Pressure bursts pipes or makes diamonds. And Avery Johnson? He’s lived both. After a rollercoaster 2024 that began with the Big 12 title run and unraveled down the stretch, Kansas State’s quarterback just peeled back the curtain in a way few young athletes dare to. No dodging, no polished PR fluff. On a recent podcast, Johnson owned the harsh truth: complacency, pressure, overthinking—all of it. And now, with 2025 creeping in fast and expectations higher than ever, the sophomore star’s brutal honesty might just be the spark that reignites the fire in Manhattan.

On July 20th, Avery Johnson joined the “Kansas State Wildcats on K-State” podcast and didn’t mince words. When asked what flipped the switch for him this offseason—what forced a shift in mindset—he didn’t hesitate. “Yeah, I think after the season ends, just like mentally just telling myself like I don’t have to put the weight of the world on my shoulders,” he said, reflecting on a year that left him more mentally drained than physically battered. “I don’t have to put so much pressure on myself to where I’m tense out there, and I can’t play free—because whenever I do play free and I play loose, I’m… ten times better of a quarterback.” Those weren’t just words—they echoed the very arc of K-State’s 2024 campaign.

The Wildcats started 7–1 and had the whole Big 12 shaking. Johnson was rolling. DJ Giddens was slicing defenses, and the purple haze was real. But then came the pain. Literally. After a statement win over Colorado, where Johnson dropped a 33-yard dime to Jayce Brown before going down clutching his side, the wheels slowly started to wobble. What followed was a three-loss collapse—Houston, Arizona State, Iowa State. Just like that, the Playoff dreams got snuffed. Johnson explained where he got it all wrong.

“I don’t have to score a touchdown every time the ball is snapped. Taking a checkdown, running for a first down, stuff like that. I feel like a lot of times last year, I was too complacent as a runner,” he said. Wild, considering this is a guy who clocked over 600 yards rushing and tossed 25 touchdowns. But his late-season fade was real—just 3 TDs to 5 picks in the last five games. Defenses started reading him like a paperback, and Johnson—usually cool as ice—began pressing. “My running ability and being able to make plays off schedule is what makes me… a great quarterback,” he admitted. He knows where the dip happened—and now he’s plotting the bounce-back.

Now? It’s all about focus, “Just not trying to work on ten things this offseason. Just focus on one thing. One or two things, like my deep ball, or… pocket presence and pocket movement—so that it’ll show,” he said. That maturity, that pivot to refinement over reinvention, might mark the smartest play he has made all year. The kid’s not chasing viral plays anymore. He’s chasing wins. As he put it, “When you can really hone in on one thing, then it can really elevate your game and take it to the next level.”

Kansas State’s 2025 season overview

Avery Johnson might be the story, but he’s not alone. The weapons around him are preparing for a breakout. Analysts predict Johnson could eclipse 30 passing touchdowns this season—not blind hype, but data-backed belief. Behind him, Dylan Edwards and Joe Jackson return after combining for over 7 yards per carry in 2024. It’s not just speed—it’s violence, misdirection, and rhythm. And orchestrating the chaos? New offensive coordinator Matt Wells.

Wells, a former head coach at Texas Tech and Utah State, didn’t accept the job to maintain the status quo. He’s here to innovate and elevate. Expect a faster tempo, more designed QB runs, and a scheme tailored to Johnson’s dual-threat style. With portal additions like Jerand Bradley (from Boston College) and Caleb Medford (from TCU), Kansas State’s wideouts bring length, versatility, and big-play potential. Defenses will face stretched coverage: bracket Johnson, and someone burns you deep; drop into coverage, and Johnson takes off. There’s no longer a “safe” way to defend this unit.

Defensively, the Wildcats are nastier than ever. They return a front seven that accounted for 35 sacks last season. Led by linebacker Austin Romaine and Arizona transfer Gunner Maldonado, this group brings intensity on every snap. They stuff the run, pressure quarterbacks, and fly to the ball. Defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman, entering his 7th year, has built a system of chaos that rarely breaks. In 2024, they ranked near the top of the Big 12 in run defense—and this unit looks even more disruptive. If Avery Johnson truly sharpens his mechanics and stays healthy behind a revamped O-line, don’t be shocked if the Wildcats crash the CFP party in 2025.