How DJ Giddens helped Avery Johnson pass for two touchdowns in K-State’s opening game

DJ Giddens didn’t score for Kansas State when the Wildcats beat up on Tennessee-Martin 41-6 last week in their first game of the season, but the bruising running back did play a vital role in a pair of touchdown passes that ended up as highlights for his teammates.

It’s too bad there is no such thing as an assist in football. Giddens deserved some type of mention when Avery Johnson connected with Brayden Loftin for a touchdown in the first quarter and once again when Johnson hooked up with Dylan Edwards for a touchdown late in the game.

K-State offensive coordinator Conor Riley used a similar play design on both of those scores. And they both began with a fake handoff to Giddens.

The threat of Giddens running the ball was enough to keep UT Martin defenders near the line of scrimmage. Play-action fakes allowed both Loftin and Edwards to be left uncovered on wheel routes.

It makes sense that the Skyhawks were focused on Giddens, considering he rushed for 124 yards on 13 carries when he wasn’t operating as a decoy.

Loftin, a sophomore tight end, benefited greatly from Giddens when nine different UT Martin defenders kept their focus on the run as he slipped up the left side of the field. The Wildcats were facing second-and-3, so the Skyhawks were understandably worried about Giddens picking up a first down on the ground.

But they didn’t have enough defensive backs to account for Loftin. Johnson lofted a pass in his direction and he waltzed into the end zone.

“I actually caught the ball and I turned around and I didn’t see anybody,” Loftin said. “I was pretty blown away.”

That turned out to be the only offensive touchdown of the first half for K-State. But the Wildcats found paydirt again in the second half on a similar play.

This time, Edwards and Giddens lined up next to Johnson in a two-running back formation; Johnson faked a handoff to Giddens as Edwards ran a wheel route up the right sideline.

The play-action fake only kept seven defenders focused on the backfield this time, but that was enough for Edwards to zoom past a pair of linebackers for an easy touchdown.

Johnson was able to call it ahead of time.

“When we’re in the huddle before the play, Avery was like, ‘Hey, be open. I’m looking at you,’” Edwards said. “So after I caught it, we celebrated and everything. It just felt really good.”

Giddens was nowhere near the end zone on both of those plays, but K-State might not have scored that pair of touchdowns without him.