Kansas State's Avery Johnson Details Keys To Success For Arizona State Clash
The Kansas State Wildcats were battling for a victory in the rain on Saturday against the Houston Cougars.
That's no excuse for the upset loss.
Coach Chris Klieman and wide receiver Keagan Johnson refused to acknowledge the poor playing conditions as even a factor in the defeat, but quarterback Avery Johnson was more transparent with the media.
He shared the specific physical challenges while then explaining the keys to success moving into the bye week.
"You know when it rains hard, when it pours like that, it's hard to grip the ball sometimes," Johnson said. "The playbook isn't as wide open because of conditions, but we just have to do a better job of sustaining drives and not having three-and-outs, leaving our defense on the field like we did in the second half."
K-State has a week off to address all of the issues that occurred in the five-point loss to the Cougars. They face off against the Arizona State Sun Devils on Nov. 16 at home.
The Sun Devils will likely look to replicate Houston's success at slowing down the run game, specifically standout running back D.J. Giddens. Johnson also went quiet with his legs against Houston, recording eight carries for 18 rushing yards.
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Anthony Pasciolla is a contributing writer to K-State On SI. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or followed on X @AnthonyPasci.
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Anthony Pasciolla is a sports journalist who began covering the NBA in June 2023. A Philadelphia native, Anthony has experience covering the Philadelphia 76ers as a credentialed reporter. He has written for Miami Heat, Back In The Day Hoops, Kansas State Wildcats, and Illinois Fighting Illini on Sports Illustrated. His work also includes 76ers coverage for The Sporting News and previous stories for Athlon Sports and BasketballNews. When he’s not covering the NBA, you can find him spending time with friends and family or diving into the world of fantasy football. Follow him on X @AnthonyPasci or reach him via email at ampasciolla@gmail.com