Avery Johnson doubtful for Kansas State at Arizona State

Johnson had been questionable all week. Then, the night before kickoff, the status got worse.

Pete Thamel

@PeteThamel

Kansas State QB Avery Johnson is doubtful for the game against Arizona State. He was downgraded tonight.

A downgrade the night before a game is rarely a coach playing games with the availability report. The skepticism had been building all day, and On3 had already reported that people around the program weren't sure Johnson would make it onto the field in Tempe.

Pete Nakos

@PeteNakos

Kansas State QB Avery Johnson has been downgraded to doubtful for Saturday at Arizona State. There’s real skepticism that Johnson won’t be able to play tomorrow, as @On3 reported earlier today. t.co/BS2yS9pePW

Here's how it happened. In the first quarter against Kansas on October 17, Johnson went for a 59-yard run and fell awkwardly at the end of it. He stayed on the turf for a while, missed just 1 play and came back. After the game he said, "I just got the wind knocked out of me." He sure didn't play like a guy who was hurt: 14 of 24 for 209 yards and a touchdown through the air, plus 132 yards on the ground. The Wichita Eagle reported the problem is in his neck or shoulder, and that it got worse during the week.

This is new territory for Kansas State. Johnson is a third-year starter, and Wednesday was the first time he'd ever appeared on an availability report as a Wildcat. Everything this offense does runs through his legs and his arm, which is why his status matters so much for this game, the betting line included.

The fallback options aren't pretty. The likely starter is Jacob Knuth, a 6-foot-4 senior who transferred from Minnesota. In 7 career games he's 3-for-3 passing for 25 yards, with 88 rushing yards and a touchdown. Blake Barnett is questionable himself with a lower-body injury from the opener against Nicholls. Redshirt freshman Dillon Duff got hurt before the season started and hasn't taken a college snap.

Kickoff is 2:45 p.m. CT Saturday. Watch the warmups and who takes the first-team snaps. If Johnson isn't out there, Knuth gets his first real start on the road in the Big 12, and the line you bet earlier in the week was set for a different game.