – Michael Capria – 16 snaps

3rd Unit

1. LG – Tanner Morley – 14 snaps
2. C – Jordan Jensen – 11 snaps
3. LT – Brock Heath – 10 snaps
4. LG – Lamarcus Barber – 10 snaps
5. RG – Kyle Rakers – 7 snaps
6. RT – Joe Vickers – 3 snaps
7. RG – Bennett Fraser – 3 snaps

Thoughts:

All eyes were on the offensive line after a spate of injuries moved Ryan Howard to the top of the depth chart at left tackle and elevated Charlie Adams to the starting left guard spot. The inexperienced group held its own against Nicholls State, and the coaching staff didn’t hesitate to use the bench in the second half, with little to no backsliding. Charlie Adams graded out as the best run blocker of the group by PFF, and Coach Klein has been talking up the Cal Poly transfer all week. Freshman Oliver Miller has been the talk of camp, but I’m not sure the left guard spot is automatically his when he returns from injury. This offense is built on pulling guards, and the 6’3”, nearly 330-pound Adams was hauling his substantial rear end around and decimating defenders in the hole.

Ryan Howard wasn’t as good in the run game, but he graded out as the best pass blocker of the group and did a fine job in his first start. The difficulty level ramps up this week against Washington State, but I’m glad the big man was able to get a solid game under his belt before being thrown to the wolves. He did everything the coaching staff required, and like Adams at left guard, he’s going to be difficult to dislodge from his left tackle spot, even when Miller returns.

I’m not going to get into all of the linemen, but the right side of the line held their own. Keiton Jones is a beast in the zone-blocking scheme and is a nice complement to Adams’ ability to pull from the left side. Dylan Villarouel was solid at center and didn’t have any issues snapping the ball in his first collegiate game at center. Gus Hawkins was solid, but not spectacular, at right tackle.

It was nice to see Tanner Morely get some work after battling an injury throughout camp. He was penned (not penciled) into the starting lineup at left guard before the injury. Adams playing well lets Morely return to full health and essentially gives the team a 6th starter on the offensive line. I could see Morely and Adams in a time share moving forward. This team was supposed to be thin on the line after losing Pastore and Fitzgerald for the season and having Morely and Miller deal with camp injuries, but it looks like this staff knocked it out of the park in the transfer portal after striking out in 2025.

Overall Grade: A+

The object of football is to score points. The Kansas State offense put 71 points on the board without a turnover. Things will get exponentially harder from here on out, but they gave Coach Klein everything he was looking for and more in the opener.