Kansas State has likely found its new backup QB in UConn transfer Ta’Quan Roberson
Everyone already knows that Avery Johnson will be Kansas State’s starting quarterback next season.
Much less is certain about whom the Wildcats will trust to be his backup.
But some clarity may have arrived on Wednesday when K-State head coach Chris Klieman gained a commitment from Connecticut transfer Ta’Quan Roberson. The 5-foot-11 redshirt senior has chosen to finish his college career in Manhattan after previously playing for both Penn State and UConn.
He figures to add valuable depth at the quarterback position and compete with Jacob Knuth for the No. 2 spot behind Johnson.
Roberson would seem to be the favorite to win that job given that he has a big experience advantage over every other quarterback on the K-State roster.
Even Johnson has only made one college start at QB.
Last season, Roberson completed 58.3% of his passes for 2,075 yards and 12 touchdowns.
That type of production and on-field experience could come in handy if Johnson is forced to miss action for any reason next season. He could also help tutor young K-State quarterbacks while he is on campus.
Roberson’s best performance with the Huskies came during a 34-33 loss to Utah State in which he threw for 255 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 201 yards and four touchdowns during a win over Sacred Heart.
A native of Orange, New Jersey, Roberson played in 18 games during his time at both UConn and Penn State. In high school, he was regarded as a top 200 prospect by ESPN and a top 10 quarterback recruit by both 247Sports and Rivals in the class of 2019.
K-State was in need of an older quarterback after Will Howard and Jake Rubley both decided to transfer after the end of the 2023 season. Roberson should help the Wildcats fill a valuable need, even though he is not projected to start next season.
