Kansas State’s Collin Klein is discovering just how wide the head-coach job really is.
For years, his world was centered on one position group or the offense as a whole. Now, in his first season running the Wildcats, he’s responsible for everything - and that means one of the biggest tests is learning when to step in and when to hand things off.
That shift starts with trust. Klein wants to stay involved on offense, but he also knows that side of the ball belongs to offensive coordinator Sean Gleeson. The game-management side, too, is going to be shared across the staff.
“You hit the nail on the head," Klein said. "The only way it's going to work is I've got great people around me.
That's what we have. I've been very, very pleased with how that flow has worked.
Some of those game-management decisions will be myself, Sean Gleeson - our offensive coordinator, who has done that a couple different places that he's been - with Stanton (Weber)."
It’s a major adjustment for Klein, especially after his time as offensive coordinator at Texas A & M Aggies. But he’s not walking into the role empty-handed. He’s had strong examples along the way, including Bill Snyder and Chris Klieman.
Snyder helped build Kansas State into a force in the late 1990s, while Klieman posted a successful run with the Wildcats before resigning after last season. That opening brought Klein back to Manhattan, where he starred as a quarterback in the early 2010s.
Now the former Wildcat standout is being asked to guide a team looking to move forward after a 6-6 season. Kansas State was picked to finish No. 8 in the Big 12 by the league media, and Klein knows the job goes well beyond calling plays or handling one side of the ball.
"We will use analytics, but we'll put our own little spin on it," Klein said. "So, that'll be part of it.
As far as the weekly process goes, there's a lot of moving pieces, but I feel really good with the process that we've been able to build, the schedule that we have to be really, really efficient and get a lot done. It's going to be a lot on my plate, but definitely have a lot of great support."
It’s the start of the Collin Klein era at Kansas State, with the former Wildcats quarterback now trying to push the program back toward Big 12 contention.
Fans will get their first chance to see him and the team up close on Aug. 22 at the annual "Meet the Cats" event at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Gates open at 11 a.m.
In Other News...
Chris Klieman Revealed Why Collin Klein Made Sense For Kansas State
Collin Kleins return to Manhattan as Kansas States offensive coordinator did not happen by accident, and Chris Klieman made clear there was a natural fit behind it. The two had built a longstanding relationship, and Klieman said the timing lined up once he had decided to step down, opening the door for a conversation that had real momentum behind it. From his perspective, Klein brought the kind of familiarity and credibility that made the move make sense for the program.
Klieman also framed the transition as one built on support rather than overreach, which matters in a spot as important as offensive coordinator. He said he intends to be available as an advisory presence for Klein, serving as a sounding board and offering administrative help as needed. For Kansas State, the interesting part now is how that partnership settles in and how much of the Wildcats next offensive identity will be shaped by a familiar hand back in the building. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Is Already Chasing The Next Big In-State Core
Kansas States recruiting momentum is already rolling into the next cycle, with Collin Klein and the Wildcats staff turning attention toward the 2028 class even after landing a strong 2027 group that already sits at 27 commitments. The early emphasis is familiar for this program: build from home first, identify the best in-state talent, and keep the pipeline steady before the 2026 season even arrives.
The quarterback board is part of that early groundwork, with Titus Huard and Cannon Zubeck among the names drawing attention as Kansas State shapes what it hopes will become the next key in-state core. For a staff trying to stay ahead of the curve, the challenge is less about finding interest and more about holding it long enough to turn an early list of targets into another class that fits the Wildcats long-term plan. [Read more 🡒]
Avery Johnson And Collin Klein Could Change Kansas State's Ceiling
Collin Kleins return to Kansas State has added a familiar face to the middle of a transition, and maybe the one relationship that matters most in the building right now is the one he already had with Avery Johnson. Klein recruited Johnson before leaving for two seasons as offensive coordinator at Texas A&M, and now the first-year Wildcats coach is back in Manhattan trying to steer the program after Chris Kliemans resignation. For a team picked to finish eighth in the Big 12, the pairing at least gives Kansas State a clear place to start.
What makes the setup interesting is how much of the Wildcats ceiling may depend on whether that connection translates from trust to production. Johnson has already worked with Klein in the past, and Klein knows what he saw in him during the recruiting process, which gives this staff a chance to build around a quarterback-coach relationship that does not need much introduction. The prediction outside the program may be modest, but Kansas State is counting on familiarity to help it climb above it. [Read more 🡒]