MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Avery Johnson already was stewing in the Kansas State locker room when word came that lightning had prolonged halftime.
asserted
lightning → stew → halftime
This was a couple of weeks ago, during a game against Washington State, and the senior quarterback had spoiled what was otherwise a brilliant first half for the Wildcats by throwing an interception that was returned 50 yards for a touchdown as time expired.
asserted
time → spoil → touchdown
“Probably the worst scenario ever,” he recalled.
asserted
he → recall → ?
“You throw a pick-six right before halftime, then you get a weather delay.
asserted
you → throw → delay
It was then that first-year Kansas State coach Collin Klein pulled Johnson aside.
asserted
Klein → pull → Johnson
Few know better than Klein what Johnson was going through.
asserted
Johnson → know → what
He played quarterback for the Wildcats, too, leading them to the Fiesta Bowl and earning a trip to New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist.
asserted
He → play → finalist
Klein also threw a few interceptions in his day, so he understood better than most how easy it is to beat yourself up when one is returned for a touchdown.
asserted
one → throw → touchdown
“There’s only so much you can say,” Johnson said, “but I mean, he helped me out.
asserted
he → ’ → me
He reassured me.
asserted
He → reassure → me
He told me I was doing some things well on third down, doing some things with my feet well, and I still had a whole other half of football to play.”
asserted
I → tell → football
Once the storm swept through, a refocused Johnson led Kansas State through a near-flawless second half to a 34-7 victory, part of a perfect start to the season for the 3-0 Wildcats, who suddenly look like a dark-horse contender for the College Football Playoff.
asserted
who → sweep → Playoff
They open the Big 12 season Saturday night at Cincinnati, then return home to face No. 25 Houston.
asserted
They → open → Houston
But those might be the toughest games left on the schedule for the Wildcats, whose charmed luck has them avoiding regular-season games against ninth-ranked BYU, No. 11 Texas Tech and No. 15 Utah — the three highest-ranked Big 12 teams in the latest AP Top 25.
uncertain
them → leave → Top
If the Wildcats want to reach the conference title game and put themselves in the mix for the automatic playoff berth, a lot of it will depend on how Johnson plays the rest of the way.
asserted
Johnson → want → way
The once-heralded in-state recruit has epitomized a rollercoaster ride through his first two seasons as a starter, but with Klein now by his side, he just may be tapping into his huge potential.
uncertain
he → herald → potential
It was Klein, after all, who helped land Johnson at Kansas State a few years ago, back when he was the Wildcats’ offensive coordinator.
asserted
he → land → State
When coach Chris Klieman suddenly retired late last year, Klein came back to replace him after a two-year stint leading the offense at Texas A&M, a move welcomed not just by a fan base that always loved him but a quarterback already familiar with him.
asserted
that → retire → him
Johnson and Klein’s close relationship is already paying off with results.
asserted
relationship → pay → results
Johnson opened the season by throwing for 199 yards and accounting for four touchdowns in a win over Nicholls.
asserted
Johnson → open → Nicholls
He threw for 192 yards and a couple of scores against Washington State.
asserted
He → throw → State
And last week against Tulane, he became the first player in school history to throw for at least 200 yards and run for at least 150 yards in a 31-20 victory.
asserted
he → become → victory
“I’ve been really pleased with Avery,” Klein said.
asserted
Klein → please → Avery
“No one is going to be harder on him than me, and no one’s going to (better) see how high his ceiling is than us in this building.
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ceiling → go → building
I think he’s really, really growing, and doing some really, really nice things.”
asserted
he → think → things
Johnson is doing things even his coach never did.
asserted
coach → do → things
His career-high 152 yards rushing against the Green Waver were more than any of the 100-yard rushing games that the similarly dual-threat Klein had during his playing days.
asserted
Klein → rush → days
Johnson already has thrown 54 touchdown passes, a school record, and will soon pass Lynn Dickey and move into third in the Kansas State record book for career passing yardage.
asserted
Johnson → throw → yardage
“I know Avery.
asserted
I → know → Avery
That’s been my boy forever,” Wildcats safety Wesley Fair said, “and so I know he can go out there and make the big plays.
asserted
he → say → plays
And I’ve seen him do it before.
asserted
him → see → it
And I’m going to see him do it again.
asserted
him → go → it
Like, he’s just one of those dudes.”
asserted
he → ’ → dudes
Johnson’s superb play and Klein’s leadership has the Kansas State offense humming.
asserted
offense → have → ?
The Wildcats are averaging more than 490 yards per game — their most in a Big 12 era stretching back three decades — and they’re averaging 45.3 points per game.
asserted
they → average → game
As Johnson has soared, so have the Wildcats.
asserted
Wildcats → soar → ?
And both are leaving folks at Kansas State wondering what is possible.
asserted
what → leave → State
“There are things out there for him,” Klein said.
asserted
Klein → be → him
“He knows that and we know that.”
asserted
we → know → that
The Aporia
