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Observations from Kansas State football's last open practice of the spring

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MANHATTAN – Kansas State football spring practice is coming to a close, and the early portion of Tuesday morning's session was the last open to members of the media.

Most of the 40 minutes were spent on stretching and positioning drills, but there was a brief period where offense and defense clashed.

The fact that several veteran players were sidelined while recovering from injuries makes it difficult to get a clear picture of how the Wildcats will perform in the fall, although there weren't many surprises.

After training on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, summer conditioning begins. But here are three observations from a very limited look at Tuesday's practice.

Related: Kansas State football's Conor Riley values ​​versatility on offense

Avery Johnson's arm as well as his legs

Last year, K-State made good use of Avery Johnson's running ability, as evidenced by his 296 rushing yards, 5.7 yards per carry and seven touchdowns. But he also completed 56.1% of his passes for 479 yards and five scores without an interception.

Judging by his performance in practice, Johnson could put up more impressive passing numbers in 2024 now that he's the undisputed starter. During various passing drills – admittedly without defensive pressure – he made things look effortless by executing tight spirals, playing deep balls and fades, and putting plenty of momentum into crossing patterns and away routes.

The offensive line is developing depth

Offensive coordinator Conor Riley, who also coaches the Wildcat linemen, would like to see a rotation of up to eight players at the start of the season. Given what we've seen so far, this is a very real possibility, although injuries may also have played a role.

Senior right guard Hadley Panzer is the only returning full-time starter, although the Wildcats also have others with significant playing experience.

North Dakota senior transfer Eston Kilty appears poised to play left tackle, while senior Carver Willis and sophomore John Pastore work at right tackle. Willis, who started the first seven games at right tackle last year in place of the injured Christian Duffie, was limited himself this spring but returned to fitness on Tuesday.

The deciding factor in the interior appears to be whether the third-year tank stays on guard, most likely on the left side, or slides to the middle. Senior Taylor Poitier, who was once slated to start before missing the 2021 and '22 seasons due to knee injuries, will sit in one of the guard spots.

If Panzer moves to center, senior Andrew L entrance is the most likely candidate to start opposite Poitier at defenseman. With Panzer at the top, Sam Hecht would get the nod in the middle.

Related: Kansas State football cornerback Keenan Garber is living proof that persistence pays off

Nose tackle Uso Seumalo back in training

Defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman lamented last week that super-senior starting nose tackle Uso Seumalo was sidelined for most of the spring, costing him valuable practice reps.

The good news is that Seumalo was ready to go again on Tuesday.

Seumalo is entering his third year with the Wildcats after two years at Garden City Community College, but he is still relatively new to the position, which is why Klanderman and position coach Mike Tuiasosopo wish he had had a full spring.

The good news is that all three nose tackles from last year are back. Junior Damian Ilalio started three games, including the Pop-Tarts Bowl, and is getting better, while senior Jevon Banks' biggest issue has been having enough weight for the position.

Banks, now listed at just £255, also ended up taking quite a bit.

Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett Network. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @arnegreen.

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