MANHATTAN, Kan. _ This is what Jesse Ertz can do with a season of starting experience and a healthy throwing shoulder.
Ertz, Kansas State's senior quarterback, toyed with Central Arkansas defenders during a 55-19 victory Saturday at Snyder Family Stadium, completing 10 of 16 passes for a career high 333 yards and four touchdowns in the Wildcats' first game of the season.
He has never looked better as a passer.
A year after being labeled a run-first quarterback incapable of throwing downfield, Ertz bombarded the Bears through the air with three deep touchdown passes that eclipsed 50 yards.
He got things going with a nifty back-shoulder pass to Isaiah Zuber in the corner of the end zone and then connected with Byron Pringle for a 55-yard strike. That gave him the confidence to find Isaiah Harris for a 69-yard score and Dalton Schoen for a 70-yard bomb.
His previous career high was 207 yards against Stanford almost exactly one year ago.
It was a reversal of fortunes for K-State's offense, which typically ran over defenses last season behind Ertz and running backs Alex Barnes and Justin Silmon. The Wildcats found it difficult to move the ball on the ground against a Central Arkansas defensive front that allowed just 2.3 yards per rush last season.
Barnes, K-State's top running back, managed just 29 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. Early on, the Wildcats needed exceptional play on special teams to build a lead. Central Arkansas pulled within 17-16 midway through the second quarter.
K-State appeared shaky on defense as it tried to replace former stars Jordan Willis, Elijah Lee, Chameachealle Moore and Dante Barnett. Things appeared anything but easy.
Of course, that was before Ertz started looking down field. Once he got going, K-State had too much firepower for Central Arkansas.
The Wildcats began to flex their aerial muscles when Ertz found Pringle for a long score that put K-State on top 24-16. Pringle looked every bit like a No. 1 receiver on the highlight play, catching a pass near the sideline, getting past his defender with a juke move and then outrunning everyone to the end zone.
It was the first of three straight scores for K-State.
After forcing Central Arkansas to go three-and-out on its next series, K-State defensive back D.J. Reed returned the punt 62 yards for a touchdown. It was his second big return of the day, and his third highlight play. He also opened the night with a 96-yard kickoff return. He rounded out the showing by making an interception.
K-State closed out the first half with another score when Ertz found Schoen across the middle for 70 yards.
The Wildcats led 38-16, and the Bears' hopes of pulling an upset were effectively over. But Ertz wasn't done.
He kept throwing in the second half, and found Isaiah Harris down the right sideline for a 69-yard touchdown.
The big day says a lot about both Ertz and his receivers. Ertz played the second half of the 2016 season with an injured throwing shoulder and fixed it with surgery in the winter. He misses spring practices in recovery, and proved his time away from the field was worth it.
His top targets, Pringle (121) and Harris (118) both topped 100 yards and Schoen (70) came close.
K-State proved it could run the ball last season. On Saturday, it showed it can move the ball through the air, too.
