Collin Klein didn’t hide from the mess after Kansas State’s loss at Colorado on Saturday.
His message was blunt: the Wildcats are not playing clean football right now, and the problems are showing up everywhere. Klein pointed to blocking, tackling and overall rhythm as areas that have fallen short, and he put the responsibility on the coaching staff first.
"You know, overall thoughts on the game, just kind of summarizing: We're not coaching good football right now. We're not playing good football right now, from a blocking, from a tackling standpoint, from a rhythm-play standpoint, and we're making a lot of things a lot harder on ourselves. That starts with us as a staff, trickles all the way down to the execution piece of it.
Offensively, we couldn't have had a worse first quarter. We get ourselves into three manageable third downs on the first three possessions and go 0-for-3.
Miss a block on the first one, miss a read on the second one, and the third one. Thought Duff was ready to play, and again, was a little rattled and unsettled there early.
Blake was able to give us a spark, and we were able to at least get a few things going there in that second quarter.
A little bit the same story in the third from an offensive standpoint. Was proud of how they competed down there in the stretch and some of that two-minute situation, giving us a chance for the game.
Defensively, thought they started well. Still some explosive plays.
I thought run fits were better overall, but again, we're still missing some tackles and giving them some explosives and allowing them to continue their drives in some tough situations. That 99-yard drive was a backbreaker.
We had a couple of chances to get the brakes put on and get it shut down. We don't do that.
So obviously, it's a very frustrating deal for us. Proud of our players' fight and how they competed, and believed we were going to win that game all the way to the very end. But we've got to do better, and that starts with me."
Klein said the offense dug itself into a hole early, failing to cash in on three manageable third downs on its first three possessions. He broke down the sequence in plain terms: a missed block on the first, a missed read on the second, and another failed opportunity on the third.
He also said Duff was expected to be ready but looked unsettled early, while Blake provided a spark that helped Kansas State generate something in the second quarter. The offense, Klein added, had a similar feel in the third quarter before the Wildcats showed more fight late in the game and in two-minute situations.
On defense, Klein saw better run fits overall, but not enough finishing. Colorado still hit explosive plays, and Kansas State couldn’t stop drives when it had chances to slam the door. The 99-yard drive stood out to him as the turning point that hurt the Wildcats the most.
Even with the frustration, Klein said he appreciated how his players battled and made it clear he thought Kansas State could still win until the final whistle. Still, he ended where he started: the standard has to rise, and he put that burden on himself.
In Other News...
Kansas State Suddenly Has A Quarterback Debate Fans Can't Ignore
Kansas States trip to Folsom Field ended in a 27-24 overtime loss to Colorado, but the bigger conversation may have been the Wildcats quarterback usage. The offense leaned on two different passers, and Blake Barnett helped spark a late touchdown drive that gave Kansas State a chance to extend the game after a night when the defense had its share of problems but still came up with a few late punts to keep the door open.
Barnetts role in that rally only sharpened the question of how Kansas State wants to handle the position moving forward. In a game decided by a handful of plays, the Wildcats found enough late energy to erase a deficit and force overtime, but the split approach under center leaves plenty to sort out as the season moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Leaves Colorado With A Bigger Problem Than Another Loss
Kansas States trip to Colorado ended the same way too many of its recent Saturdays have, with another close loss and another reminder that the Wildcats are still searching for answers under first-year coach Chris Klieman. The 27-24 overtime defeat was their second straight and fourth in five games, a stretch that has left little margin for error as the season wears on.
The quarterback situation only added to the uncertainty. Sophomore Dillon Duff got the start, but Blake Barnett finished the game after the Wildcats made a switch and helped spark a late comeback attempt that fell just short. Colorado, meanwhile, finally got its first Big 12 conference win of the season, leaving Kansas State with more to sort through than the final score alone. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Turns To An Unknown QB In A Brutal Spot
Kansas State is making a major quarterback pivot at a difficult time, with Dillon Duff set to make his first career start against Colorado. Duff has not appeared in a collegiate game before this opportunity, and his path to the lineup has been slowed by a preseason injury that kept him out until he was recently cleared to play.
Collin Klein has sounded encouraged by what he has seen from Duff behind the scenes, pointing to his work ethic and decision-making as reasons the Wildcats are willing to trust him in a pressure-packed spot. For a team looking for stability at the most important position, this is a big leap of faith, and it will say plenty about where Kansas State stands in the quarterback room going forward. [Read more 🡒]