Freshman QB Avery Johnson Has 5 Rushing TDs As Kansas State Beats Texas Tech 3821

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) - Freshman quarterback Avery Johnson played the entire second half under starter Will Howard and Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said Texas Tech is giving the Wildcats a QB option.

However, with the Big 12 Championship in full swing, there will be questions about what to do next.

Johnson scored five touchdowns in the FBS for the first time this season, splitting time with Howard after halftime, and Kansas State beat the Red Raiders 38-21 on Saturday night.

"That's why we went with Avery: If you want to play it safe and let the quarterback run, we're going to make people pay for it," Klieman said. "Who knows what we're going to do if we get into a game where we have problems? »

Johnson finished with 91 yards as the Wildcats (4-2, 2-1 Big 12) bounced back from a surprising loss to Oklahoma State to win their eighth straight.

Jake Strong replaced injured starter Beren Morton and gave Texas Tech (3-4, 2-2) its only lead with a 99-yard drive in the third quarter. But the freshman threw three interceptions as the Wildcats regained the lead.

Morton, starting with Tyler Shaw's third long-term injury in as many seasons, was lethargic at times in the first half and was substituted after the break.

Coach Joey McGuire said Morton already suffered a shoulder injury after the Red Raiders started their two-game conference winning streak at 1-3 in his second season.

"I'm frustrated right now because I think you always have to find a way to win," McGuire said. "It all comes down to, 'Yeah, hey, you're going to lose your starting quarterback.'" But in the end we just didn't play well enough to win the game.

Strong's second drive started at the Texas 1-yard line, but a 13-yard pass started the drive.

He ran 54 yards for an 8-yard touchdown on third down while making a hard pass in the pocket and had one foot on the ground as Jaron Bradley went down in the back of the end zone. to give the Red Raiders a 21-17 lead.

Johnson, who scored another Southeast Missouri State touchdown on the first play, replaced Howard on third down and scored on a 2-yard run for a 10-0 lead.

Howard, a senior who has 30 career shutouts but threw three interceptions against the Cowboys, played through some mistakes in the first half.

After the break was Johnson's show.

His 30-yard run put Kansas State back up 24-21, and Johnson's 11-yard score put the Wildcats up 10 on the first play after VJ Payne's 17-yard punt return by Strong.

After Kobe Savage was pulled into the end zone on Strong's third interception, Johnson ran 80 yards for the tying score and ran 3 yards for the fifth touchdown.

The Wildcats finished the week with 436 rushing yards after rushing for a season-high 372 yards in a 29-21 loss to Oklahoma State.

"We just have to stay the course, block out the noise outside and listen to the screams of your coaches, your staff, your teammates who always believe in you," Klieman said.

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Kansas State: The Wildcats took a three-point lead going into halftime when linebacker Jake Clifton forced a fumble by Cameron Valdez and Clifton fumbled as Kansas State recovered inside the Texas Tech 25. Valdez's helmet came off for him noted. Texas Tech then scored a touchdown and went into halftime 17–14.

Texas Tech: It looks like the Red Raiders can't escape a quarterback injury. Shaw spent three solid seasons in Lubbock as a transfer from Oregon before breaking his foot. The question now is how soon, if at all, Morton can return. This QB depth chart can be tricky.

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Treshaun Ward finished with 273 yards allowed at Texas Tech this season, while the Wildcats finished with 118 yards. Taj Brooks rushed for 98 yards for Texas Tech and Morton fell for 1 yard.

Next

Kansas State: TCU plays at home next Saturday in a rematch of last year's Big 12 Championship as the Wildcats hand the Horned Frogs their first loss of the season.

Texas Tech: BYU hosts the schools' second meeting next Saturday. The second is from 1940.

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AP College Football : https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll.

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