When Kansas State hosts No. 22 Houston on Saturday in Manhattan, Kan., Wildcats coach Collin Klein will see a familiar face at quarterback in the Cougars’ Conner Weigman.
Before returning to his alma mater last December to take over the Kansas State program, Klein was Weigman’s offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach during the 2024 season at Texas A&M.
The Cougars (4-1, 1-1 Big 12) rallied for a 27-17 home victory over UCF last week. Houston trailed 17-0 late in the third quarter before reeling off 27 straight points behind Weigman’s three second-half rushing touchdowns.
“Conner is doing a nice job for them,” Klein said. “He has been very efficient. He threatens you with his legs and by throwing the football.”
Weigman has thrown for 1,186 yards while completing 67.4% of his passes with 11 touchdowns and one interception this season.
Houston ranks No. 1 in the country in third-down conversion percentage as it has turned 65.6% into first downs. Houston coach Willie Fritz knows Klein has a unique perspective on the Cougars’ quarterback.
“I’m sure (Klein) understands the different things (Weigman does),” Fritz said. “I called him before we brought Conner over here and he had nothing but great things to say about him.”
After the Wildcats (3-1, 0-1) dropped a 31-26 road contest Sept. 26 at Cincinnati, they had a bye week. Rather than stewing over their first setback of the season, in which they let a 10-0 second-quarter advantage slip away, Klein said his club has to learn to deal with big-play adversity.
“Our ability to collectively settle in and grind those situations together while minimizing the damage of whatever happens is a skill and something you have to practice at and experience,” Klein said. “(The Cincinnati game) was the first time we experienced that as a group, which compounded some of the schematic and technical things we were fighting.”
Senior quarterback Avery Johnson has thrown for 910 yards with seven touchdowns and two interceptions while completing 66.2% of his passes. He also leads Kansas State with 291 rushing yards and has scored three touchdowns on the ground. In his 37 appearances for the Wildcats, Johnson owns 25 rushing scores.
Fritz said Johnson’s dual-threat skills will challenge the Cougars.
“He’s hard to corral and keep in the pocket and is also a great drop-back passer,” Fritz said. “That’s a lethal combination when a guy can also run as a quarterback.”
Kansas State will be without a big target as Will Anciaux will miss the remainder of the season with a lower-leg injury, forcing the Wildcats to adjust their offensive approach. The 6-foot-6, 241-pound senior tight end had six catches for 84 yards this season.
Klein said freshman backup Lawson McGraw used the bye week to make progress as the Wildcats prepare to replace Anciaux.
“We have some plans,” Klein said. “We will package things around that position group because we’ve been able to create an extra gap with an extra tight end and do a lot of good things.”
