When Collin Klein picked Kansas State linebacker Rex Van Wyhe to join the Wildcats at Big 12 Media Days last month, it turned a few heads.
K-State only brought four players to the event, and Van Wyhe doesn’t exactly carry name recognition in EMAW Nation. Since arriving from junior college in 2023, the fifth-year senior has piled up 65 career tackles. But inside the program, the choice made plenty of sense.
Van Wyhe said he had a feeling his name might come up because of the way he has carried himself this offseason.
“I have really stepped up as a leader,” Van Wyhe said. “I had a really good spring, and I have also been really good in the weight room. I feel like I have done everything that the coaching staff has asked of me.”
That growth has made him one of the clearest examples of how Klein’s approach is taking hold on defense.
Van Wyhe said the shift has been obvious from the moment players walk into the building.
“It’s just a different vibe,” Van Wyhe said. “I feel like there’s different energy around the building.
You get in there for lifts, and the strength staff has got more energy. You go out there for practice and (defensive coordinator Jordan) Peterson brings a lot of energy.
He gets us all going. And so does Coach Klein.
“That has helped us get to a point on defense where we are flying around. We’re not just playing our gap.
They want us to go out there and shed blocks, hit people and make plays. I love it.”
Klein noticed Van Wyhe early after taking over as head coach, and his 6-foot-5, 244-pound frame stood out right away. During spring practice, Klein pointed to him as a leader and an under-the-radar defender who could help in the 2026 season. Now that training camp has started, Klein is still high on him, describing Van Wyhe as someone with “exemplary work ethic, character, investment and care for our team.”
That kind of praise fits with how teammates see him, too. Safety Wesley Fair said Van Wyhe has already earned the kind of respect that can shape a defense from the inside.
“Rex has been doing a great job,” Fair said. “He’s a great leader and a great person.
He has high expectations for everyone. I think that raises the standard of our defense as a whole, because he expects you to know your job and do your job.
We all know that he’s going to do his job. If that mentality continues around the whole unit, we’re going to be really special.”
It’s why no one in the locker room seemed shocked when Van Wyhe was chosen for the Big 12 Media Days stage. He may not be the most familiar name on the roster, but he’s clearly become one of the players setting the tone for Kansas State’s defense.
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