As Joker and the Thief played throughout Morgan Family Arena, new Kansas State head football coach Collin Klein walked out to a roar from the Wildcat faithful.
It was a homecoming for Klein, who played football at K-State from 2009-2012, and was a coach for nine scattered seasons with the Wildcats before taking the offensive coordinator job at Texas A&M.
Klein began his introduction by expressing gratitude to Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, his wife, Shalin, director of football recruiting, Taylor Braet and his whole family. He also praised former head coach Chris Klieman, Bill Snyder, Texas A&M staff and players, along with director of athletics Gene Taylor, Dr. Richard Linton and others for helping him get there, recognizing them in the crowd. However, after the thank-yous, Klein quickly went into his plan for K-State football and how he will coach his team to play.
While Klein may not have experience as a head coach, it is evident that his motivation to win and his passion for greatness are real, and he shared that with the crowd.
“I love challenges, I love going and doing hard things,” Klein said. “To go and take this program where it has never been is going to be hard, and I want it to be hard. We are going to attack it together as a staff, as a fanbase, as an administration and we are going to take this program where it has never been before.”
Klein will take over for Chris Klieman, who announced his retirement on Dec. 3. Klein was an assistant under Klieman for six seasons before taking the job at Texas A&M.
Once the news broke that Klieman would be retiring, talk of Collin Klein as a replacement began circulating immediately. Fans hoped the former Wildcat would return to his alma mater.
“Chris Klieman steps away with class and dignity, and then to be able to get a guy like Collin Klein as quickly as we did made it a lot of fun,” athletic director Gene Taylor said. “It’s also been stressful, but it’s been fun and right now I’m just enjoying watching him enjoy this.”
Klein will continue to coach Texas A&M as they look to make a college football playoff push. But when he has time off, he will look to return to Manhattan to begin building a staff and recruiting for next season.
Klein will be very busy over the next few weeks, and if Texas A&M keeps winning, that would add to it. But with the work ethic learned under coach Bill Snyder, head coach Klein is ready to take on any challenges coming his way.
