on this final day in August in Manhattan Kansas the 129th season of Kansas State football kicks off on a sunny late Summer Saturday and Wildcat fans ready to welcome another season and we welcome you you are watching the Big 12 on ESPN Plus game one of the season the University of Tennessee and Martin Skyhawks FCS out of the OBC taking on the 18th rank Kansas State Wildcats great to have you well this college football is back along with former Nebraska as well as NFL running back ofont green I'm Mark Dy Chris kimman head coach of K State said earlier this week this UT Martin team is the best FCS team that they have scheduled in his time here yeah well they're coming off a three-time I say conference Champs in the O Valley Ohio Valley Conference so right there does it all you know you have players returning SE terms with seniors but players that can make a difference like OA beger on defense who is pretty much like their SS army knife Defender that can get everybody in position on the defensive side of the ball K State fans cautious but optimistic about this year yeah 100% well very cautious because you know how the season can start off you want to have a fantastic start to the season then somebody could get hurt or anything like that but the way the season ended getting a bold Victory against NC State a top team there you got all the pieces in place you got a Young quarterback that's looking really sharp got d J get returning senior running back that will put put down a lot of yardage and and then help that offense go well speaking of Avery Johnson the now sophomore quarterback the first true freshman in school history to win a bowl game eight months ago Wildcat fans have been salivating for a sophore year and the wait is over yeah he's somebody that right there you know team between miss making guys miss tackles he knows how to get the ball up fill with his leg but then here in the next clip with his arm as well he can th throw the ball at a high point and then also back so he has to acument understand where that ball has to go to his receivers there is Avery Johnson he sophomore of course will Howard transferred to Ohio State and the keys to the offense belong to Johnson UT Martin won the toss They will receive so we will tenant kicks into the end zone so we'll see the K State Defense come out here that has a good defensive front good returners coming back and now see UT Martin's offense yeah offense led by a seconde quarterback k k d who spent four years at Old Miss primarily as a special teams player but was the starting quarterback a year ago at UTM yeah having that experience at Old Miss and getting in here last year even though he had a couple months of of prep to go going into that Georgia game he felt though that game right there set him up for you know getting better having a tough experience like that can only you know create mental stability and uh able to have good play on once the once the season gets going Roberts went in motion he faked the hand off to the floor and he's going to throw deep he got absolutely hammered going deep downfield and through the arms of Devonte tanksley so I I like the team I like UT coming here coach Simpson going for the big play early to try to you know let K they know look we're not we know you're a big team but we want to come here and show them what we could do so having that first play like that is trying to you know send a message right away so I do like that and he took a pretty big hit here can K Dent he did B in the pocket hard that's what sometimes QBs unfortunately have to deal with one of the captains this year Cody stuffel being applied to hit on Dent so second down and 10 from the 25 they faked the Jet Sweep handed off to their running back laflor he takes over for Sam Franklin who was their leading rusher a year ago who transferred to Oklahoma Dez Pernell picks up the tackle for K State yeah in conversation with lefl he talk you know he talked about him being a real energetic guy definitely going to have to have that energy coming early against this K State Defense and then have that new that new leadership he's developing as well in the running back room for uh UT Martin after a gain of a couple a third down and eight long look to the sideline a late Personnel change for the Skyhawks Rucker in he's going to line up here on the near side so four receivers on the floor in the back field on third long in motion goes tanksley and then timeout taken charge timeout UT Martin this is the first of the half it'll be a 30 second timeout well UT Martin opened up last season against number one Georgia in Athens and in that game they had a number of times where they had to call timeouts or got called for delay of game and they basically had to call timeout to avoid the delay of game there yeah looking the same thing this season already and so what I saw between the running back the quarterback the offensive line were all making line changes and audibles there and that's not a good thing I mean it's a good thing but then it's a bad thing when you don't get the adjustments in time for the play clock to get the play off so right there just just show you yes you want to make your adjustments they knew where to go but you got still do it in a timely fashion head coach Jason Simpson in season 19 his team has been outstanding three straight OBC titles it's only translated though to one FCS playoff appearance in that span that was in 2021 when they did get their first FCS playoff win all right Sky Hawks will try it again on third down and eight after burning their first timeout here inside the first minute of the game been a little while there for UT Martin it's tanksley in motion again and once again we get a flag and a false start the crowd is helping the wild CS out right now so that's right there the snap full start offense number six 5y penalty third down I can see Dalton's or I see King Cage's clap like he's clapping it like I need you to hear hear me hear this clap and get the ball to me right now he was watching the play clock so the center right there could not hear him getting that clap off to get the ball snap that's going to push him now to a third and 13 after the 5yd penalty they go empty now they do move the floor into the back field with the snap off Dade looking harass throws finds the tight end Max ding he's only able to advance to about the 26 Dez Pernell gets his second tackle just a three yd gain and UTM will punt on their first possession yeah I'm liking what K State's defense is doing right now they're taking a team knowing who they are right they're the OBC champion and they don't slush down you know in the start of the game so coming in hats to the ball yet five six guys to that last tackle right there that's what you want to see for a team that potentially I well I got him in the uh the whole playoff run as we we will talk about later but to be to the ball like that they're showing what they're setting the stage right now for a a tough hard-hitting game jiren vanwinkle the new punter they lost Aiden L Ros to transfer to Kentucky did all their kicking and was really proficient in punting and he gets that inside the 40 so uh very good starting field possession for K State and that brings out the sophomore Avery Johnson he's got the keys it's going to be fun for Kate fans to watch his development this year yeah definitely got the keys and he's a he's a a dual threat coming out the back field able to run and throw very well and so being young I say now they just development so hopefully during the offseason um coach Chris had the uh a time and just the details to make sure he learned reading coverages understanding what too high means for this Young quarterback because really the sky is the limit for him come out with two backs DJ giddens and the transfer Dylan Edwards on the field for the first offensive play and he's going to get the throw out of the back field avoids one tackler and Edwards will advance it up to the 44 yd line as he picks up about four where he's dropped by Jaylen sharp so good good easy play to get into either you got two running backs on the field so you know it's going to be potential run there but it's a play action fake get the nice easy completion where you could get your receiver open after the play action fake so good good pick up of yardage but then also easing your sophomore quarterback into a nice little rhythm kind of the offset pistol look with Oakley the tight end in the back field along with DJ giddens and DJ's going to get his first Carry and he bounces forward for a couple yards to about the 46 yd line defensive end Charles Perkins wraps him up yeah I like get a lot watching from last you know film from last year what he did between the bowl game and obviously the regular season a mass and a little bit over 1200 yards he's one of those running backs that just real patient with his offensive line knows how to let his guys get to the Run fist to set up the blocks reminds me of alvon Bale because you know he's a Sunday player you know here in the next couple this season right here he'll be playing for um some NFL team next season so third down and four for the cats on their first position as the stadium gets quiet long look throw comes across the middle incomplete it bounces in and out of the arms of Dante cus a transfer from Penn State and they're going to come off the field so a three and out for K State on their first possession they had scored on their opening drive 10 times last year in the 13 games nine of those were touchdowns in fact the opening drive of the Pop-Tarts ball led by Avery Johnson was a touchdown Drive yeah we had a good com I say good combination in that drive I know watching that game between Avery with his legs and DJ giddens with his legs and running the ball of field so that's what you saw but defense good defense here by UT Martin to get that three and out um good coverage here on that last play good zone defense where it was really no nowhere to go with the ball Simon mlon doing the p pting with Jake Bloomer moved on it's inside the 10 UTM will start at their eight aille on this Saturday first college football Saturday of the season in Manhattan not a lot of folks on the streets cuz most of them are inside Phill snd Family Stadium well what is new this season from four teams to 12 the expanded playoff conference reign including here in the Big 12 two teams left four came on like the NFL now there was a two-minute timeout at towards the end of each half and we have helmet communication from coaches to one player on the field for offense and defense we'll talk more about that as we go on after the 46y punt by mcclanan second drive for UT and both both schools a three and out on their first possession it's kept by con d big man runs pretty well 64 225 pounder yep big kid there I say both offenses looking I say stats are the same you know King K one for two Johnson one for two Run game as well between DJ and laflor not much on the ground but both teams are hopefully slowly getting into a rhythm here in this first uh second possession Patrick Smith transfer from Vanderbilt in as he motions out of the back field and Dent there's a flag a quick strike out to Smith going towards the the sideline and only able to get it back towards the line of scrimmage at the 12 our third I believe third penalty so far in the two drives here Kansas State Defense I say is definitely firing off the ball a lot of hats to the ball on that play right there even though it was a penalty call but something I want to see something I like to see is when defenses or even offens side of barall moving are getting out there and playing football right away and not letting the game come slow inial call from our referee Luke looks like they had a couple of guys in offense two players moving at the stap a 5y penalty second down well I guess they're you know shaking off a little nerves maybe a little anxiety for the first game a lot of excitement I say you know playing college football myself you know that first game of the regular season was always regardless of who the opponent was a nice a nice little you're full of excitement anxiety a little bit of nervousness here and this prob definitely what we're seeing right now between both teams spots the ball back at the seven yd line there it is second down for UTM Dent motions tanksley comes to the near side hand off this is Smith running right he gets tripped up and stumbles ahead to the nine that was the quarterback Jacob Parish came up and undercut him so we got Patrick Smith to back up to the makes a nice little move gets what he can there good tackling there by Parish number 10 from K State but right now the Run gaps for both teams uh running backs are really very few and far between but you just stick with it then the Run game usually comes again later on you start having you know one and two yard Gaines in the early part of the game but then later the game you keep to it then the two yard Gaines three yard games start doubling to six and seven and 10 yard burst another third and long for UT Martin this third down and nine Dent going to roll back into his own End Zone being chased he's going to have some room down the sideline he will get close but not close enough to the line of gain which was the 18 they Mark him out at the 15 run out there by Brendan M it looked like here running back see Patrick Smith in there maybe could have picked up that guy to help out but really not much the defense you got Parnell on the missed tackle but pressure on to uh canave so good job again Kate's defense right here is ready to go they're fired up hopefully the offense can get going this next Drive Darren Van Winkle comes on for his second punt Dylan Edwards back to receive it at about his own 37 yd line and winkl gets the IND over in punt away bounces at the 45 and it's going to take a UTM hop all the way great bounce down near the 20 yd line and they're going to D it down it right on the 20 yd line stripe yeah last yeah last punt looked like a shank right at the 40 but this one gets the bounce and then the roll over to about the what 19 and 1/2 yard line right right there so good job on special teams to did use the field change maybe get a little motivation there for their defense when they get out on the field to keep the K State offense not coming out of there side of the field as well 56 yd punt second punt of the game for Van Winkle so starting position basically from the 20 for the second possession for Avery Johnson in the K State offense Jet Sweep this is Jaden Jackson running near side gets a nice block on the Edge from Jace brown but it's broken down and well read Jacob Stevenson the free safety got a good break on that he makes the tackle they do get five there's Chris kman year six for him now here in Manhattan 29 y Big 12 title a couple of seasons ago fifth place finish last year a pretty big log Jam near the top of the conference yeah having one of the favorites along with Utah for this revamp Big 12 this year that offset pistol with Oakley and giddens in the back field and Avery looks to throw lots of time all the time he wants throws looking for Oakley and it's broken up as Chris Hunter linebacker was able to reach there and knock it away yeah he he had all the time in the world but really you know no nobody to find find the ball to right there so it just shows me know UT Martin's defense Manning up on that last defense right there and so being smart with the ball not trying to force anything he did try to hit the tight end but good coverage there manto man coverage but right now slow part of the game on both our offensive side of the ball but defenses are definitely holding I say holding tight and they going to have to do that for four quarters so it is a third down and short third down and one from their 29 and they hand off to giddens and DJ's going to have enough for the first down needed one picked up about two and a half or three O'Shea Baker wears number zero for UT Martin makes the tackle good job uh getting getting hit in the back field and still able to bounce forward for the first down and that's the signs of a good running back there you know having north of 1200 yards last season as a junior senior year here to help out the Young quarterback I think it's something that's going to be once the season gets going we'll see the difference and how he helps out the back field there and he's going to catch one out of the back field there breaks a tack little tight rope along the sideline he'll Mark him out at the 37 yd line defense must leave the game due to his helmet coming off you know giddens had 10 touchdown runs last year three touchdown catches so he certainly is a part of the passing game as well no he's he's a Sunday player he has a little bit everything what you want from a running back he has the size being around 212 but then his ability out the back you know out the back field to catch the ball but then also his ability to run the ball helps out the offense and gives a lot of weapons to an offense like this K State team has going to give it back to Kens breaks free down the sideline DJ on the loose they catch up to him at the UTM 30 yd line a good run good setup patience again like I mentioned letting his offensive line get to their run fits to broke him break him open on the big run here you'll see he it's a it's a power play you got pullers coming back but he's able to let this pullers get in front of him and then nice Cut there and then I just wish that ball was in the outside arm so you give this guy a little business with the stiff arm to get extra few yardage maybe even in the end zone but he gets taken there out there on about the 30 yd line so good run there by DJ want to see some stiff arm business side DJ gens 33 yd gain he had four consecutive 100 plus yard rushing games to end the season six on the season open is Jace Brown he's going to be tucked down inside the 25 at the 24 yd line yeah you got Jace brown small receiver there 178 6 foot but a guy that can get open and it can May I'll say what I from film last year that I watched of brown and Avery Johnson working together became his favorite receiver so a guy that he potentially could be that favorite receiver throughout this game here Brown played in 10 of the 13 games last year and he started the last six games of the Season had a very strong second half Avery keeps he's going to throw and he has him open Braden Lofton touchdown nice design there of a play action fake lullabi the defense a little bit here with the few plays that were set up before that so good job their touchdown there ay Johnson to his tight [Music] end Garrick Oakley or excuse me yeah Loft to 23 yd touchdown reception coach kimman was talking about Lofton this week he said look he's inexperienced but he's improved he's going to play a big part for us that's his first career touchdown catch yeah good there tenant extra point out of the hold of mlan is up and good seven play Drive 80 yards at about 3 minutes K State gets on the board in their second possession nice little play action fake good good catch and run there defense being signy right there with a [Applause] touchdown K State went three and out on their first possession but on their second starting from their own 20 March down the field 23- y touchdown pass from Avery Johnson to Bradon Lofton he's gotten the 18th ring cats on the board all right we got the play action fake here we all the movement of the Titans in the first early part of the play where gets the the eyes of defenders in the back field and that's what you want when you got the eyes of defender in the back field they're not seeing who's running past him you see the touchdown there to lofted Lofton gets his first career touchdown catch for Avery Johnson his sixth touchdown pass of his career he has not been intercepted in his short collegiate career tended to kick off by the way that extra point he just kicked puts him in sole possession of eighth place in school history with 96 and 99 attempts in his career for the pat and this one's going to come out to the 25 third possession for the Skyhawks yeah so hopefully the Skyhawks can come out the same on this third possession and get some movement of the ball down the field and potentially into the end zone because right now with the momentum with Kate's defense and now that offense gain their momentum back from the plays that were set up to set up the touchdown that came in that next that last drive here you don't want to get behind the a ball being on the road with a good team good solid coach to that's that's good solidly coach as well I mentioned UT opened up last season in Athens against number one Georgia that was a 7 nothing game in favor of Georgia with about five or six minutes left in the first half they did wind up losing that game to number one Georgia 48-7 coming towards the near sided or fars side and not much there Damien elao 56 along with Austin Moore there as well yeah you got outside Run play that is spilled to the outside good drop with the defense in there to make it rough making the running back doing too much you know jumping having making him having to jump over in the back field when you're trying to get your footing to get to that edge was good job by that defense there Dent shoves it here comes Rucker into round and he has tripped up Dez Pernell has been all over the field already in this game defensively for K State yes he has he's been causing a lot of problems getting around blocks right here and you're going to see him does a good job of FL with the reverse keeping his footing as the tape gets going my monitor wasn't running there sorry so Parell he good flow to the ball my monitor wasn't running so I didn't get to see that that's why I wasn't saying much but but no good good flow to the ball and making sure he stayed away from getting blocked was able to avoid the block and make the tackle here third and long and a sack M gets there so does osens Sami number 44 as they dropped in back near the 10 yeah K Kate having a tough time back there that is definitely a new celebration look like he froze himself in time but good penetration by the K State Defense of front having I think they just got in with the front forward it was no I'm not sure I got to see the whole field to see if it was a design Blitz but if not getting there with your four down guys what you want 17 is 85 85 and 17 Edwards back to receive punt from Van winkl whose last punt went for 55 yards they block it man Obi isor blocks it mallister recovers touchdown on special teams for K State big play there by the K St special teams getting a block is is what you want on on any in any game at any time because there extra points on the board something that you work for all the time as a special team coach special team coordinator but you're just waiting to find out if somebody's going to step up and make a big play so you got an Aussie kick style kick that doesn't get blocked very well right there and it's an easy scoop and score there for K State's defense right there so extra points on the board for special teamers like I said rarely happen especially in that way always kickoff return or punt return but getting a block punt that team is happy and there going to be excited for the rest of the game to try to make more big plays Chris tenant extra point makes it 14 nothing look again special teams for K State the block will be isor mallister recovers that actually was Ty Bowman who blocked it a Tai Bowman's in his fifth year in the program he's been a beast on special teams for years for the cats listed at number two on the depth chart on one of the wide receiver spots coming into the opener but he does it on special teams again he's the one that blocked that punt attempt and for Kansas State that's what they've been known for man that's 132 non-offensive TDS which leads all of FBS since uh basically the turn of the Cent yeah I mean as a head coach that's what you won you want all three faets of your team playing well functioning at a high level and right now game one to get a block punt in game one is definitely you hitting all the notches and hitting all the goals that you going that you want to have going into a game like this those cursed double numbers where two guys wear number eight I want to see that completely evaporate in college football that's my that's the only thing I want to change about this sport now oh yeah but congratulations Ty Bowman who's getting more effort now more opportunity here in his fifth year yeah it makes more more work for us right we're looking around like where's we see number eight but it's a different one I knew obar didn't move that fast he's a defensive end exactly and I'm like uh no not that one there all right but uh but no good play by Bowman and now puts his team up 14 and now UT Martin has a lot of work to do just with four minutes left here in the first quarter in motion comes Devonte tanksley handoff Nel the floor looking probing just kind of pushes his blocker from behind to get maybe a half yard Parish there was tracing down the line to follow him well facing some significant transfer portal losses Sam Franklin who is an outstanding All-American running back transferred to Oklahoma you got guys on the D line davidon doson and then L Ro who transferred to Kentucky basically did all their kicking last year so it's not just FBS teams that lose players in the transfer portal to other FBS teams so do FCS teams like UTM and not much there this defense lit up right now Pernell and stiger and kendre stiger a loss of a yard yeah they welcome in 15 guys from the transfer portal here but on offense right here the ball is not doing much the plays are getting you know you getting the snap off that's about it then after that here comes Barnell and the rest of his buddies come in to bring hats to the ball and from a defensive standpoint I remember at the top level at the NFL level when you have four or five hats to the ball to a one ball carrier be it a running back or wide receiver you're sending a message all I say for the whole first quarter so far to that team it's like this is how it's going to be so it's going to be tough a tough sledding here for this game for UT Martin UTM 0 for three on third down cutting back tanksley and he's going to have their first first down and get up near Midfield before Justice James catches him and ran him down big Gainer best offensive play so far today for UTM and it was brought is basically because of K State's aggression right it's a blitz right there even though it's a double screen and coming coming out the blit that means not many people are up the field good block right there on the Edge by the receiver for UT Martin but sometimes the over aggression got to be smart with your footwork and try not to overp pursue some of the plays for K State's defense 23 yd gain first first down of the game for UTM they're up at their own 47 yd line Dade looking to throw on first down has protection goes far aside manned up there but the pass too deep Parish had the coverage on Trant travante Rucker so King K you know just sitting in the pocket trying to find somebody open and I say the best decision you know between trying to throw his guy open or just throw the ball where his only only his receiver can catch it he done that on that play because really wasn't much underneath at all so good defense there by K State and good decision by King K with the ball bring Patrick Smith into the back field three receivers along with the tight end and they're going to reverse it here coming to the near side tanksley cuts back but once again the Kansas State Defense this time it is Chey Obi isor who makes the tackle for a loss of two so right here on this play we got a reverse play with King K being one of the blockers and he has to regardless of who he is at position has to finish off his block do his best job do a little bit better even though he's know even though he's dealing with the defensive end right there maybe get a cut block because you got to give your opport you got to give your receiver a chance on that reverse to get up fi well Jason Simpson the head coach of UTM who also calls the plays has really thrown the kitchen sink at him so far but right now yes the K State Defense has been up to the task third and 12 now just across their own 45 from the empty set he throws has to throw quickly intended for Smith the pressure was coming mat was there and D had to get rid of it before he was ready to again more pressure from this Kate defense you have DB linebacker pressure in this 335 front Patrick Smith not getting his head around he should see that Blitz and get his head around that's why that's what his coach is talking to him right there as a running back you got to see that Blitz get your head around and help your quarterback out on that play right there so jiren van winkl will come on again to punt this time Jacob Parish will be back to receive the punt this time inside his own 10 and Winkle gets it away IND over in outs is around the 20 and is going to kick out of bounds near the 15 another good punt there that's going to bring out the offense again and sophomore Avery Johnson who was the Pop-Tarts Bowl MVP making his first career starts had been backing up will Howard and will Howard had had a lot of success here in Manhattan he did won a big 12 title a couple years ago leaves the program with the most touchdown throws in school history with 48 but he saw the writing on the wall the future was going to be Avery Johnson at the quarterback position he winds up at Ohio State where he made his debut today for the number two Buckey with a win over award yeah seeing you know knowing that Avery is a you know Hometown homegrown kid having the ability that he has be able to run and throw with his legs or you know throw throw the ball with his arm excuse me get completion there to Jace brown but just seeing that knowing that okay for his senior year maybe the next year too he's going to have to fight it out with this young man in terms of Johnson that's going to a tough tough sell right there because he can run he can pass and then through the development of understanding coverages and how he reads them and how he gets it gets it to a point where he understands where he could go with the ball on any coverage that was going to be something he had to put up with well L man in this day of the transfer portal in nil you can't look too long term but they have thrown Avery Johnson the keys to the offense and I think the coaching staff hopes he doesn't return those keys for several years no I hope not either he's a homeboy so good run by oh good shoulder right there by DJ um but back to Avery yeah it's something where being a home kid I see him not doing that giving himself opportunity here to grow um get developed by the coaching staff and get more I say more decisive and more dangerous with what he can do because what I saw in the poptart bowl is a little different what I've seen here today obviously it's more game plan it was uh probably a couple weeks of of playing and prep before the bowl game before he found it out he was the starter there but now longer preparation and maybe is a lot on his mind mind you know in terms of going out there and playing and just not just being a player that we know him us good run there Dyan Edwards gains nine and that's going to take us to the end of the first quarter yes indeed so yeah Johnson again got time to develop he's still young but of the first maybe just waiting for the plays that he likes to run here to together a good running by Dylan edw there so far K State offense getting the ball down the Fielding again they get a couple touchdowns the first for the tight end Bron Lofton and the other on special teams am M yeah Special Teams getting the bonus points right there something you don't expect in the game plan but it's it's always lovely to have them well last night at the Blue Earth Plaza here in Manhattan purple Power Play the rally before the game last night drew a big crowd blor Plaza as we start the second quar 14 nothing Kansas State leading UT Martin Dylan Edwards gets the first Carry of the quarter takes it up to the 45 yd line yeah that's when you know you back into college football just football in general all the the rituals that happen in every town every city any every state pregame you know the day of the game the night before the game things like that it just shows you hey we're back to football here in the fall Edwards enough for the first down he stays in the back field Avery looking to throw on first down this time looking for a deep shot gets hit as he throws Brown spinning around and loses the ball a little bit I don't know if uh Avery was able to get all he wanted into that throw because of the contact well Matt Wells was hired in the off season as the co-offensive coordinator associate head coach and quarterback's coach of course longtime head coach Utah State as well as Texas Tech in the Big 12 and what Avery has said Avery Johnson is that Matt Wells has been a big conduit to what he has learned so much in a short period of time yeah he's a he got got good coaching guys that I think if he was 2012 mess around the same time as Pat Mahomes so having that under his belt as well to bring that to um Avery Johnson and get him to be under to get him to understand definitely things you got to learn and how to throw different levels and stuff that nature run there by giddens for about six yeah Matt Wells a Utah state had Jordan love and we've seen what Jordan love has done when he was given an opportunity in green back yeah he's he's had a good first year and now he's going to second year got the money he earned but also is a guy that was sitting on the Shelf watching a guy that I knew very very well Aaron Rogers and so now every Johnson has his turn with a coach that can know that knows how to get young talent to develop in a way they need to looking down at a third and four Avery time looking now is going to roll here to the near side he has room and is going to use his legs and this is what he does so well the play breaks down the next option is run the football and run he does as he advances it for 16 yards in a first down yes his first time breaking a line of scrimmage once he made a decision here he's like nothing's open you know what I'm going to take off and maybe this will get him more of into a rhythm because once you start mixing it up between running the ball as a QB and staying in the pocket to try to find an open receiver then the defense becomes you know I say confused or just it it makes them hard to try to defend them 10th play of the drive here they have a first down at the 33 of UTM from the empty backfield Johnson fires across the middle and it is picked up picked off by Chris Hunter Jr first time that Avery Johnson has been picked off in his young collegiate career it was a pass to DJ Gideons right there he looked it off and then went right back to it but didn't really I thought it was going to put a little bit more touch over the defender there but did not and the ball gets intercepted here if you see the ball you see the defender kind of eyeballing actually undercuts it there a little bit more speed on the ball to get the ball in there or not to throw it at all because it was pretty good coverage by UT Martin in there to get the interception and now it's the turnover first turnover of the game two picks last year for Chris Hunter Jr we chatted with Chris Hunter Jr this week he mentioned what has changed in his his game in his game is his mind plays much smarter he showed that right there m no definitely plays M learning the defense more understanding where he needs to be and being in the right position and reading that route and reading that throw to get the interception to get his team back the ball so we'll see if the first K State turnover Spurs the UTM offense Roma there to make the tackle but not before an 11 yd gain by lefl he's going to come off the field he's limping a little bit so he's already getting replaced here Patrick Smith going to come in transfer from Vanderbilt yeah didn't like it because Patrick wasn't paying attention to get him to get that replacement back on the field fast enough first down from their 44 yd line for the Skyhawks audible changing on over here defense often sees something trying to get out of that play here Dent the RPO wants to throw he's getting some heat from behind and he is sacked back at the 33 yd line by Brendan M hey k k sitting in the pocket trying to find his receiver maybe sitting in the pocket a little too long started to scramble started to scramble here after the play action he's sitting and looking looking looking now it's now time you got to have that time clock in your head as a QB like either I got to run with my legs or I got to get the ball out of here throw it out of bounds to give your play give your team a chance and and holding that ball a little longer got the pressure there for M loss of nine Mt and then baates help finish off the tackle it pushes UTM back to their 32 yd line we're at second and 22 handoff going to keep it on the ground this time for Patrick Smith who picks up about three Austin Roma and Kobe McAllister had the touchdown on the punt block a short time ago also there so right now the Run game is going to lie on Patrick Smith's shoulders until lefl gets back on the field but right now it's been tough sleding really for everybody but knowing that laflor is out of the game is going to be a nice little hit to at uh UT Martin's offense it is third and very long third and [Applause] 19 UTM one of five on third down line to gain is the 46 of the Wildcats on the empty backfield he's going to be no he stays alive on his feet throws on the run and has a man open caught by Rucker out of bounds near the 20 yd line and this time it's K Dent who makes something happen when it looked like the play was dead good job by K Kade coming out of the potential sack and keeping his eyes up field to find an open receiver cuz K State's defense kind of breaks down basically once they thought it was a sack with King K there lost coverage kept the receiver the receiver is wide open to get a big gain here for uh UTM he gained a 35 yds and now they have a first down knocking on the door of the Red Zone just outside the 20yd line line of K State D handoff and into the Red Zone goes Patrick Smith the VY transfer barrels ahead we about five to the 15 where he's met by Rex van y yeah here on the big play here so you have K sitting in the pocket got this pressur but fights out of it and this is where the defense has to stay disciplined they see their eyes again just like UT Martin's defense on the touchdown play you can't you got to have that eye discipline to stay finding where your responsibilities are safety lost of responsibility wide open receiver big game for UTM Dowling motions out tight end set up on the right side with Smith in the back field now they motion and hand it off here on the Jet Sweep the flag's going to come out late you going to have a hold there after the run by ASA W so right now the sweeps this is about the third one that UT Martin has run hasn't done much but obviously you got to keep it in the rotation but you're going to get a holding call First here holding offense number 87 10y penalty second down I believe it was on uh Parnell who is having a heck of a game right now he's already up to four tackles but he's fighting off the block and he's been a problem all day so again getting held right there but the pursuit which is I love that K State Defense is having right the pursuit of everybody to the ball the cornerback is there safety outside lineb and other players are there to let the team know it sends a message to the pre to the next team that's on this team schedule is that this defense is going to play hard to the ball and a lot of a lot of hats to the ball as well second penalty against the Skyhawks they want a timeout they're going to burn their second one of the half 847 to play first half in Manhattan 14 nothing wild [Music] cats last three seasons UT Martins won outright one share two they win in 2021 they were the outright champ won their first ever FCS playoff game against Missouri State in 2022 it actually came down to a coin flip an actual coin flip and they didn't call whatever heads or tail they called the wrong one exactly and Simo Southeast Missouri State went instead of them and then last year they were co- Champs but didn't go really the games that cost him they lost to Gardner web by four and then lost to S at the end of the season otherwise they might have gotten in that large bid so didn't go to the playoffs last two years despite having a share of the conference title exactly and it was something among the team to looked at it is this we talk when we talked to Chris Hunter Jr he said basically it is what it is so we can't worry much about it cuz we did our best but we didn't do all of our best out there to get go get um the championship so out of the UTF time out this been their longest drive TimeWise they've eaten up over three and A2 minutes in the 25 yd line Dent's going to keep it he'll be pulled down at the 21 by Jordan Riley got to protect himself there on the run if the QBs is going to become a running back got to understand obviously one let your run fits get into position but he took a little good hit right there by the K State I believe DB there that came up to made the tackle so he's feeling a little bit but understanding look you got to give uh their defense because their defense very aggressive got to give them different looks and different things so having a quarterback run as an option make sure it keeps them disciplined in their run gaps Skyhawks two of six on third down this is a third and 11 the line to gain is the 10 they're at the 21 that was Jordan Riley in for that tackle on uh k k gave a solid hit there play clock's about to run out and they're going to use their last timeout and I know coach simp Simpson does not like this no coach likes this when the play clock is running UT Martin this a third and final time of the half it'll be a full timeout coach Simpson forced to use his third and final timeout of the half not happy about that at all head coach 19 season longest tenur head coach in OBC football yeah been their head coach since 2006 great success since hiring Jason Simpson there in Martin Tennessee beforehand yeah you know respectable right with Jason Simpson they've been a really solid FCS program they have and and we talked about it in the meeting we had with him and he gets his seniors together right and they meet and they kind of have an open conversation they have a good i' say a night where they could just be in his in their space and kind of unwind and talk and talk about things they usually can't talk about in the locker room or in the meeting room and so when they do that that that that develops good uh Buy Buy in from the players and his sons Graham Simpson his youngest is a freshman but he's the starting quarterback there at Westview High School they won their first two games and oldest son Ty Simpson who's been a backup quarterback in Alabama the last few years that is uh I say doing a good job as a parent getting this ra his kids playing quarterback a tough position and he played he he he played baseball and football at Mississippi State then went to Southern Miss as a transfer playing baseball yeah and I know he's very proud of that too all right back to this third down and 11 call for UTM we got a mighty a mighty defense right here set up Dent finds the open tight end but he's immediately dropped that's Max Dowling a guy who spin his true freshman season down the road in Lawrence at Kansas did not play that year he did play last year all 11 games after transferring to UTM yeah took a nice hit in the the thigh there number one from the defense Kenny and Gerber coming up for the tackle but you and it's still there the G State Defense is firing off cylinders they're they on the hits they're not not giving up a lot a lot of uh big plays out there carelessly only know one big pass that we've had so far for UTM UTM wanting to put up some points off the right hash from 34 four out of the hold to Dent Van Winkle it is up it is away it's got the distance and it is good the kick is good nice first field goal for jiren Van Winkle 34 y Skyhawks on the scoreboard it's [Music] 143 well last year K State finished in the Pop-Tarts Bowl against North Carolina State Avery Johnson will end up being the game MVP got it started a dump off pass to DJ gens on fourth down 37 yd touchdown and on fourth down the punter Jake bler yeah the the pro the now Pro BB in front of him to leave downfield for that first down conversion here goes gens with this scrum he eventually gets pushed in for another touchdown and Avery Johnson doing what he does when anything breaks down uses his legs good job there by the Freshman the true freshman back shoulder though there for the touchdown as well um some of them we haven't seen much of today but it's okay they got the lead but got the MVP get to get to eat a poptart you ever atat a poptart Mark oh many times but not won as massive as that one we just showed there right he became the first true freshman in Kansas State history to win a bow game that was his first start that's awesome so this is his second career start at quarterback and it opens the season by the way for UTM that last drive that ended in the field goal of 34 yards for Van Winkle eight plays 51 yards ate up about 5 and A2 minutes their best offensive possession so far today yeah and it was kind of you know extra play I say extra play extra curricular going on you had King Kake drops back there's pressure he comes out of it and just from the undisciplined like a sack the defender steps up too far you get a receiver that finish off his route to get the completion big 33 yard gain there so that's telling the defense hey let's let me stay more disciplined and then offense let me fight for what I can to try to get make a big play out here to get the ball moving so the cats begin from their own 25 they motion Jace Brown to The Far Side Avery looking in his Direction now now coming back near side and decides to run he comes to the 30 yd line to the sideline steps out there so when you have that kind of running ability of Avery Johnson here man how many you have to account for him if you're the opposing team 100% we I haven't really keyed him we talked about this pregame about seeing if there is a player that was going to be a spy I haven't seen it yet um cuz he the first drive big hit there by DJ to take that in thefield good job holding the ball but hasn't been no time for him to really take off and run until you in the last two sequences and so I think if he continues to do that yeah there'll be somebody that be put on an assignment and say hey you got to spy this kid here because we want don't want his legs to to beat us up just as well his arm can if he gets in Rhythm K State two of three three on third down after that hit by Jaylen sharp of UT Martin so we starting to see UT Martin and remember this is a Ohio Valley Conference champion three-time champion and they're now still staying in the in the in the but in in the fight right here Brown motioned out of the trips package on the far side came to the near side and he is the target of the pass completion here to the 32 yd line met there by cornerback Robert Johnson yeah I'm just feeling right now for Johnson and offense I say for I say more for Johnson's the way you have training camp because I think for the bowl game wasn't much prep it was a regular season that's that went pretty fast and he didn't get the line share snaps know he was coming off the bench as the Phenom I say now sometimes what may happen you have a lot of prep you have all the training camp might be too much on the front of low thinking instead of just going out there and be that player that we see you know that led to the interception and obviously not really making decisive decision to get the ball running with his legs so a three and out for K State the UTM bounce will kick it back towards the 35 yd line where the Skyhawks will begin this drive with 5 and A2 minutes to go in the half aille on a Saturday first college football Saturday of the Season here in Manhattan streets are pretty bare right now because you know what there's a football game going on about a mile and a half away UTM takes over at their own 34 yd line can K Dent their graduate transfer quarterback in his second season as the starter his team down 143 diing motions now he going to come back to the near side handoff give it to the back this is Patrick Smith and they'll pick up four five up near the 38 yd line there is k k d added about 10 pounds in the weight room he told us in the off season when we chatted this week and by the way you can when he turns his head you'll see the mustache I think that's part of the 10 pound yeah mustache there that's he says he's been growing it since May so that's different from last year I like it though I like it but no work yeah working on mechanics being more patient out there let let receivers get open but good defense here again Smith stayed on his feet after the initial hit but then Maris seagull came in seagull is bringing hats here blitzing I I believe they've been Blitz the majority of the game here he's already in the box at the snap you just see him come flying in right there to finish off the tackle there Patrick Smith and when you got veteran Corners veteran D lineman and linebackers have been working together for the past two to three years you have a sequence like you will have more sequences like that with this defense this is why I have them going a little bit further I say being in the FBS playoff coming up later this season third down at nine Dent sacked back at the 28 Toby osens Sami he might have the the re my Award for best celebration right now with that pause but King K I think this was more of a coverage sack I looked at the defense just as he started to go back down go down to the ground and I saw everyone covered but you see him in the back row here standing back and he's just waiting and it was wasn't much I say there was time it was a decent block but offensive tackle got to give his guy more time like I said good job good thought on celebration there but not enough time for King K to get that ball out for a completion one sack last year for ens Sami it came against Troy he gets one here and forces the punt Edwards comes up takes it at the 35 did not avoided the first hit but then get swarmed under for basically no return maybe a half yard or a yard up to the 35 for the Colorado transfer Dylan Edwards who's playing in his first game yes indeed that no fair couch here by the way yeah yeah and they look at the running threats now you got Dylan Edwards to go along with gens and the quarterback Johnson yeah I remember watching Dylan last year at Colorado had a pretty good year to see him to go on the portal and show up here as Wells you know adds more threat because he's a great back out of the backfield along with What DJ already has put together in his nice career here at King and course a of course Avery is starting something new trying to make himself I say a a quarterback and I say a team player where this K State fan base will know knows who's coming in that backfield to be effective there's a run for giddens and he's going to push the pile just keeps pushing it all the way up to the 42 yd line look like he was going to get maybe three or four and it winds up being a gain of about six or seven instead yeah that offensive line knows that from last year's film watching when BD was in there and you have the guys that have taken over you have Oakley and and kitley and pan and Panzer all all knowing what to do you know get the guys and once they get to the block help their running back up the field and also help them off the ground as well so he gets a little bit of energy boost to get back in that huddle and keep running the ball second down play fake throws out to the far side and it's a first down catch this is tight end BR Lofton who had a touchdown catch in the first quarter to begin the scoring today his first career well Avery is a quarterback a Young quarterback Avery Johnson but he knows who he needs to take care of as you mentioned that's the old line he took him out for a steak dinner recently little uh spot on Twitter there as well to make sure he takes care of the big guys up front yeah see I couldn't do this back during the day it was no nil so it was not even it was just a conversation of you know what if I had this I'll take you guys somewhere um but once I got to the NFL I could do this with my big guys take them out to eat let them know that you not only you know Care on good completion there for a big game so far there that's Trey Spivey who gets his first catch of the season one catch a year ago it also came came in the season opener it was a 24 yd catch against Simo and he has a first down grab right there and that's going to take us to our 2 minutes timeout 2 minutes left first half in Manhattan 143 cats Avery Johnson so far today 8 to 12 81 yards two completions of over 20 yards one of 22 one of 23 everything else under eight yards the offense last season Red Zone efficiency and they're knocking on the door of the Red Zone here was about as good as it gets when it comes to scoring Proficiency in the Red Zone last season Kens spinning bounces around and this has been a photo copy of what I've watched prepping for this game and gens and his run style and the way he ping pongs off of tacklers in the in the scrum there and that's what the that's what you want to see as a at a running back where if feeder stop he's still moving somehow and he has the talent to do that that's why I mentioned Le'Veon Bell earlier because of that patience and then also when you you take a hit he's not absorbing it he's bouncing it back to the defender so he could get momentum up field DJ eight of eight of carries 62 yards has a long of 32 they faked the hand off to him and now they're going to throw it to him out of the back field and juggled it and then took a hit Josh Hastings came in right as gens was trying to recollect the ball and never was able to field it and catch it cleanly yeah not a bad pass by the young um Johnson there just maybe a little quicker to get his seeing running back the ball a little sooner here so you take the fake of the play action but then nobody's open get it to Gideons but Gideons in it got to look it in it was actually a double grab there so catch it the first time um senior running back but first thing I've seen that he hasn't done right but had pressure on as well two of four on third down third down and six for the cats Avery Johnson Retreats now fires here's Kens out of the back field gets to the line of scrimmage met there and dropped at the 25 yd line only gets a yard that's number seven Chris Hunter Jr once again who's having a nice game defensively for UTM yeah and you look at that play you say you only pick up one yard but you saw I saw good mechanics there from Gideons doing a chip block but then being available for his quarterback and then Avery Johnson knowing that you know what I look downfield I went through all my progressions nobody's open let me get it to my running back so nice choice there just the better team on that play on that sequence was UT Martin's defense stopping the play to now have it at Fourth and five well K State's got all three of their timeouts it's going to be fourth and five here from the 25 and they're going to let it run down use a timeout here no need there's head coach Chris kimman think we are in charge timeout Kansas State first of a half where we at 30 second timeout definitely in Chris tenament range here sitting at the third 25 which would be a 30 35 yard field goal attempt or 30 yard field go attemp maybe 37 31 [Music] maybe well here we are an official week one of the college football season pre-season poll this uh revamp Big 12 Utah at least by a slim margin is the favorite to win in the Big 12 with K State right on their heels Oklahoma state had to beat the two-time defending FCS Champion South Dakota state today down at still water and this is definitely in tenament tenants uh range here 43 yard T 11 of 14 last year career long is a 51 as you mentioned this is from 43 off the right hash of a line drive going up and through just some there we got the uh tenant it's his first field goal attempt of the season for the senior out of mil Valley High School in the Kansas City suburb Kansas and just 21 seconds left in this first [Music] half coach Chris kimman interesting to chat with him yesterday season number six for him he is the first head coach in school history to make the postseason in four of their first five seasons and when you have Bill Snider as the top correct coach in school history uh that's something to say Kansas state is now wearing number 85 17 is 85 Kansas state is going to get the ball to begin the second half you know they won the toss into def thir actually UT Martin won the toss and elected to receive same result and that being that K State's going to get the ball to start the second half tenant will kick off so Kansas state has scored with their regular offense on a pass to Loft and on special teams on a block punt that they recovered in the end zone and now a field goal and taking a knee it'll come out to the 25 from arel laflor thef Flores I don't know if he's going to be back in he's still limping he has that leg taped up right now as his left ankle so we'll see if he gets back in the game if not Patrick Smith will definitely continue with the the carrying the load well with no timeouts in 21 seconds I assume we're going to see him take a knee here and take us to the end of the half a knee here or a token handoff to the running back but I rather take a knee here keep that running back clean for for the second half the way this Kate defense is playing right now see what they elect to do here lefl is in the back field and they will hand it off to him trying to stretch it out left and he is eventually going to be dropped for a loss back at the 17 yd line Austin Mo and Brendan Mt chased him down yeah not much movement there by the o line for UT Martin right now the K State defensive front and the linebackers from that 335 front is getting in there fast and hitting all the gaps so tough that is going to take us to the end of the first half a 173 K State lead 184 total yards for K State in the first half 83 for UTM Wildcat scored in just about every fashion possible lead 173 at the break when we come back we'll catch up on all the changes with the new 12 team college football playoff [Music] that's as pretty as a moving picture as you'll get in late August we welcome you back to the Big 12 on ESPN Plus on Saturday night in Manhattan Kansas sun setting about to start the second half a two touchdown lead for K State 173 over the FCS team UT Martin out of the Ohio Valley Conference great to have you with this along with two-time national champion from Nebraska and the NFL ofont Green what stuck out most for you in half number one for case St I would say it has to be their defense they were flying to the ball hats to the ball and that was the thing I remember once I got to the pro Level Playing teams like Tampa Bay defense where it wasn't just one guy it was like five or six guys you know and then one guy by the name of John Lynch that was always bringing the lumber but I'm seeing K State Defense the same when you doing that you're sending a message to the team that's going to play you in the next few weeks you know next week and the prior the next week to that that man this defense is going to be hot and heavy early in the game and so like I said send a serious message to the teams well Avery Johnson start number one this season start number two on the year yeah how do you look in the first half he looks okay right now um he has for me maybe a lot of thinking some of the passes might be a little bit off Target that one to an interception so maybe thinking a little too much but good playe design here on the touchdown throw and catch you had a lot of crossaction with the de with the offense offender players but then right here using his legs to get the ball of field for a first down so he has his moments but you're going to have that he's still a young quarterback still has a lot to develop and this is just the start of I believe a fantastic career here at Kate you see his numbers in the first half the interception the first that he has allowed in his young career K State going to get the ball to start the second half there's your first half numbers UTM only seven rushing yards now this is a team that had one of the best backs last year Sam Franklin one of the best backs in all of FCS allamerican had over almost 1400 rushing yards they just couldn't get anything going on the ground no they couldn't you know we with laflor with the ankle right now and then Smith coming in obviously not getting the line share of carries probably during trading camp and not having that mindset ready to go Brown from the goal line takes it across the 30 but he lost the football and UTM is saying they have it no signal yet from the officials as they clear the pile there yes this could be a huge start for UTM and they do indeed get the football recovered by the kicking team be first down UT Martin all right we got Jace brown with the return there a little loose with the ball and as he go can't really see the kicker was blocking but as he flips around Ball's already out before he hits the ground so right here ball is in good position but little I say un known contact with his own player sometimes does that I've been a product of that I've been a victim of that situation you run into your own guy and you just kind of lose thought of ball protection and ball security so the ball comes out flips out UT Martin has the ball here at around the 38 yd line or 30 38 yd line good job and what a break for youm they get the ball here as you mentioned at the 33 they hand off this is the floor gets spun around stays on his feet and eventually his gang tackled at the 26 yd line so he does gain about seven or eight out of that and that was his most powerful aggressive run even though he seems to still have a little bit of a limp yeah I mean he's tough he's only 170 but in our conversation with him that's what he knows that's what he talk about his energy what he brings not only to the running back room but in a situation like this you have a big turnover there's opportunity for UT Martin to take the momentum a little bit here in the second half and get a ball into the end zone so lefl running like that even with the ankle still being out there and being a tough player for his team right back to him he's going to be just shy of the first down it's going to be third and short we talked with laflor earlier in the week when he came to the program from mckendry University last year it was a competition with him in Sam Franklin and Franklin won that he backed him up but he says I have been waiting yes to be the feature back and he has that opportunity at least to start the year he will come out here on short yardage third and less than a yard yeah come in with the bigger back here this is Rashad Raymond in the game for the first time transfer from VMI they hand the ball to him and he Barrel straight ahead for the first down Raymond 51205 compare that with laflor at 5917 and you see why the head coach Jason Simpson wanted a little more bulk to carry the football on short yardage 100% when you have a bigger back regardless of the high they're north of 205 they have that extra muscle it just gives an advantage to that running back so getting Le four out of there switching in the running back helps out your offensive line and gives the confidence for the offense as well to get get conversions going Raymond spent four years at VMI Virginia Military Institute he gets his second straight carry and he'll get to the 20 yd line for a gain of about three the weak side linebacker Rex van y up to make the stop so right now yeah we have have the big momentum turnover on the kick return here but right now the last two plays not much so you want to try to get more you know a big play here to get that defense cuz you right now you got Kate you have opportunity to put Kate on their heels here in their territory so let's get some I don't know Razo Dao but let's get a play here effective where you get more yardage to convert the first down and then eventually get this ball in the end zone UT Martin trying to take advantage the Kate turnover on the opening kickoff to start the second half little razzled Dazzle but it was actually just kept with Raymond Dez Pernell who had a really nice first half he was flying all over the field makes the tackle there yeah had five plus tackles in the first half going to probably finish with double for the game but a guy who is been tough to block causing a holding penalty in the first half for UT Martins offensive players and now again disrupting the back field and I say for linebackers and need lineman that's their main main goal is disrup the Back Field to keep the offense from trying to execute their blazes so it is third down and five line to gain is the K State 12 empty backfield now into that back field is Rashad Raymond he runs out of it Far Side Dent time to throw hits his man and that is tanksley Devonte tanksley first down just outside the K State 10 man that is so important right here on this conversion he reads through the defense those D have progression very well finds the open receiver to get the conversion and now the drive continues for UT Martin been a whole lot of uh pass plays for UT Martin out of their 32 just nine through the air they get the first down there just outside the 10 have a little I don't know if it's confusion or something going on with the ball placement you had a kstate player running off field I thought they was going to try to fast snap the ball and get the penalty but that didn't happen referees helped him out there Patrick Smith not much there VJ Payne in Van y once again maybe a gain of a yard coming off the field there you see number 79 the right tackled Elijah Bowser in his first year at UTM after a couple of years at Louisiana Tech yeah I wonder what was going on in that sequence there because you had the referees almost replacing the ball maybe it was like they were allowing K State to sub after oh gotcha a UTM substitution and now we going to get a timeout called by UTM so they seem to have a tendency to burn them pretty early again here they did in the first half as well a 30 second timeout so it's alignment he's talking to Patrick Smith right there to the backup running back so something it was probably an assignment he had that he didn't quite execute and so since the ball wasn't sna it most likely was an alignment issue right there well no stranger for UTM to play an FPS team getting K State right 18th tonight number one Georgia to start last season they played Tennessee Florida their only FBS win was against Memphis in 2012 so they are 1 in 27 all time against the FBS but again they they' played Old Miss a number of times the names you see on there yeah yeah and part of that is they're an FCS program that helps you finance the program correct when you're playing those big guys yeah and then you find you find where you what where your weight is at amongst the better teams and that's what Jason Simpson wants he wants one of the top programs in the FCS and what better way to do that maybe pad your pocket financially and also help your team down 100% as we know that is the uh the way of things this days in college football second down and nine Smith running left nope it was kept oh Parnell and crew is back in the Back Field again right now UTM they're trying to throw everything in the kitchen seek at Kate defense and they're not going for it they've they know RPO action read it committed to it gets the um lost attack or I say loss of yardage in the back field so you got third and 12 here and again UT Martin's got to figure out a way how to find the get chinks in the armor uh of this K State Defense right now to get that ball in Enzo for a touchdown and not settle for a field goal here four of 10 on third down tonight third and 12 they can get a first down without scoring right about the one three receivers up top Dent looking in that direction pump fakes pumps again now being chased gets slung down as he throws and can't get it to the intended receivers as osen Sami was the one who put the pressure on him intended for Travon Rucker hey that he couldn't done any better as a quarterback in the back field right there he's going through his progressions he's being patient with the ball trying to help trying to find his a open receiver but couldn't but a good job to there instead of taking the sack getting the ball out and thrown towards the line of scrimmage and thrown towards a receiver in the area yeah what looks like a win for the casy defense here to start the second half they're going to hold UTM to a field goal attempt 30 y 31 off the right hash and out of the hold of dents ball down kick is up and Van Winkle hits it the kick is good so he hit from 34 in the first half and now 31 and makes it an 11-point game early second half Cooper BB back in the house the new Dallas Cowboys Center going to play center in the NFL a position he's never played but uh played left guard at K State his number 50 eventually is going to hang in the Ring of Honor here was shouldn't take very long so Cooper's back his younger brother Camden the the injuries just got to be too much and unfortunately Camden had to basically retire from playing he's now become a student assistant he's up in the Press Box there in the booth with the offensive coordinator C riy and some others there he is with the backwards baseball cap that's Camden BB now a student assistant unfortunately his playing days are over but we got both BB Brothers in the house two of them tonight yeah watch some film on a BB was a guy who likes the block and very good at it and uh in terms of his brother I definitely understand you know old lineman and their players at a teammate Mark rer and Green Bay who had probably a total of three or four surgeries per arm and knee and stuff like that so they put in a lot of sacrifice and to help us you know as other skill players to get up get the ball up the [Music] field well Avery Johnson will get his first opportunity here in the second half due to the fumble on the kickoff for turned by K State to start the second half so hopefully he's not cooled down here having an extra Sit N of 14 yeah there's your numbers for him in the first half one TD his first career pick as well starting from their own 25 Kens no kept guess who with his legs this time it was an interesting conversation with Conor Riley yesterday the offensive uh new offensive coordinator also offensive line coach how many times do they call a design run for him for Avery this looked like a design one this this was the first one yes of the game this was it I mean all the other ones was something that he saw in the coverage no receiver was there or receivers were covered so he takes off but that one was design first one now he throws and finds Brown who gets immediately bumped down there by OA Baker it it that in that conversation yesterday because he runs so well MH you want to run him but he does so much on broken plays with his legs their their predicament is we don't want to run him too much we don't want to expose him to injury so they don't really call a whole lot of design runs they're mostly just him working broken plays yeah and I I believe that's the best way to approach it for scrambling Corner Bar these days is something that a coordinator has to have in mind where they're going to find Opportunities to get the ball up field um but good run by they get there getting the ball a field himself but yeah leaving in their hands where they make the smart decision and they're learning to be a quarterback and a decision maker out there on the football field it's a nyd run for gens to give K State a first down into UTM territory at the 43 yd line G quietly creeping up on 100 yards here 7.4 average at the moment so the senior doing what he's usually done and running the ball being effective another carry for DJ but this time sniffed out very quickly by Jaylen sharp and a loss of a yard sharp and crew gets in the back field on rare that happens to the Kate line here penetration during a run play that doesn't give DJ a whole lot of room and a whole lot of space to get yardage up field so good job getting off the block for UT Martin and then stopping the progress of Gideon to get up field sharp really the returning defensive leader so to speak for UTM three seasons at Charlotte second Team all OBC last year now running right turning up field Dylan Edwards number I haven't seen a ton of Dylan Edwards tonight but what we have seen has shown his skill set yep watching him in Colorado last year is the same style of runs and plays they designed for him here at K State outside Zone scream plays and stuff like that cuz he is a smaller back can't take those bigger hits that DJ Gideons can take but he's leading DJ is leading the block out there so he's being a team player right there being a lead blocker for for Edwards on the edge been an interesting route for Edwards to get here to K State here's a flip by Avery Johnson not much there because Avery Johnson and dlan Edwards have been friends since about first grade I asked Avery yesterday how long's it been he said I think it was first grade they played football together they're parents their dads were buddies uh and still are a and they're both from the Witchita area Dylan looked like he was going to come to K State didn't he went to play for Deon Sanders in Colorado last year now he is here place where his dad Leon played and now back with Avery yeah I mean what I saw great season pretty good season for him at Colorado so I'm started doing my research when I noticed he was on the roster I was like oh wow here under throws Brown there let's take you back really not all that long ago cuz he just some pretty young guys playing football together in early childhood Dylan Edwards and Avery Johnson so they go backways little little little swag I love it brings back a lot of memories there got the baseball caps turned around and the buddies are now teammates at the Collegiate level for the first time cats facing a third and 10 two of five on third down tonight the throws going towards the end zone and the intended receiver really didn't seem to be focused on the throw Dante cus to the back corner of the end zone Falls incomplete yeah we have Johnson standing in the pocket tall looks for through coverage and just sees opportunity but didn't you know like you said receiver did not finish his route there was a quarterback moment there where he knows his receiver should continue running receiver kind of broke it off cuz he had coverage inside and out so just felt the need to slow down and that slowing down is where the ball was overthrown tenant hit from 43 in the first half this from 45 spinning and up and through the tenant is two for two tonight as he connects from 45 for his second field goal to make it a 20-6 game about 5 and 1/2 minutes left third quarter in Manhattan oh K State had their Athletics Hall of Fame dinner and ceremony and induction and remember locket I remember that guy it's inducted great class Jacob Poland you got Deb Patterson Diana Miller Nick Ley Kansas Kansas State athletics Hall of Fame big night for them last night the locket family I love it where she have Sterling here now Tyler was here Y and then Sterling and Tyler's dad Kevin was here and their Uncle Aaron also how about that bottom part combined for over five miles of receiving yards Sterling can add to that over the next few years yeah family tradition going there you know playing against um Tyler or Kevin excuse me when I was in college well not against him I was on offense he was on offense but then you know but still watching him play being a um good solid receiver pump return kickoff return from time to time as well solid player so so be a proud Dad to have all his sons to follow right behind her T kicks that one out of bounds fre kick out of bounds kicking team number 17 I Ru the ball be plac at the 35 yd line first down it's good to have uh that's the only bad thing that tenant's done today you know ball is kind of half Hazard Le goes out of bounds it's a good thing for the Special Teams just for case State that'll be the one bad thing they talk about tomorrow yeah find something uh tomorrow or Monday in film review 539 to play third quarter 20 to6 and Kansas State got a couple of touchdowns in the first quarter one on the touchdown pass to Loft and the other on the Block punt that they recovered In The End Zone but since then the two teams have each traded a couple of field goals yeah and it shows what UT Martin being the conference Champs they you can see the fight is still there they just don't fall over or just throwing the White Flag or white tow um to say you know what you got this game offense number eight 5yd penalty first down this is the first play of the drive yeah but the well you know the the helmet communication is new this year now at the FCS level they don't have it but UTM is able to use it tonight because they're playing at an FBS opponent corre they'll get a chance to use it one more time later in the year when they're at Kennesaw State uh on uh that's September 28th when they play at kenesa State kenas state's now FBS here's Dent he's going to throw it and he's looking for tanksley oh man got a hand on it the 20 and if he comes up with that this game would have changed on a dive you got to have that you got a quarterback Under Pressure right here you see on the film you got Pernell again at the legs of K kenck receiver has the ball literally on his fingertips got to bring that in D Devonte to finish that play off there cuz if your quarterback is going to sit back there and take these hits that he's taken he wants you know that kind of makes the hits feel a little less sore on the next play than ley's been there guy he had 54 receptions last year he has seven catches the last two seasons combined at UTM Jordan Riley and M here on the tackle this time of the floor the floor toughen it out you could tell I can still tell that left ankle is bothering him but you know what he's being like he said as a leader and running through pain I remember a lot of days myself running through ankle injuries or ankle sprains where you got you know what it's a little sprain but you know it's better for me to be out here running because then my teammates see see what I'm doing and I'll give them a little mation motivation to play harder here's your look at third down attempts spinning the floor good tackle there didn't get much by Parish Parish yeah it's going to be fourth down so we got lefl good set up for the screen better tackle here by the defender there Parish coming up for K State there so the wide receiver I mean the running back and Alignment were set up but again just a fantastic play there by pis to help his def as save his defense getting off that field because the linemen were already out and it could escort lefl to a first down even more on that play right there so good job by Parish Edwards is back to receive the punt jiren vanwinkle good punt it's going to send Edwards back inside his own 15 to the 13 gets by one tackler a couple wow nice return by Edwards and really had to fight his way for just about every yard to get up near the 30 yeah go 346 to play tell you what those streets right there are going to be filled with people in about an hour and a half trust me 15th consecutive sellout here at Bill Snider Family Stadium tonight over 51,000 in [Music] attendance witnessing the offense under the control of Avery Johnson he's part of this three-headed running monster yes he is you know having the game he's having so far kind of like right down the middle of the road and so I say as a coach looking at that he could just do nothing but get better from here Keegan Johnson been kind of a quiet night for him to this point will get it ahead up to the 35 yd line tackled by Josh Hastings second year now for Keegan Johnson after his time in Iowa and you played with his dad at Nebraska correct yeah shout out to Cluster Johnson I know he's watching or he might be here in the stadium watching all three sons had the opportunity to play D1 I know uh Kade the oldest may be on Seattle Seahawks practice squad right now so shout out to them Belle West graduates in uh South Omaha up there near offord Air Force Base G get picked up six so it's second down and four Avery hands to DJ giddens this time cuts it up and is going to be about a yard and a half short of the first down it bring up third and short gens picks up three y got it so you got to point in the game right here in you know ending off the third quarter want to get another score here TouchDown for this K State offense to kind of put the n in the coffin but then also you start getting into a rhythm of your offense in this part of the game C it's two of six on third down third and short here and the easy answer is to give it back to you know who DJ let's DJ pick up the first down needed one gets three and they move the chains as we get under two and a half minutes to go in this third quarter in Manhattan yeah we have uh gettins over 70 yards rushing here six yard average but that if you watch the defensive line for UT Martin are coming up getting off the ground a little bit slower because that run game is starting to wear on him wear on them excuse me in the third quarter Edwards takes get spot in the back field with Avery Johnson on first down at their own 41 he gives it right to Dylan Edwards nice burst gets him all the way to the 45 of UTM another first down for the wild cats as he picks up 14 yeah good job here by Edwards get the hand off good cut there and acceleration up the field instantly and that's definitely some a reason he was at Colorado but him coming here bringing that new element because you now have two backs where they two different running Styles and it's going to definitely keep a defense on their toes and it's going to always be a off balance between plays you have that play DJ carries the ball and you have Edwards the next play and now it's a speed element and quickness element that's added that throws the defense off in their timing to try to make sure they make to get a get a solid tackle done yeah four carries but look at the average yeah 10 yards carry it could be the working on a new name of running back smash and dash right here for K State I like it might have to trademark that before we get off the air there's a throw by Johnson he has a wide open Brown into the end zone but he came down just prior to the goal line they're going to Mark him down at the one a 44 yd pass play yes first and goal and for Avery Johnson all hurry up hurry up that is now his longest pass completion of his career prior high was 43 and that came against TCU there it and he gives it to Edwards to finish it off with a Oney touchdown run and something I haveen men mentioned excuse me in the description of what Avery Johnson is doing he's also been very patient right cuz this whole game hasn't much been there he has the you know the receivers are covered he runs he hasn't find the run time to run but find to wait to get this play on a play action and a deep ball to get the completion cuz he had one in I think in the first half it was a deep ball it was an incompletion um and then we saw the last pass where the receiver broke off the route so now you got a big play so also as a QB you got to have that patience and it's getting developed here right here in this opening game of the regular season for K State T it on for the extra point 27-6 K State first touchdown run as a wildcat for Dylan Edwards and really the big play was this 44 yd pass yeah to Jay Brown so sets his feet well getting a position to get the ball down the field just a little short in terms of where he catches it in terms of getting the ball into the end zone which is right there on the one yard line there ball moves around a little bit but either way a score and so teammate to teammate from ages six and up there you go Edwards and Johnson been knowing since each other since the little league and to get the score here at the college level in front of a home crowd can't get any better than that number 17 is now number 85 six play Drive covered 71 yards in 2 minutes and 47 seconds and with just under a minute to go in the third quarter 18th rank K States now opened up a 27 to6 lead yeah if I'm I'm DJ being a Senor running back and knowing what I've done and they say it does it did I did see the ball move a lot on that but we were three plays behind that it does touch right there as the as the as the rubber came up but referees missed it we have 27 it was not reviewed six score right there but uh like I was saying with with the G DJ being a senior running back and now you got Edwards in this backfield a a kid that as you seen already Mark the speed the quickness and then I'm just thinking about I'm thinking ahead right you got big games coming up you got a Big 12 Conference schedule coming up this is to be a team that whoever they play got to be ready you know not only you got Avery Johnson but then you have Edwards and gens doing their thing and so you got to have a lot of emphasis on the defensive side of the ball to know who to stop and when to stop them Dent stops being pursued fires back across the field for tanks who did get some a hand or two on it but incomplete as kendre stiger was there on the coverage could have could have caught the ball didn't set his feet the right way it was kind of a a fast bullet that King K got fired off to him there on that on the almost completion on that first down throw hand off this is Patrick Smith all right nothing there Ryan Davis the defensive end for 52 able to blow that one up the red shirt freshman Phoenix yeah that case defense muddying up the holes you saw Patrick Smith stuttering his feet right there not really making a decisive move cuz he was trying to find the Run Gap nothing was there and good job there by the K State Defense to stop him in the back field yesterday talking with the wild cats defensive coordinator Joe glaner they are really happy with their depth on that defensive line they can they can rotate some guys in there Davis a part of that rotation clock running just over 10 seconds to play in the third quarter dent rolls right again fires on the Move deflected o incomplete that was intended for tanksley but it was stiger who leapt in the air leaped in the air and got a hand on that and almost allowed the secondary to intercept that ball on the carum it was almost the tip drill that DB's practic so you got K good play on play action getting the ball up good throw but didn't get the ball just high enough there to get it over the defender's hands gets tipped and if it was a Defender just right behind him that would have been a turnover but we got the the normal the oldfashioned uh three and out here and turnover a play there Jordan Dunbar number 34 the corner was just waiting back there and yeah just missed his finger he thought he could uh come up with the pick off that deflection so the punt there by Van Winkles going to go out of bounds they're going to say at the 40 and that's going to take us to the end of the third quarter in Manhattan with K State up on UT mark 27 to6 [Music] well as we enter the fourth quarter in Manhattan let's take a peek at am man's top five Big 12 running backs DJ on your list of five yes of course and then oi Gordon starts it off they're both him and DJ or dope walker uh I say finalists or potentials there and Devon nil another great Runner here in the Midwest here in the Big 12 does a lot of the good things for the K J Hawks offense and then Taj Brooks and uh RJ from Central Florida just to round out the bunch there good good bunch of Runners speaking of DJ gettens there he goes DJ inside the 25 eventually run out at the 15 I say on Q with the runners [Applause] there the senior does a good job here gets the ball blocking is what you want makes finds a nice little scam to make a nice little quick cut doesn't quite have the speed to out run everybody but gets what he can down the field and again got momentum going forward for his offense here in the red zone to get the ball into the end zone again good job DJ safety LeBron Morgan is down for UT Martin guy who played Juco football in Kansas at Highland Community College for a year which is uh in Highland Kansas about an hour Northeast of here while they attend to Morgan we'll take a quick time out Phil the bill in kimman we trust and you know Chris kimman he inherited a pretty tough situation when you come in to replace somebody like a legend coach Sneider yes now he had won a couple of championships climbing at the FCS level in North Dakota State but he has been spectacular as their head coach now in his six season yeah when you come in year one is all about building your foundation and taking a little I say Knowledge from the the people their predecessors so if you know that at the college foot football level to do that then you you you're setting yourself up so for Success James was able to Morgan to get off the field under his no power and there goes Dylan Edwards touchdown K State great play design something that we saw from the first play in the first quarter there almost the same but just with Dylan Edwards coming out the back field and this is the problem that I I've talked about earlier that they're going to present to upcoming teams so you see this play action fake everybody's looking in the backfield but they they see DJ but forget about Dylan going up the field so again teammate to teammate since they were kids handoff last drive a few drives ago now a touchdown throw to his team his old teammate there um to get the ball in End Zone increases the the lead over UT Martin so yeah having a good drive good series um good call there by the offensive coordinator tenant knocks through the extra point just two plays 63 yards really made set up by giddens 48 yd run which by the way was just one yard shy of equaling the longest Rush of his career he had a 49 is the most but Edwards after getting that touchdown run just a few moments ago gets a touchdown catch his second TD tonight yeah I mean I'm still in wonderment while how he is not a buffalo and he's here but I I know Kate fans and and the players like hey you know what our gym now and so he gives up the touchdown there you have a yeah you have a back field that is I say volatile to any opposing defense that will come into this stadium and any team they face on the road I think the K State fans are saying Dylan why didn't you just come here in the first place yes since he's from the state yes yeah why why did you need to go to Boulder yeah so there's the transfer portal Edition Dylan Dante and Easton kilty from North Dakota offensive tackle so right now all three of them are playing this game here yeah Dylan's dad Leon played running back for Kansas State 1992-94 nice so he comes back to where his dad played in a handful of seasons into the end zone touch back it'll come out to the 25 we're still very early in this fourth quarter we are and we got a very comfortable lead I say you know as a coach and seeing what my quarterback has done I I want him to really go through the Gambit of understanding like getting some plays in that really gets him to a group you know not you know I don't want him to force passes I don't want him to do that I just want him to get the time so it's like cuz this is a point of game you like you want to maybe some play players but not in this instance you have a true fresh you have a true sophomore excuse me you want him to get more reps it's all about getting plays and this will be a time to do that and keep them in there for the length of the game then hands off Glover cook we have a new quarterback actually that's Ka Sharon so we were told by the head coach of the Skyhawks this could happen that uh he could get the transfer from Kentucky in the game there's k Sharon who spent a couple of Seasons at Kentucky three years actually at Kentucky one of those was a red shirt one start for them that was 2022 against South Carolina he backed up will Levis one year backed up Devin L there at Kentucky last year so he gets his first appearance here as fabis makes the tackle it will be a first down here for UTM I know lefor is out with the ankle and Patrick Smith un fortunately he had some Miss I say misplays mistake on plays where that got him out of rotation and that's why we got cook in there from a a running back standpoint in the back field first down Skyhawks from the 37 yd line Sharon hands off and Glover cook run down there by Rex vanai also Tas Soo and sealo there so the same Run play three repls in row I think the defense is going to figure this out real fast got the defensive front getting in there causing damage penetration in there so right now we're looking at second and 13 for the UT marks offense Uso sealo Again part of that very deep dine rotation for K State this is cook again Glover cook getting his first carries he a transfer from Florida Atlantic spent four seasons there tack for guy is a two-way player also play defensive back some carries here yeah it's a tough situation for any quarterback to come in at this point in the game where you got a defense that's been highly aggressive and very successful throughout this game and right now you can really all you can really do is do hand is hand off the ball cuz you haven't really been throwing the ball a whole lot so got to take your time and and the offensive coordinator has to be smart and SI and giving you and throwing you out there to to throw the ball when you haven't had the whole opportunity a whole lot of opportunities to do that UTM is going to use a timeout leave them one left UT Martin be a 30 second timeout yeah they face a third down third and 15 when and again we've got quite a bit of football 12 minutes plus to play here in the fourth quarter but time of the if UTM is going to look at this game this was a 17 to three game at the half correct and Kate turned it over on the opening kickoff of the second half UTM settled for a field goal if they're able to get a touchdown there it's 1710 and then there was the long pass play that tanksley couldn't come up with that would have set them up with a first down inside the red zone for me it's the drive to start the second half and that missed play that really kind of turned things offensively that kept him from really making a run in this game it's the same for me and Coach Simpson is going to these will be talking points in game review right and saying hey when we have these moments especially against teams of this caliber we got to take advantage of that those situations and so having a turnover and not scoring but only getting I say not scoring a touchdown only getting three out of that those are those moments and the big catch to players hey you got to make a play if you got to die for it make that little stretch to get the completion Sharon on third down that is shy of the marker by about a yard Corell on the tackle there probably with his seventh eighth tackle of the day that's and at their own 37 they are going to bring out the punter yeah that that Jersey is a darker purple fourth and 14 pardon me it's Fourth and long yeah that jerse is a darker purple he's been making a lot of not a lot of big tackles off there for his defense Sterling lockett's going to go back to receive this punt at the 25 so he talked about his dad's induction last night in the Kansas State athletics Hall of Fame Sterling from the 25 it'ss the 30 35 about a 10yd return for Sterling Lockett solid return and a big night for his dad especially K State offense back on the field when we come back Kansas State going to take possession here with still 1116 to play in the fourth quarter and it appears at Avery Johnson's night is finished his first start this season second overall and there's the numbers what you think of the performance Johnson not bad I mean to be efficient with the ball only seven incompletions there had the one interception that's the only thing I'm a harp on as a coach but three 37 rushing yards so did everything with his arm and his leg that he could do for his team well when we've talked with Chris kimman they have said all weekend through Camp they said hey taquon Roberson and Jacob K are even in the battle to be the backup quarterback and they said we we we describe it this way can who hasn't played this is going to be the Collegiate debut here for K who didn't play last year for Kate and did not play for Minnesota in his time there Roberson has played a ton he played at Penn State he played at Yukon most recently they said Roberson has the most experience but can was with us with us last year and he knows our offense better okay so the question would be if it got to the point where the backup was going to come in who would it be and it turns out to be can right so it really you know goes on the coaches preference right what they feel when they see when they watch practice and through what he knows with the Playbook like he mentioned there from climate so it's really that simple hand off to Joe Jackson who's getting a carry here his first Joe Joe Jackson a red shirt freshman who played in the season opener against Simo last year also the Pop-Tarts Bowl there's Roberson last season at Yukon he played two years there three at Penn State but not a ton of playing time 18 career games over five seasons 11 starts you look at his career numbers and little little coaching on the James Franklin there in the Big 12 or Big 10 G fakes the hand off he's going to put in the air no he's going to run with it can takes off lowers the shoulder and he'll have a first down the run up to the 47 yd line he's the one that applied the hit on jayen Sharp that time exactly trying to I say create a situation for himself hey get that first down go head first thank God he's the backup for for the coaches watching from the sidelines here but you know sees what he sees nothing there tuck it and run protects himself getting the ball up the field first down so his first Collegiate carry results in a first down now he's going to hand it off again this time Joe Jackson down the sideline inside the 25 yeah first down of bounds there going to Mark him out at the 21 we got UT Martin plon player down right now slow getting to his feet so another run here good patience with the ball but then blocking is even better turns on the wheels gets up field here get pushed out of bounds and on the tackle looks like the DB there twists an ankle or a knee on the tackle but you got Jackson who's the third string believe maybe second string running back here for K State getting yardage up the field here in the fourth quarter so for utm's defense just attrition setting in now that offense has been potent Run game over 250 yards today so right now it's just one basically one stack of a Time the came off the field under his own power of the quarterback now the pass is completed to Andre Davis rard freshman out of Blue Valley High School in the Kansas City area whose dad of course played in the NFL a bunch of years he gets his first career catch he red shirt last year a Trish Tire defense right now for UTM got to work through it though James White who came in third on the depth chart of the running backs comes into the game now number 47 for Kansas State K will give the ball to him there it is and he's in the end zone [Applause] touchdown yeah you got a wor out UT Martin defense right there good good job K State is scored on every drive here in the second half that's their fifth Drive of the half and the James white played at the Air Force Academy for a couple of years he's from the Kansas City area though L next to Kansas to St James Academy T its extra point is up and good 416 K State everybody getting in the ACT here yes it is in the second [Music] half white to the end zone for K [Music] State Jacob can l a six-play Drive 65 yds and under three minutes for the white touchdown on the ground you look at K State and their number a couple things really stick out here M number one like so many teams K State offensively feels like okay we need to establish the Run they did that tonight they did defensively we need to stop the run they've definitely done that tonight yes they have and then even though you look at the time of possession and it favors to UTM UT Martin you wouldn't known that by the scoreboard or that you know anything else but that's the only thing they've kind of lost out on that's a mod Green Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame saber we have the last eight plus minutes here in the fourth quarter from Manhattan I'm W de 416 number 18K State and UTM will take possession here from their 25 yeah and uh I say old K Stater 2 that I saw this week back up in Green Bay Area a packer Hall of Fame banquet and my good old friend and teammate Jordy Nelson was a fantastic player here walk on in the beginning walked out with a scholarship and uh met him and I know his box over in that leftand corner of the South or I say yeah South STS I believe and uh got his little kids running around probably keeping them busy right now Sharon hands it off and bouncing off one tacklers were shot Raymond for a couple yards up to the 27 so you went into the Packers Hall of Fame in 2014 Jordy went in last year 2023 we're uh teammates on and off the field we'll say yeah that's him on the left just chilling he need he does his wife is next to him talking but now just saw hadn't seen him in about a year it was probably last year where I saw him at the faer hall of fame banquet where we all get to come back and have a nice reunion of such but he was a fun teammate young he was young when I got back to Green Bay in 09 that was my final year with the Packers but I knew that kid I knew he was going to be up to a whole lot of good W day tripped up at the 29 yard line with Jack fabis hey your time with the Packers you played with Favre and Rogers yes now there obviously was a time when Favre gave way to Rogers now I'm not going to compare that to what happened here at Kate there a little bit of similarities where will Howard basically saw the writing on the wall leaves and Avery is the guy I mean kind of similar they they pushed far out to the Jets yeah it was well definitely that was a push here you know knowing what happened with Howard he just kind of did it amongst himself and then having trans transfer portal there to available to help go with the decision to push it through makes it a lot easier because having a homegrown kid starting Martin at a position that you're at trying to grow it's going to be tough you know moving forward as a as an elder I say Elder Statesman on the on the roster so on Chris kimman now in his sixth season his first three years he had the same quarterback you know it was Skyler now Skyler had injury problems cor and he would have some issues but he was a starting quarterback in 1920 and 21 the three years since then it's been a different guy every season for the starter with Martinez I'm aware of Martinez he's a Nebraska quarterback as well will last year with when they played Simo in the opener now Avery Johnson tonight against UTM yeah and you have to be able to obviously being a good coach you got to learn to adjust to the seasons you know from your players you recruit to the players now that you're going to get in the transfer portal you guys just be ready to adjust on the run and know and have a good game plan and what to do with them once they get on and how to develop them to make sure they they kind of assimilate into your team's roster into your team's [Music] ways third down at six wi third down [Applause] sharing is sacked Ball's loose saw that coming and this cam Salis in the game number seven the sack and as you mentioned man stripped it Loose yes we have QB just up you know going through his progression but the speed he's not accustomed to right he's coming in fourth quarter like I said this is a tough job for the backup to come in in fourth quarter where you got a defense that is they're not hot their nuclear right now in terms of their pace of ball and so to him coming and trying to repr progress he's going one progression and and by the time he gets off of that one he's getting hit almost a fumble to uh turnover but that's the that's the hardest part about a backup coming in late in the game as Nome out tonight with injuries so that got Salis uh bumped up the depth chart a little bit you seeing some action here late in the game after the punt K State will take over at their own 37 yd [Music] line and this time it looks like think Bon Roberson's going to get an opportunity there you go hey I like as coaches you like this cuz you get to get some players that may not get a whole lot of time to get some film cut up against a team regardless of what the scoreboard is you love to get them out there so they get that experience so Jacob K makes his Collegiate debut tonight his first action since he was playing in high school in South Dakota and now Roberson makes his Kate debut after the last two seasons at Yukon and the three prior to that with Penn State we got to hand it off Joe Jackson rning hard Jo and I say for the lineman too this is a a good part of the game where they know that it maybe a few more pass plays here and there but most of it's going to be downhill run plays so the big guys like to roll off the ball going for picked up about five a second down at five with clock running 5 and A2 minutes to go in Manhattan Roberson fires but under throws the intended receiver Andre Davis next Saturday lot more Big 12 Football on Big 12 on ESPN plus and Albany West Virginia opening things up then a little later Sam Houston UCF TCU host Long Island in northern Arizona and Arizona ESPN plus.com big2 if you're not a ESPN plus subscriber and by the way if you're a UTM Skyhawks fan every Skyhawks game is on ESPN plus that the last throw Roberson needs to step a little bit more into the ball to get get the ball out there completed to his receiver Jackson will be about a yard shy of the first down this is where you get the young guys in get reps like I was mentioning already with Roberson in there at the quarterback position maybe some tight ends that haven't got a whole lot of reps as well maybe a wide receiver or two but I say o line though you want to keep in there because from game to game you know obviously once you get later in the season there's going to be bigger games that come up and you want that the top five offensive line to have that endurance to stay in play for four quarters up five touchdowns K State going forward on fourth and one from the 46 yard line and first down run will take it into UTM territory Tyler bolan's able to eventually bring Joe Jackson down but not before he moves the sticks wild simple downhill run inside balls high and tight good Cuts good blocks for Jackson to get up the field and something you want to see in the fourth quarter where your o line is still getting run fits and still allowing your running backs to get up the field Jackson had a total of four carries last year he technically red shirted he played in the first first game of the season against Simo in the last game in the Pop-Tarts poll unable to red shirt since he played Four fewer games he gets another carry here Jackson has already surpassed his total number of carries for the season that he had all of last year he's tackled by number 10 that was his seventh carry he's at 48 rushing yards and he's going to pretty much get the rest of the carries I remember old running basket coach Edgar Bennett in Green Bay he's like hey when you we get to this point in the game we're up big and you got about 4 minutes on the clock that's where we're at just just know your tongue is going to be dragging by the end of the game overon letting as much of the play clock wind down as he can they snap it at six and Roberson fires to the sideline where he completes the pass to Trey Spivey pass Trey makes the grab SP that is his second catch h hadit a 22 yd catch earlier in the game t red shirt freshman played in a couple of games last year also red shirt had one catch his dad Junior played in the big leagues Major League Baseball with primarily Arizona oh nice and those baseball dads uh are special breed their kids can come out and be kind of the Wranglers of other sports they have a certain talent I don't know what it is lock it in Andre Davis line up late on that right side the snap off from Roberson he fires a little offline it's ended for Sterling Lockett this is good stuff for Roberson and any player that comes in off the bench because you know that right there you look at at footwork on the last couple throws he had one throw to the sidelines in the last possession where it was short that one there right to this to the right of receiver so where he can work on because him coming in the game he won't be in the game right now in the early part of game so he has know if he's going to come off the bench he's got to be ready to go and fire and be accurate all at the same time OA Baker back to receive this punt so they are going to putt on Fourth and sixth charge timeout Kansas State through first of the half 30es their first timeout so as we wind down week one big 12 Play here's what's ahead next weekend can state is going to go to New Orleans to try to avenge the loss to Tain that they suffered on this field two years ago at Arkansas Oklahoma State that's good SEC Big 12 battle Baylor and Utah get conference play Rolling Kansas Illinois northern Arizona and Arizona in Tucson Illinois case Kansas game going to be a good one Illinois had a good win this week was that Beamer ball going Clon gets a high end overend short punt he's going to have drop inside the 20 and take a great bounce good job coverage guys inside the five they down it at the two you had the triangle you had 30 36 right there player on the goal line to make sure the ball doesn't go into the End Zone The Other Guys kind of huddled around with the ball bounce good job by the Pat I mean three yard punt punt team right there excuse me this is what you this is what you coach this what you teach somebody get down there try get behind the punter like you see don't let the ball go in the end zone so good job there by fabris punter gets I say the average as to his uh total and special Team guys are happy planet's had a nice night course he's a new punter taking over for Jack blumer that's what teams has a good day today for K State yeah definitely so big play Early in the game with the black Punt and touchdown on the recovery and defense is not letting up still not giving inch and now this is where you get part of a football where especially on the defensive side where you you know if that if UT Martin had not scored and be a zero on the board that defense was going for that a but since they had already got field goals on the board they're look they're looking at making sure that offense gets no more yardage to say hey this is the defense we are we're going to play through all four quarters in every second no matter who's on the field two minutes to go Timeout on the field winding it down week one in [Music] Manhattan 2 minutes to go 41-6 K State that's what's ahead for Chris kimman team they are in New Orleans against Tain next Saturday that's an 11:00 a.m. Central Time start since we're all friends here I can let you know it's either going to be on ESPN or ESPN 2 you can mark that down right yeah and also another details a lot of these teams they haven't faced just like UT Martin today here's the pitch Smith Patrick Smith out to the eight- yard line UT Martin's first time first meeting here Arizona BYU Colorado Arizona State and Cincinnati to wrap off the schedule first meetings against Kate this season and that Arizona game is significant for two reasons one is said it's not a conference game cuz it had been scheduled before Arizona made the move to the Big 12 retrogrades so yeah it is not a conference game interesting and it's the only non-s Saturday game of the season of the regular season for K State it's on a Friday night so here's a pass completion out to Aeris tce and then another reason why this K State team is or say defens of squad is playing the way they are you still get graded right yes the the film doesn't stop just because all the starters are are sitting down on the bench right now and we got you know a comfortable lead no it's it's going to be filmed being watched between to tomorrow and Monday and the players will sit down eventually with the coaches and have their sheets that they have their score on and what they got graded out for uh this game and so it goes all the way till that clock is done ticking CR makes the tackle Tre Krauss in the game also saw Wesley fair in there at one of the safety spots some time here late with a minute to go Sharon looks to throw and he hits his man at the 15 yd line with the tackle immediately made to number 10 on the tackle number 40 Myers that was Gavin Myers by the way linebacker in the game made that last tackle for Kansas State third down at seven [Applause] third Sharon's going to keep it he's under pressure he's going to advance ahead diving for the first down where they spot him it'll be right near the marker yeah it's going to be close after his dive he kind of bounced forward but in college once you hit the ground you're down so they may they give it to him they did give him the first down there they don't have any timeouts so once the chains start to move the clock rest starts and that's going to be the end of the game yep and 18th rank Kansas State oh yeah game they LED 173 in the half ofall game they go on to win 41 to six to take the season open yeah as advertised you know offense came out a little sluggish but the defense from the start to the Finish was beat was there and I think that was the Catalyst to get the offense going because with all defensive stops and then not let UT Martin pick up any type of yardage to get the ball in the end zone just two field goals for their team as as an overall score this overall team fast and then also special teams got into the freay blocking the punt phield go was on point punt return as well catching the ball getting yardage and then making sure the team gets in deep territory late on the last punt here so off F of the game for Coach kilman very happy so just going to be always stacking the blocks this is one game for the rest of of the season and one game for the quarterback as well so uh good good job for K State's offense and defense special teams so Avery Johnson in his first start at home 14 of 21 through the air 153 yards two TDS did throw his first career pick always he's got to keep in mind his legs he had three rushes 37 yards from our count of those three runs there was one designed run the other two were just was it improvising yep uh and we did get to see all three quarterbacks Roberson and can getting in late in the game but what was your impression of Avery tonight um I thought was a good day okay day and just a day that's going to get stacked on him getting better you saw I saw the throws that that I watched in the previous film to get ready for this game they're there um and it just looked like he was thinking maybe too much in the in the start first start of game and then finally loosened up as the game went on but he is still the quarterback that I started watching to get ready for his game he's still that kid he's gonna be dynamic he's going to be dangerous too to other teams once she really knows how to put everything together the run the pass and deciding when to throw and when not to throw and to take off running with his leg so that's going to be a beautiful thing with uh Avery Johnson see the quarterbacks shake hands there as Avery Johnson and Kansas State wins it 41-6 they had a three and out on their first possession of the game but score on six of the 10 possessions and five of their last six so they did finish very strong a moded a lot of fun tonight man in the booth and K State looked very good thank you good a lot of fun as well and don't forget K State in New Orleans next weekend taking on to Lane that's going to take care of things for now from here in Manhattan foran green our outstanding crew I'm Mark Neely thanks for sharing this one with us 18th ranked Kansas State wins it over UT Martin 416 good night for Manhattan