Kansas State Offensive Players to Watch for Week 2 Matchup Versus Missouri

An electric running back, big-play receiver and transfer quarterback lead the Kansas State offense.

The Kansas State offense was solid in 2021, scoring 27.5 points per game and ranking 76th in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The primary quarterback for the Wildcats will not be back in 2022, however, as Skylar Thompson completed his eligibility after passing for 2,113 yards, 12 touchdowns and four interceptions last season.

While the Kansas State offense will look to adjust with Nebraska quarterback transfer Adrian Martinez taking over behind center, it’s the running game that’s most important. Kansas State’s offense continued to be a balanced offense by running the football for 162.4 yards per game.

During wins over Stanford and Texas Tech, Kansas State ran for 200 yards and 170 yards respectively. For the Wildcats, defeating FBS opponents begins with pounding the football. It will be interesting to see how the legs of Martinez, a true dual-threat signal caller, helps to propel the Kansas State rushing attack in 2022.

If he truly adds the running threat for the quarterback position, it will help to open up passing lanes that should improve a pedestrian passing game that averaged just 199.5 yards through the air in 2021, ranking it 96th nationally.

As a comparison, overall, the Kansas State offense is a tough and gritty group much like the Wildcats' defensive unit. The Missouri defense will need to bring its hard hat when playing against Kansas State.

Running Back Deuce Vaughn

Everything for the Wildcats' offense begins with Deuce Vaughn. He was a First Team All-American and the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year last season, racking up over 1,800 all-purpose yards (1,404 rushing yards/468 receiving) and 22 total touchdowns (18 rushing and four receiving) while averaging a hefty six yards per carry.

The 5’6'', 176-pound Vaughn is a big-play threat at any given moment. Mizzou needs to limit the number of times Vaughn will be in one-on-one tackling situations if it wants to have a shot at winning this one on the road. Rallying to the football is a must when attempting to contain Vaughn.

Quarterback Adrian Martinez

Martinez was a four-year starter at Nebraska and has proven to be a bit more capable with his legs than his arm. In 2021, he had his best season since his freshman year when he was named freshman All-American. Martinez threw for 2,863 yards and 14 touchdowns last year but also threw 10 interceptions. He was also the Cornhuskers leading rusher last year, by a lot. On top of his 525 rushing yards, his 13 scores on the ground were nine more than anyone else on Nebraska’s roster.

While at Nebraska, Adrian Martinez proved he could consistently make big plays with his running ability / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

He will bring this running threat to Kansas State and form an intriguing duo with Vaughn in the backfield. There's no doubt that he’s a talented runner, but if the Tigers can at least slow down Martinez and Vaughn’s big running plays, it’s likely that opportunities to create interceptions will come about based on Martinez’s history.

Wide Receiver Malik Knowles

The senior receiver averaged 15.2 yards per catch last season and matched Vaughn’s four receiving touchdowns for the team lead. He brings speed even at 6’3”, 200-pounds, plus Knowles has the frame to give smaller defensive backs trouble on the perimeter as well. He benefitted last year from having Thompson throwing him the ball, a solid veteran passer, but this year he will be running routes for Martinez. He’s quite frankly not as polished of a passer as Thompson was.

Also of note, he shined brightest as a return man. Knowles brought back two kicks for touchdowns and totaled 331 return yards in 2021, earning him several All-Big 12 nods and even Second-Team All-American honors from Phil Steele as a returner. Mizzou will need to focus on containing Knowles during its preparation for the Week 2 matchup. If it falls asleep and lets Knowles break open a big return for a score, it could be catastrophic for the Tigers.

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