Collin Klein has wasted no time putting his stamp on Kansas State football.
The new Wildcats head coach has taken a page from the program’s most successful modern builders, but he’s not just copying their playbook. He’s built his own list of standards for K-State players, and he’s made sure everyone can see them.
Kansas State’s last two coaches to sustain real success both relied on a guiding set of principles. Bill Snyder had his 16 goals for success, a roadmap that helped fuel 215 wins, 19 bowls and two conference titles. Chris Klieman followed with his four core values, which came with 54 wins, five bowls and one conference title.
Now it’s Klein’s turn. After quarterbacking for Snyder and later serving as offensive coordinator under Klieman, he has unveiled seven principles for the Wildcats: commitment, unselfishness, discipline, integrity, relentless effort, no self limitations and expect to win.
Some of those ideas come straight from Snyder and Klieman. Others are tweaked versions.
A few are uniquely Klein’s. But the message is the same one he grew up around in Manhattan: if you want to play here, you buy in completely.
Kansas State has already put the seven principles on display in the team’s primary meeting room.
And Klein isn’t leaving any mystery about how that room will operate. Competition, he said, is permanent in this program, and nothing is handed out.
“Competition is something that we want in our program, and that is never going to stop,” Klein said. “It’s not who wins this job.
That isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. You have got to go out every single day to that practice field, and you have got to earn it.
“You have got to do what the team needs you to do for us to be successful. That’s at every position across the board every day.”
Klein’s message goes beyond the daily grind, too. He has also laid out a “plan to win” that spells out the four areas he believes will decide games: turnover margin, special teams, situations and fourth quarter.
Those four points are now posted in the K-State football meeting room as well.
In other words, Klein has made the blueprint plain. He’s told his players what matters, how they’ll be judged and what it should take to win in his first season leading the Wildcats. Whether his version of the Kansas State formula works as well as the ones before it will play out on the field.
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Collin Klein Just Turned Kansas State Camp Into A Roster Reset
Collin Klein has spent the start of Kansas States camp sending a clear message: nothing is going to be handed out. As the Wildcats work through a rebuilding summer after a 6-6 season and the departure of Chris Klieman, Klein said nearly every spot on the roster will be up for grabs, with quarterback Avery Johnson and likely running back Joe Jackson standing as the main exceptions.
For a program trying to reset its identity under a new head coach, that kind of open competition is more than a camp slogan. It puts pressure on veterans, opens the door for younger players and turns every practice rep into part of the evaluation, with Klein stressing that daily effort will decide who earns playing time when the season gets here. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Is Already Building For The Future At Tight End
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For now, the position is in capable hands with Garrett Oakley and Linkon Cure expected to anchor the upcoming season, which gives Kansas State some breathing room to think long term. But these early offers show the staff is trying to get ahead of the curve at a spot where development matters, and the real question is how aggressively the Wildcats can turn those early relationships into future commitments. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Fans Should Keep A Close Eye On This 2026 RB
When Kansas State looks ahead to its 2026 class, Tanner West is the kind of addition that keeps the future conversation interesting. The running back from Katy, Texas, arrives with a strong prep rsum and the sort of national attention that comes with being heavily recruited, and he chose Manhattan after weighing offers from several other programs. He also brings a plan beyond football, with finance as his intended major.
West is widely expected to redshirt as he settles in, but there is still a path for him to contribute sooner if special teams opens the door. For a program that likes to build depth with an eye on development, that makes him worth tracking even before he gets a real offensive role. Kansas State fans may not see the full picture right away, but the early signs point to a player with both pedigree and patience. [Read more 🡒]