Avery Johnson is getting ready to take the field for the first time as the Kansas State Wildcats full-time starter. There is no more safety net, and there are no more training wheels; it is all on Johnson now. Well, not completely on him because obviously he has other players on the field with him, but it is his job to lead the team now.
Kansas State's first game against UT Martin shouldn't be too much of a test for the Wildcats, but it will be a test of how this team plays together. Chris Klieman is debuting a new team and with the Big 12 wide open right now, he is probably ready to take that title and not give it up anytime soon.
So here are five storylines to watch as you watch Kansas State take on UT Martin in Week 1.
1. Avery Johnson is the new starter
This one is a no-brainer to watch. This is what everyone has been waiting for since the Pop-Tarts Bowl ended and Kansas State came out on top. Johnson brings so much to the K-State offense, but his biggest threat is his legs.
Johnson is fast, like scary fast, and defenses will have to commit at least one person to him, which opens up moves for the running backs and for the wide receivers.
The other thing to watch is how Johnson reacts to being the starter Can he keep his poise? Will he be able to communicate with the new helmet communications? Will he be able to make in-game adjustments when he needs to? These are the things to watch for in Week 1.
2. Conor Riley takes over for offensive coordinator Collin Klein
Kansas State lost their offensive coordinator, former Kansas State legend, Collin Klein to Texas A&M in the offseason. Klein worked his way up the coaching tree, spent a few seasons as the offensive coordinator, and was helpful in coaching Johnson at the college stage.
Conor Riley has been one of the top offensive line coaches over the past few seasons and now he takes on the role of offensive coordinator. Riley already has a big task on his hands trying to rebuild an offensive line that has been so good over the past few seasons. This is a good game to come out firing and Riley is the one that will be able to facilitate that.
3. The offensive line has a whole new look
Kansas State lost a lot of heavy hitters on their offensive line due to eligibility and the NFL. The biggest loss by far was Cooper Beebe and trying to fill that spot is a tall task. Chris Klieman brought in Easton Kilty from the transfer portal to help in building this offensive line back up from nothing.
Hadley Panzer is also going to be a key component of this offensive line. Klieman is known for having great lines that control the line of scrimmage and having a great offensive line is a domino effect. A good line helps the quarterback have time to throw the ball, it gives running backs holes to run through, and all of that trickles through the rest of the offense.
4. The secondary has to show it can lock it down
The Wildcats have a history of having great defenses and that includes great secondaries. Marques Sigle is going to be the focal point of this Wildcat secondary and with so many people focusing so much on the offense, the defense needs to come out and show that they can win games for this team as well.
5. DJ Giddens and Dylan Edwards can show they are one of the most dangerous RB duos
DJ Giddesn was a nightmare to deal with last season and he definitely gave NC State such a hard time in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Now Giddens is coming in with a year of starting under his belt and is ready to take another step forward.
Not only does Giddens come in with more experience this season, but he also comes in with Dylan Edwards at his side. Edwards brings a lot to the table as a transfer from Colorado and he will add a whole new side to this lethal running game.