MANHATTAN — One week after Kansas State freshman quarterback Avery Johnson rushed for an impressive five touchdowns, the Wildcats used a more balanced attack to demolish TCU at home Saturday, 41-3.
Kansas State (5-2) combined for 587 total offensive yards and six different Wildcats were involved in the scoring against TCU.
“We were firing on all cylinders and a lot of guys contributed,” Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman said. “When a bunch of guys love each other and they don’t care who gets credit, really special things can happen and it happened tonight.”
Johnson saw the field a good amount again and rushed for 73 yards on 16 carries, but it was the misconception of the Wildcats passing game which allowed for the offensive explosion. Four of Kansas State’s touchdowns came through the air and three were delivered from Will Howard.
“They both can do a multitude of things and they’re both really good quarterbacks,” Klieman said.
K-State’s defense only allowed TCU quarterback Josh Hoover to throw for 187 yards and intercepted him once in the second half. Desmond Purnell was the leading defender for the Wildcats, coming up with the lone interception and collecting a key sack of Hoover in the second quarter.
“Desmond (Purnell) is an all-conference player and one of our best football players,” said Klieman. “He hits people and they go backwards. I think he could have had another pick but when you have bookends of Austin Moore and Desmond Purnell, your defense has really good edges.”
DJ Giddens had a strong game the last time Kansas State was at home, rushing for four touchdowns against Central Florida, and scored the Wildcats first touchdown of the game Saturday. He had two of Kansas State’s touchdowns against TCU, a two-yard run and a 61-yard catch.
On an eight-play game-opening drive, Giddens capped it with a two-yard touchdown run to take the initial 7-0 lead.
Johnson’s number was called on a few times the first few drives, including a four-yard run on the first play of the game and a 23-yard rush to set up an eventual Johnson to Treshaun Ward three-yard touchdown pass and the 14-0 lead.
TCU’s only score came in the form of a Griffin Kell 32-yard field goal to cut KSU’s lead to 14-3.
Even on the Horned Frogs scoring drive, Kansas State’s Desmond Purnell stepped up for an eight-yard sack of Hoover on the second play of the drive.
Giddens brought in his second touchdown, this one a 61-yard reception from Will Howard for the 21-3 lead near the end of the opening quarter.
“We executed at a really high level the entire game because we executed at a high level all week,” Klieman said. “I thought when we left Texas Tech we were becoming a better football team in all phases and it clicked tonight. I’m super excited for our players, coaches and fans because TCU is a really good football team.”
The Wildcats opening drive of the second quarter stalled at the TCU nine-yard line where Chris Tennant came on to nail a 27-yard chip shot field goal for the 24-3 lead.
