Collin Klein is back in Manhattan, and the hire has quickly become the biggest storyline around Kansas State as he steps into his first season as a head coach.
Klein replaces Chris Klieman, who unexpectedly resigned after the season, and plenty around the program believe the Wildcats may have landed the right man to push them back toward the standard set under Bill Snyder. Snyder, of course, was the figure who transformed Kansas State from a punchline into a perennial contender.
“Klein’s workmanlike consistency as a quarterback shined in Manhattan, Kansas, however, separating him as arguably the face of K-State football’s definitive era,” the article wrote. “If he can inspire similar consistency from new generations of Wildcats, Klein can shape another defining era in the Little Apple.”
The Wildcats are trying to bounce back after a pair of disappointing seasons under Klieman. Even with solid recruiting and some helpful work in the transfer portal, they still haven’t made much noise on the national stage.
Deadspin framed Klein’s arrival as a possible return to the days of K-State legend Michael Bishop at quarterback, and that comparison makes sense with Avery Johnson leading the offense. Johnson brings a dual-threat style similar to Bishop’s, and he chose to stay in Manhattan despite multiple NIL offers from SEC schools and other conferences because he is a Kansas native.
Klein’s résumé also gives the hire some real weight. Last season at Texas A&M, he helped guide the Aggies to their first College Football Playoff appearance, and the offense averaged 260 passing yards per game.
“Last season at Texas A&M, Klein helped the Aggies to their first College Football Playoff appearance with an offense that produced 260 passing yards per game,” the article continued. “Klein’s adaptability as a coordinator follows the evolution of K-State under Snyder, which could win as much playing ground-and-pound ball with Klein behind center as it did riding the big arm of Michael Bishop in 1998.”
The final question hanging over all of it: whether EA Sports made an Avery Johnson blunder in the video game.
In Other News...
Joe Jackson Embraces New Backfield Competition At Kansas State
Joe Jackson is back in the role Kansas State wants him to own, coming off a breakout junior season that put him on the All-Big 12 radar and made him the Wildcats featured runner again. After rushing for 911 yards and eight touchdowns a year ago, Jackson has every reason to view the backfield as his, but he is approaching the next step with the kind of confidence that usually comes from knowing what he can do.
Kansas States additions of Rodney Fields and Jay Harris only seem to have sharpened that mindset. Jackson has talked up the way their skill sets fit together and the relationship the three have already built, a sign that the Wildcats are trying to create more than a simple depth chart battle. For Jackson, the competition is part of the appeal, and how that rotation settles in could shape one of the more important position groups on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Collin Klein Just Set A New Tone For Kansas State Football
Collin Kleins first Big 12 media days as Kansas States head coach offered a clear glimpse of the standard he wants to set. The former Wildcats quarterback leaned hard into toughness, energy and grit, framing his program around a more physical, more demanding identity while also leaning on the same steady presence that made him such a natural fit for the job in the first place. It was the kind of appearance that reminded everyone why Kansas State hired him, because he sounded like someone intent on carrying the programs edge forward rather than simply preserving it.
Avery Johnson is right at the center of that vision, and Klein made it clear the quarterbacks next step is about playing with more freedom and aggression in 2026. Kansas State also has some early momentum behind the scenes, with Kleins first recruiting class drawing strong national respect and giving the staff a foundation to build on. The bigger question now is how quickly that tone turns into results once the Wildcats get back on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Is Already Pushing Hard To Build Its Next Wave
Kansas State is not waiting around to see how the next few recruiting cycles unfold. The Wildcats have already been active with offers across future classes, including 2027 cornerback Riley Lewis, 2027 quarterback Ty Snell, 2029 wide receiver Colton Laisure and 2029 tight end Caiden Snow, a sign the staff is trying to get in early on players who are already drawing attention from Division I programs.
Lewis and Snell are both deep into crowded recruiting battles, while Snow is also hearing from some of the biggest names in the sport. Even the younger names in the mix show how wide Kansas State is casting its net as it tries to stack talent well ahead of time, and the real question now is how many of these early relationships the Wildcats can turn into something more down the road. [Read more 🡒]