The Kansas State Wildcats are heading into preseason camp with a new coach, a returning quarterback under pressure, and a backfield that looks a lot different than it did a year ago.
That’s the backdrop as Collin Klein prepares for his first preseason camp as head coach in Manhattan. Kansas State is coming off a 6-6 season so disappointing that the program turned down a bowl bid, and it also ended with Chris Klieman unexpectedly resigning. Now the Wildcats are trying to reset under one of their own.
One of the biggest questions centers on Avery Johnson. When he first arrived in Manhattan, the comparisons came fast and loud, with fans putting him in the same conversation as Klein and Michael Bishop.
After sitting behind Will Howard for a year, Johnson took over and even drew preseason Heisman buzz as a sophomore. He has been solid over the last two seasons, but he still hasn’t reached the level of Klein or Bishop, and now he enters his third year as the full-time starter with even more on his shoulders.
The hope inside the program is that Johnson has not lost any confidence. Klein’s presence should help there, especially since he helped recruit Johnson to K-State in the first place. The relationship between coach and quarterback already exists, and that matters as Johnson tries to take another step.
Klein’s own background gives Kansas State some reason to believe he can handle the spotlight. In his senior season, he was one of the finalists for the Heisman Trophy, so the attention won’t be new to him.
The bigger test is doing it as a head coach, where he will be the one taking the blame when things go wrong. The good news for him is that he’s doing it at his alma mater, where the fan base should give him room to settle in.
He also already knows some of the players who were on the roster when he was an assistant.
The Wildcats also have to sort out the running back picture. Last season, Jackson was not expected to be the lead back; that job was supposed to belong to Dylan Edwards.
But Edwards lost the role early in the year and eventually transferred to Kansas. Jackson stepped in and played well, but he won’t be sneaking up on anyone this time.
Opponents will have him on the scouting report, which is part of why Kansas State added transfers Rodney Fields from Oklahoma State and Jay Harris from Oregon to keep him on his toes.
In Other News...
K-State Just Added A Preseason Test To A High-Pressure Rebuild
Kansas States rebuild under first-year coach Casey Alexander is getting an early measuring stick. The Wildcats have lined up an exhibition against Nebraska on Oct. 26 at Eihusen Arena in Grand Island, Nebraska, giving a largely remade roster a chance to see where it stands before the games count.
There is plenty of newness to sort through, with sophomore guard Andrej Kostic the only returning player from last seasons group. Among the additions are transfers Brandon Rechsteiner and Jaren Schutt, who were teammates at Virginia Tech and now arrive together as part of the effort to steady a roster that will need chemistry quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Fans Can Feel One Massive Homecoming Taking Shape
Collin Kleins move has the feel of a reunion years in the making, the kind that instantly changes the mood around a program. He is returning to the place where he starred as a quarterback and later worked as an assistant, so this is not a cold hire or a leap into the unknown. For Kansas State, it brings back a familiar face with deep ties to the school and a built-in understanding of what the job means.
The transition, of course, is not seamless for everyone on the other side. Reed acknowledged the adjustment that comes with Kleins departure, a reminder that one coachs homecoming can create a real ripple elsewhere. At Kansas State, though, the early advantage is obvious: Klein already knows some of the players he will now be leading, including Avery Johnson, which should help him settle in quickly as he begins shaping the next chapter. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Has A Real Chance To Seize Early Momentum
Kansas State heads into 2026 with a fresh look on the sideline and enough familiar faces on the field to make the transition feel more promising than precarious. Collin Klein is taking over a program that has a chance to lean on returning veterans on both sides of the ball, and the early schedule gives the Wildcats a runway to settle in. Nicholls, Washington State and Tulane make up the non-conference slate, a stretch that should tell a lot about how quickly the new staff and core pieces can click.
The bigger reason for optimism is what the Big 12 schedule leaves out. Kansas State does not have to deal with Texas Tech, BYU or Utah, which opens the door to a cleaner path than many league rivals will get. There are still plenty of tests ahead, with Houston at home looking like the toughest one on paper, but the Wildcats have a real opportunity to build momentum early and make that first season under Klein feel like more than just a reset. [Read more 🡒]