Kansas State’s offense is about to get a familiar hand back on the wheel, and Collin Klein made it clear Tuesday that he does not plan to drive it alone.
With the Wildcats less than a month from getting back on the field, Klein used his fall camp press conference to outline how his return to play-calling will work in 2026. The setup, he said, depends heavily on the people around him.
"The only way it's going to work is that I've got great people around me," Klein said. "That's what we have.
I've been very pleased with how that flow has worked. Some of those game-management decisions will be me, [offensive coordinator] Sean Gleeson, and Stanton [Weber]."
Klein said the staff around him is built from a mix of veterans and former assistants he already knows well, and that the weekly process will be demanding. He also noted that analytics will be part of the approach, though not in a cookie-cutter way.
"We'll use analytics, but we'll put our own little spin on it," Klein said. "As far as the weekly process goes, there are a lot of moving pieces.
But I feel really good with the process that we've built. The schedule means we have to be really efficient and get a lot done.
It's going to be a lot on my plate, but I definitely have a lot of great support."
Klein will still have a direct role in the offensive system even as head coach, including help with play-calling. That return has drawn attention because many believe it could be the key to unlocking quarterback Avery Johnson’s best season yet. Klein has also been focused on his defensive coaching search, since his main attention will be on the other side of the ball.
That side of the ball needs work. Kansas State’s 2025 season was one of the worst in recent memory, and the defense took a major step back. The Wildcats struggled up front, especially against the run, and that showed in losses to Army and Utah.
Still, the biggest pressure point remains Johnson. Klein’s central job is clear: build a plan that can match and possibly top the quarterback’s freshman year, when Johnson put together a breakout campaign that had him looking like a Big 12 quarterback candidate for years to come.
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 🡒]