Kansas State coach Collin Klein is walking back into familiar territory with his eyes wide open.
Returning to lead an alma mater can be a tricky assignment, and Klein made it clear Wednesday at Big 12 Media Day in Frisco, Texas, that he understands exactly what comes with the job. He is not treating this like a sentimental homecoming. He is treating it like a challenge.
“I don’t think even as much as you walk yourself through it mentally," Klein said. "You really even understand until your boots are on the ground and you’re in it."
Klein is back in Manhattan, Kan., for his second coaching stint with the Wildcats. He starred there as the quarterback in the early 2010s, then later returned as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator before leaving for Texas A & M in 2024. Now he is in charge, and he is already setting the tone.
His message to recruits is blunt: life at Kansas State is going to demand plenty.
“I tell recruits it’s going to be hard,” Klein said. “I tell them it’s a badge of honor to wear that Powercat.
I tell them that the most valuable things in life you’re going to have to pay the most for. We’re going to make that price really freaking high to play at Kansas State."
Klein is one of four new Big 12 coaches this season, joined by Eric Morris of the Oklahoma State Cowboys, Jimmy Rogers of the Iowa State Cyclones, and Morgan Scalley of Utah.
The early signs inside the program have been positive. Klein has already won over his players, and after a strong spring, the group is eager to get to preseason camp and start working in live action.
Quarterback Avery Johnson sounds especially ready for that next step.
“Everybody has a newfound energy,” Johnson said. “We’ve all been super grateful for Coach Klein to come back, and I think we’re all excited for the season.”
In Other News...
K-State Fans May Hate Whats Coming To Wildcats Uniforms
The Big 12s new branding deal with Monster Energy is about to make a visible change to Kansas State uniforms, and it is the kind of change that figures to draw plenty of reaction from Wildcats fans. The conference-wide agreement will put a Monster Energy patch and logos on football and basketball uniforms across all member schools, with Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor confirming the branding will sit alongside the Big 12 logo.
For Kansas State, the move is part of a broader push to bring more sponsor visibility into athletics, not just on uniforms but around Bill Snyder Family Stadium as well. Taylor said the school is pursuing local sponsorships for an on-jersey logo and an on-field logo, a sign that the Wildcats are preparing for a new look that could extend well beyond the patch itself. [Read more 🡒]
K-State May Have Found A New Offensive Weapon In Brandon White
Brandon White has spent the offseason turning heads in Manhattan, and the buzz around the Kansas State receiver was loud enough to follow him into Big 12 Media Days. Head coach Collin Klein and teammates have pointed to Whites growth since arriving from Kentucky and Hawaii, where his speed and route-running already stood out, and that athletic profile has carried over into K-State drills in a way that has made him hard to ignore.
Whites quickness has given the Wildcats another potential layer on offense, especially if his practice production keeps matching the early praise. There is also a chance his value stretches beyond receiver work, with the staff considering ways to tap into his open-field ability on special teams as a return option, adding another wrinkle to a roster that is still sorting out how best to use him. [Read more 🡒]