Buddy Wyatt Staying Put: Kansas State’s Trusted Defensive Line Coach to Continue Shaping Elite Talent
Kansas State is keeping a key piece of its defensive identity intact. Head coach Collin Klein announced that veteran assistant Buddy Wyatt will remain on staff to coach the full defensive line - a move that reinforces continuity and proven development in the trenches for the Wildcats.
Wyatt, who joined the K-State coaching staff in 2019, has been a steady hand guiding the Wildcats’ defensive ends. Over seven seasons, he’s helped produce 10 All-Big 12 selections, five of them earning First Team honors. His track record speaks volumes - and now, he’s set to expand his role to oversee the entire defensive front.
“I appreciate Collin placing his trust in me,” Wyatt said. “Kansas State has a strong tradition and culture, and I am excited to be a part of this staff. I look forward to helping our players and this program succeed.”
Klein, who’s worked closely with Wyatt since arriving in Manhattan, emphasized the coach’s impact beyond the Xs and Os.
“Buddy has a tremendous track record of developing young men,” Klein said. “I have always admired how he built genuine relationships with players and staff. He is of the highest character, and I am very excited that he will be with us moving forward.”
A Legacy of Development and Dominance
Wyatt’s resume at Kansas State is filled with standout performers and big-time production. Since his arrival, his defensive ends have been a disruptive force in the Big 12, collecting accolades and wreaking havoc in opposing backfields.
In 2024, Brendan Mott became the latest in a long line of Wyatt-developed stars. Mott not only earned All-Big 12 First Team honors but was also named the conference’s Defensive Lineman of the Year.
He led the Big 12 in sacks (0.65 per game), ranked fourth in tackles for loss, and spearheaded a pass rush that finished 25th nationally with 2.69 sacks per game - the program’s best mark since 2015. Of the Wildcats’ 35 total sacks, 23 came from the defensive ends room.
And that’s not an anomaly. Wyatt’s fingerprints are all over K-State’s recent defensive success. In 2023, he coached both Mott (honorable mention) and Khalid Duke (Second Team All-Big 12), with Duke also receiving votes for Defensive Lineman of the Year.
But the crown jewel of Wyatt’s recent run is Felix Anudike-Uzomah. In 2022, Anudike-Uzomah earned Big 12 Player of the Year, Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year, and multiple All-America honors.
He finished his K-State career tied for fourth in school history in forced fumbles (8) and sixth in sacks (20.5). Wyatt helped turn him into a first-round NFL Draft pick in 2023 - the Wildcats’ first since 2009 - when he was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Anudike-Uzomah’s breakout began under Wyatt’s guidance in 2021, when he tied for the national lead in forced fumbles per game and finished second in the Big 12 in sacks per game. His 11 total sacks that season tied for fifth-most in school history, while his six forced fumbles matched a program record.
A Coaching Pedigree Built on Results
Before Anudike-Uzomah, there was Wyatt Hubert - another pass rusher who flourished under Wyatt’s mentorship. In 2020, Hubert earned First Team All-Big 12 honors and was the only unanimous defensive selection by the league’s coaches. He finished his career tied for eighth in school history in sacks (20.0) before being drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals.
Even in Wyatt’s first season at K-State in 2019, the production was immediate. He coached Reggie Walker to All-Big 12 Honorable Mention and helped Hubert earn First Team recognition. Hubert also received votes for both Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Lineman of the Year, finishing top 10 in the Big 12 in both sacks and tackles for loss.
And it wasn’t just about individual stars - Wyatt’s units consistently produced. In 2021, K-State recorded 90 tackles for loss, the program’s highest total since 2006 and a mark that ranks 10th in school history.
A Career Spanning Power Programs and Player Development
Wyatt’s coaching journey spans more than three decades and includes stops at some of the biggest names in college football. He’s worked with defensive lines at Alabama, Nebraska, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, Colorado, Minnesota, and Northwestern, among others.
His time at Nebraska included coaching Adam Carriker, who won Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2006 - a title shared by three K-State players under Wyatt’s guidance. That gives Wyatt the distinction of coaching more Big 12 Defensive Linemen of the Year than anyone in conference history.
He’s also been recognized for his leadership off the field, having been selected to the NCAA Expert Coaches Academy - a program aimed at increasing diversity among head coaching candidates in college football.
A native of Victoria, Texas, Wyatt played defensive line at TCU from 1986 to 1989 before starting his coaching career there as a graduate assistant in 1991. He holds a degree in education and has spent his life teaching the game - and life lessons - to young men in the trenches.
Looking Ahead
With Wyatt now overseeing the entire defensive line, Kansas State is doubling down on a proven formula: player development, physicality up front, and a relentless pass rush. He’s not just a coach - he’s a cornerstone of the program’s defensive identity.
As the Wildcats gear up for the next chapter under Collin Klein, keeping Buddy Wyatt on staff sends a clear message: the standard in Manhattan isn’t going anywhere. And with Wyatt leading the charge in the trenches, don’t be surprised if more All-Big 12 plaques - and NFL Draft picks - follow.