SE: Klein Focused on Finishing Strong for Seniors
Jan 03, 2022 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Although much of the talk ahead of the 2021 TaxAct Texas Bowl has surrounded uncertainty along the LSU offense — namely the fact that Kansas State must prepare for the possibility of facing different quarterbacks — K-State head coach Chris Klieman flipped the script when reporters repeatedly inquired about how the Wildcats plan to defend the Tigers offensive attack.
"I think the preparation is difficult for everybody," Klieman said. "I don't think it's just for us, I think it's for them, too. We have a change to our staff on offense, so who knows what we're going to do offensively?"
The LSU defense might have to adjust on the fly.
That's because Klieman handed over play-calling duties to quarterbacks coach Collin Klein, who will serve as interim offensive coordinator when the Wildcats, 7-5, meet the Tigers, 6-6, in Tuesday's 8 p.m. kickoff at NRG Stadium.
"Collin is great, great young coach, and I'm excited for him to have this opportunity," Klieman said. "I've spent an awful lot of time with the offense, and I love the way he's led the guys. Our guys are practicing hard. It'll be fun to watch him."
The 32-year-old Klein is completing his fifth season as quarterbacks coach and his seventh overall on the K-State coaching staff. Klein has been either a player or member of the K-State staff for more than a decade — save the 2016 season when he served as Northern Iowa quarterbacks coach. Klein served as co-offensive coordinator under Bill Snyder in 2018.
"We want to win," Klein told reporters after practice on Sunday. "We want to play well, and we want to win, and obviously give ourselves the best chance to play well and get after it. Having fun and letting loose and getting after it is a big part of that, but we have to make sure we're on our stuff, too."
K-State was 5-1 when scoring at least 30 points then faced some challenges toward the end of the regular season.
Klein took over for Courtney Messingham, who had served as offensive coordinator for three seasons.
"It's been a tremendous honor," Klein said. "It's about finishing strong and it's a great opportunity for growth and learning, and the main focus has been just finishing for our seniors, executing well, and having a good plan, so they're able to play fast and finish this thing the right way."
Klein said that calling plays "is always something you dream about" and has previous experience. One of the most intelligent signal-callers under Snyder, Klein was granted opportunities to call or change plays while under center during his senior season when he finished as a finalist for the 2012 Heisman Trophy.
"I think it's something that is kind of a part of you as a quarterback," he said. "You're constantly thinking that way. There's no doubt that's absolutely helped. Every rep and opportunity like that adds to your experience for sure."
He also has the luxury of mentoring one of the most seasoned quarterbacks in modern K-State history. In fact, Skylar Thompson is believed to be the only scholarshipped sixth-year quarterback to play at K-State. Thompson, the first quarterback to win 23 games and only player in school history to pass for 6,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a career, will make his 40th and final career start on Tuesday.
"(Klein) has been amazing," Thompson said. "I felt like he hit the ground running (as play-caller) with me because I've spent five years with him, and I've always felt like him and I are always on the same page. I know what he's thinking before he's thinking it, and he knows what I'm thinking before I think of it. That just goes to show you how much time we spend together.
"I'm very excited to play for him. He's a guy who is easy to follow and the whole team has fed off his energy. He's not a big 'hu-rah' guy, he's very quiet and steady, but the way that he approaches his coaching, meetings, and everything he does, he's just a natural leader that our whole offense wants to follow."
Klieman and Klein acknowledged there likely won't be any wholesale changes for the bowl game.
"We've done a couple things but it's about trying to keep things as simple as possible while still making a few tweaks here and there just so they can play fast and confident and finish this thing," Klein said.
Klein has apparently also asked Consensus All-American Deuce Vaughn for input as a running back and key cog in the Wildcats' offense.
"The verbal communication that he brings as an offensive coordinator is pretty cool," Vaughn said. "He's always asking me questions about how I feel about things, how he can do better, and how I feel about a route or this play call, things like that. It's been really cool having him step up into that role during this brief time and he's done a great job.
"It's only been a month so you can't go and change the entire playbook, but he's implemented some things that he believes will help us win, and we are behind him 100 percent."
The fact that the Texas Bowl is the last bowl game prior to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game has been a bonus as well.
"It's definitely helped," Klein said. "Every minute you get is a benefit. The extra time to prepare and get some guys healthy on all fronts has been a good thing for us."
Although much of the talk ahead of the 2021 TaxAct Texas Bowl has surrounded uncertainty along the LSU offense — namely the fact that Kansas State must prepare for the possibility of facing different quarterbacks — K-State head coach Chris Klieman flipped the script when reporters repeatedly inquired about how the Wildcats plan to defend the Tigers offensive attack.
"I think the preparation is difficult for everybody," Klieman said. "I don't think it's just for us, I think it's for them, too. We have a change to our staff on offense, so who knows what we're going to do offensively?"
The LSU defense might have to adjust on the fly.
That's because Klieman handed over play-calling duties to quarterbacks coach Collin Klein, who will serve as interim offensive coordinator when the Wildcats, 7-5, meet the Tigers, 6-6, in Tuesday's 8 p.m. kickoff at NRG Stadium.
"Collin is great, great young coach, and I'm excited for him to have this opportunity," Klieman said. "I've spent an awful lot of time with the offense, and I love the way he's led the guys. Our guys are practicing hard. It'll be fun to watch him."
The 32-year-old Klein is completing his fifth season as quarterbacks coach and his seventh overall on the K-State coaching staff. Klein has been either a player or member of the K-State staff for more than a decade — save the 2016 season when he served as Northern Iowa quarterbacks coach. Klein served as co-offensive coordinator under Bill Snyder in 2018.
"We want to win," Klein told reporters after practice on Sunday. "We want to play well, and we want to win, and obviously give ourselves the best chance to play well and get after it. Having fun and letting loose and getting after it is a big part of that, but we have to make sure we're on our stuff, too."
K-State was 5-1 when scoring at least 30 points then faced some challenges toward the end of the regular season.
Klein took over for Courtney Messingham, who had served as offensive coordinator for three seasons.
"It's been a tremendous honor," Klein said. "It's about finishing strong and it's a great opportunity for growth and learning, and the main focus has been just finishing for our seniors, executing well, and having a good plan, so they're able to play fast and finish this thing the right way."
Klein said that calling plays "is always something you dream about" and has previous experience. One of the most intelligent signal-callers under Snyder, Klein was granted opportunities to call or change plays while under center during his senior season when he finished as a finalist for the 2012 Heisman Trophy.
"I think it's something that is kind of a part of you as a quarterback," he said. "You're constantly thinking that way. There's no doubt that's absolutely helped. Every rep and opportunity like that adds to your experience for sure."
He also has the luxury of mentoring one of the most seasoned quarterbacks in modern K-State history. In fact, Skylar Thompson is believed to be the only scholarshipped sixth-year quarterback to play at K-State. Thompson, the first quarterback to win 23 games and only player in school history to pass for 6,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a career, will make his 40th and final career start on Tuesday.
"(Klein) has been amazing," Thompson said. "I felt like he hit the ground running (as play-caller) with me because I've spent five years with him, and I've always felt like him and I are always on the same page. I know what he's thinking before he's thinking it, and he knows what I'm thinking before I think of it. That just goes to show you how much time we spend together.
"I'm very excited to play for him. He's a guy who is easy to follow and the whole team has fed off his energy. He's not a big 'hu-rah' guy, he's very quiet and steady, but the way that he approaches his coaching, meetings, and everything he does, he's just a natural leader that our whole offense wants to follow."
Klieman and Klein acknowledged there likely won't be any wholesale changes for the bowl game.
"We've done a couple things but it's about trying to keep things as simple as possible while still making a few tweaks here and there just so they can play fast and confident and finish this thing," Klein said.
Klein has apparently also asked Consensus All-American Deuce Vaughn for input as a running back and key cog in the Wildcats' offense.
"The verbal communication that he brings as an offensive coordinator is pretty cool," Vaughn said. "He's always asking me questions about how I feel about things, how he can do better, and how I feel about a route or this play call, things like that. It's been really cool having him step up into that role during this brief time and he's done a great job.
"It's only been a month so you can't go and change the entire playbook, but he's implemented some things that he believes will help us win, and we are behind him 100 percent."
The fact that the Texas Bowl is the last bowl game prior to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game has been a bonus as well.
"It's definitely helped," Klein said. "Every minute you get is a benefit. The extra time to prepare and get some guys healthy on all fronts has been a good thing for us."
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