Kansas
Kansas State’s Avery Johnson, QB Coach Matt Wells Already On Same Page
Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson and quarterbacks coach Matt Wells only needed one conversation before becoming BFFs.
From there, they have been tight.
“It’s kind of weird because the first time I talked to him was after the bowl game,” Johnson said. “I was actually in Puerto Rico. I talked to him on FaceTime. I feel like it just kind of clicked right from there.”
Wells brings experience to the quarterback position. He has coaching stops at Oklahoma, Utah State and Texas Tech. It could play a role in helping Johnson deal with the high expectations. He is already considered a darkhorse candidate for the Heisman. The Wildcats also enter with the hype of being among the favorites to win the Big 12.
Sometimes, it amazes Johnson how much knowledge Wells brings to the practice fields.
“I was really excited that we got a mind like coach Wells,” Johnson said. “Just kind of growing with him through the spring and fall. It’s weird because whenever I have a question about a play, I’ll come to the sideline and I’ll tell him about the question. Nine times out of 10, he has the same question written down. So it’s like we’re always on the same page. It’s almost like he’s reading my mind out there sometimes. That’s definitely a great position to be in with your co-offensive coordinator.”
Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Kansas State Wildcats On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com
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Kansas
Kansas State football player’s dad blasts sport’s current state as son departs
MANHATTAN — Kansas State will have a new kick returner come fall after Bryce Noernberg departed the team, and his dad used some colorful language in a Facebook post to announce it.
A K-State spokesperson confirmed that Noernberg left the team after the spring season. He returned 20 kicks over the last two seasons for an average of 27.8 yards per return. He scored one touchdown and also coughed up the ball multiple times.
In a Facebook post, Noernberg’s father, Scott, wrote that it had been an amazing few years in Manhattan, but then “Division I college football does what it does.”
“New head coach Colin (sic) Klein brought in all new coaches and players… paid them accordingly and (Noernberg) found himself at the bottom of the depth chart,” Scott Noernberg wrote. “Not wanting to start over again as a true walk-on freshman, he basically told them to kiss his ass!!
“Well done Bryce! I’m so proud that you stood up to the system! D1 athletics is in a very sad state, and it’s times like this that make you grow as a man!”
Also a wide receiver, Noernberg saw one offensive snap over his two seasons with the program. He was unlikely to find an offensive role for the Wildcats this year, considering the return of Jaron Tibbs and the additions of Josh Manning, Izaiah Williams, and Derrick Salley Jr. Other returning players, like Adonis Moise and Larry Porter IV, were also considered ahead of him.
His departure does leave a void at kick returner, which Noernberg wasn’t guaranteed to keep heading into the year.
Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_, contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at wwheeler@usatodayco.com
Kansas
Wichita interchange is the most stressful in Kansas, poll says
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — An interchange in Wichita is the most stressful off-ramp in Kansas, according to the results of a new poll.
The poll, by personal injury law firm Regan Zambri Long, asked 3,011 drivers across the United States what off-ramps are the most stressful.
Based on their results, Interstate 135 Exit 5B to Kellogg Avenue took the top spot in Kansas.
The poll said traffic often slows down at this interchange because it is where two major routes meet. Exiting vehicles have to merge and prepare for nearby exits on Kellogg, making speeds fluctuate.
Second place was Interstate 70 Exit 356 to Wanamaker Road in Topeka, and the third-most stressful off-ramp is Interstate 35 Exit 220 to 119th Street in Overland Park.
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Kansas
Longtime KCK family-owned Mexican restaurant closing after 61 years
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Jalisco Restaurant has been a staple in the Kansas City, Kansas, community since 1965. But after 61 years, the restaurant is closing its doors.
A sign posted on the restaurant at North 50th Street and State Avenue on Monday said:
Jalisco Restaurant will permanently close at 8:00 p.m., Saturday, May 30, 2026. Thank you for your patronage. Remember us, we will never forget you. The Hernandez Family.
Erika Dominguez, an employee at Jalisco’s, told FOX4 that one of their cooks, who has been there for more than 40 years, is retiring. One of the other cooks is 90, and has been with the family since the beginning.
“The family is getting older, and it is time,” she added.
“Our wall tells the story of generations of families and Jalisco’s little angels, babies who grew up coming through our doors,” Dominguez said in a social media post earlier this year.
The Hernandez family also owned another Jalisco’s Restaurant location in KCK’s Argentine neighborhood for 48 years. That location closed in 2012. They also owned a location in Mission, Kansas, years ago.
Dominguez said the building at North 50th Street and State Avenue is for sale, and there’s also been talk about the family leasing it – but nothing is in the works at this time.
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