Examining how Avery Johnson can Help With K-State's Offensive Line Issues

Avery Johnson and the K-State Wildcats got bad news on Thursday when it was announced that All-Big 12 tackle John Pastore would miss the upcoming season with a torn Achilles. The offensive line already had questions after losing the other four starters from last year's team. Pastore was going to be the leader of the group, and give Johnson a security blanket protecting his blindside.

Now, the offensive line will have to adjust more on the fly, and Collin Klein and his staff will have to make some adjustments to help that group. While much of that will come down to the coaching staff, there are also some things that Johnson can do to help alleviate some of the pressure on the offensive line.

Take on even more of a vocal leadership role

In today's college football, there aren't a lot of players who stay at a school for four seasons. Very few schools have a player like Johnson entering his third year as the starter, and he has seen nearly every situation possible. Early in the season, there could be some growing pains for the offensive line. One of the most important things for the team will be how Johnson handles this adversity.

Leadership is always one of the most important traits for a quarterback, and this will be the ultimate test for Johnson. Guys will be put in situations they haven't experienced yet, and they are going to make mistakes. For Johnson, he is going to have to be able to help them move on to the next play, and not let one bad play ruin a drive.

Johnson figures to see some pressure early in the season with an experienced offensive line, and he may be forced to do something that fans have been clamoring for him to do more of.

Showcasing the elite playmaking ability as a runner is key

Johnson introduced himself to K-State fans three years ago against Texas Tech, when he rushed for five touchdowns. During his first two seasons as the starter, Johnson has rushed for 1,082 yards and 15 touchdowns, while averaging 4.9 yards per carry.

Over the last two years, fans in Manhattan have wanted to see Johnson use his legs more, as he holds on to the ball for too long. Last year, he struggled to complete passes on his dropbacks. He became the first Big 12 quarterback in the playoff era to have at least 300 dropbacks to complete under 60% of his passes.

Showcasing that running ability will put more pressure on opposing defenses and make them have to make decisions. If Johnson uses his legs more often, defensive ends will have to focus more on keeping contain. That will help his tackles when it comes to blocking, as they won't be coming off the line quite as fast.

The most dynamic Johnson has ever looked as a runner was with Klein as his offensive coordinator during his freshman season. He obviously had a different role during that season as the backup, but using that part of his game more this year could go a long way in helping the offensive work through some early struggles.

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