Johnson's Dual-Contact Night Leads Kansas State Past Tulane

Quarterback Avery Johnson threw for 227 yards and rushed for 152 with two touchdowns as Kansas State's offense found its rhythm after halftime against Tulane.

Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson turned in the most complete performance of his Wildcats career in a September 19 win over Tulane at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium in Manhattan, Kansas. Johnson completed 21 of 28 passes for 227 yards and added 152 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries.

Tulane's defensive plan focused on shutting down Kansas State's running backs between the tackles, and it worked: Rodney Fields managed 18 yards on 10 carries and Joe Jackson gained 24 on nine. The Green Wave had no answer for Johnson on the perimeter, though, as the junior repeatedly kept the ball on zone reads and attacked the edge. Jay Harris converted both of his short-yardage carries into touchdowns.

Receiver Jaron Tibbs was Johnson's favorite target, catching nine of 12 passes for 114 yards, with seven of those grabs moving the chains. The rest of the wide receiver group combined for just one reception, a four-yard catch by Brandon White, after Tulane tilted its coverage toward Josh Manning.

The tight ends were heavily involved in the game plan. Garrett Oakley caught four passes for 27 yards, Will Anciaux added 59 yards on three receptions, and Linkon Cure chipped in three catches for 23 yards. The article's offensive grading cut off before listing the full plan, but the position group drew strong marks.