K-State Holds Spring Football Press Conference

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Collin Klein and the offensive coaching staff met with members of the media on Wednesday at the Vanier Family Football Complex. A complete transcript of Klein's press conference is posted below in addition to select comments from the offensive assistants.

COLLIN KLEIN, OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR/QUARTERBACKS
On the second-straight spring without the starting quarterback taking live reps…
"It's been a very, very similar situation. Both those guys, Skylar (Thompson) last year and Adrian (Martinez) this year are highly motivated. Both are very cerebral players and are maximizing the mental reps and the limited reps they get. But yeah, it kind of has. I didn't even think of it quite that way, but it's been a little bit of a dry run, a second round that way. He's doing well and maximizing the opportunity."

On installing new concepts…
"It's a work in progress. We don't have a blank slate, but it's kind of going back through and making sure that everything that we are still going to use is correct and in the way we want to do it and the terminology we want to do it and all those types of things, which I think has helped us have a smoother start for our guys. From how you call a formation, something simple like that, that is not brand new. So, you're not starting from scratch, but we're trying to be very thorough and make sure that everything we do and as we move through it, it's exactly how we want it and exactly right."

On a player taking a big step forward this spring…
"In the skill area I think RJ Garcia II has really made some great strides. You can tell his time in the weight room and getting stronger, getting bigger, getting more confident, playing faster, I think, has really shown well. I've really been happy with all those guys in the receiver room. I mean, Malik (Knowles) has had a good start. Phillip (Brooks) has done a good job and provided good leadership, and obviously Kade (Warner) as well as has provided a lot of great leadership there. I think they've been a hard-working bunch, but I think RJ is the young player— to answer your question— that's kind of jumped off the page."

On the challenge of editing out old concepts…
"We've got to just try to be as organized as we can, and then make sure that we're all communicating the same way and on the same page. Just making sure that it's cleaned out and not cluttered. That's kind of what we've tried to do and simplified some things, added some new things, and then kept some packaging and repackaged some others. So, like I said, it's a little bit of a work in progress, but the guys have really attacked it well. They've been hungry. They're studying their butts off, and like I said, we're trying to really focus on as much of the fundamentals and execution of things because the game of football, yes, there's definitely a schematic component to it, but it's won and lost in how fundamentally sound you are able to execute those schemes. How mentally disciplined and tough are you to do that every single time through a 75-whatever-play game and ultimately win whichever one-on-one that ends up being across from you and that part. So, there's so much more to it than just the play caller or the X's and O's piece to it. It's making sure that all of us are holding each other accountable to those details and the physicality and fundamentals of executing them."

On the quarterback room without Adrian Martinez taking full reps…
"It's been a good group. I think Will (Howard) has continued to improve. I mean, shoot, I don't know what the number is, I think he's darn near put on another 10 pounds of muscle. He's really continuing to grow up physically. I think you see that in the way the ball is spinning for him. I think it's coming off his hand a little bit stronger than even last season. I think he's, with his experience, has been very valuable in this transition, and his leadership has shone through of him being able to run the show, and he's done that and has been the most consistent of that group. Jake (Rubley) and Jaren (Lewis) have kind of been competing and going head-to-head. Again, both of them have had up-and-down days here through the first week. Both are doing good things, but I think that's where the separation has been between Will and those two as of now. But again, it's competitive every day and they're working together through the competition. So, it's been a good thing."

On how the offensive line fits together…
"It's good. Obviously, Coach (Conor) Riley does a really, really good job of developing those guys and kind of cross training them at times to create some depth at different spots. I think, obviously, Cooper (Beebe) is doing a great job. He's leading those guys and playing a couple of different positions, which has been good for us, and it'll create some depth for us. We've got Hayden Gillum, who has done a good job at center and jumping in and filling in for Noah (Johnson), which has been, that's a big void. Noah did so many little things that no one even knew that he did for us. So, Hayden is filling in there. Duff (Christian Duffie), he works his butt off at right tackle, and he obviously has a lot of snaps under his belt. We've got a lot of young guys there that are coming along – the Witt Mitchums, the Carver Willis'. Kaitori (KT Leveston) has been doing some really good things. I think we're getting longer and more athletic in that room collectively and that's a good thing."

On how it feels to be offensive coordinator…
"It's a tremendous honor. I've enjoyed more of the leadership role and leadership responsibilities that have come with it, but shoot, I'm just, again, so grateful and honored that Coach (Klieman) has entrusted that task to me. I'm very blessed to come to work with a lot of high character, extremely smart football coaches on our offensive staff. It's been really, really fun to work with Thad, Coach Ward, at receivers and getting to know him. Coach (Brian) Lepak and I obviously worked together through last year and just being able to work with him through this. Then rounding out our staff with Clint Brown as our analyst and Justin Joyce a GA. All those guys, they are phenomenal football coaches. So, I think it's been a good mix and a good blend in the room to come to work every day to work and to learn and grow and push this thing forward."

On what he wants the offense to look like…
"I think to me, it's a little bit of that will be a work in progress. A little bit of that, I think we are still going to be very multiple in a lot of the things that we do. So, it could look a little different week to week even. What we're going to need that week for that defense, for that team we're playing, how our personnel continues to adapt. So, there are a lot of variables. The biggest thing – and even through the bowl game and through now has been — some of those details will get ironed out as we get closer. But it's the mentality, it's the focus, it's the intensity and having a more aggressive mentality. You've got to make sure that we're wise with that, either side of the spectrum can really get you. But it's how we play, it's our fundamentals, it's our techniques, it's our mental toughness and having more of that attack mentality, I think, is the biggest thing that I hope that we go to the practice field with every day. Then, ultimately, ends up being on the game field."

On his philosophy on trick plays…
"That's where you've just have to have a feel for the game, the week, your players. How much of an advantage is that going to give you and is it going to be worth it in that time? In every game, sometimes it's just timing of how things play, too, that are different and unique. There was one that I really wanted to get out there and it's just the time never was right, in a bowl game. Sometimes that happens and sometimes that time is right and having them ready. So, we'll see. I'm all about it if it's the right fit, and we'll kind of see how that goes."

On Taylor Poitier's recovery…
"He's been working his butt off, and obviously that's a tough road there that he's been on. He's been doing a great job, and I just love working with him. He's got a great personality, he's energetic and enthusiastic with his teammates. He's been doing really well."

On the tight end room…
"I've been really happy and pleased with Sammy (Wheeler) on how he has attacked expanding his game. We all know he can run, we all know he's made some big plays in the passing game, but his effort and commitment to being a better in-line run blocker and to be more physical as has shown he's made improvement that'll definitely help us as an offense, but I think he'll be fun to watch. So very, very proud of him for sure. The rest of the room, I think Ben Sinnott continues to improve and has a lot of versatility. Very pleased with the work he's put in, and he's a young player too. I mean, he's getting bigger, he's getting stronger. Will Swanson's done some really nice things as well and has shown flashes. If he continues to improve and continues to work like he's been working, I think he'll be able to help us."

On where he got the idea to be more aggressive on offense…
"I think some of that is just blending a little bit of the different systems and staffs and offenses that I've been a part of. Trying to ultimately filter everything through that player's perspective, that player's mindset of what is simple yet what gives us that tactical advantage that gives us the opportunity to be consistent through whatever execution in that phase of it. I think at times we've needed to be more flexible and had the need to be a little bit more adaptive in game, in drive, in play even at times. I think some that will give us the ability to tweak things midstream, which will be good for us."

On how many reps Deuce Vaughn is getting at practice…
"He gets a lot of reps. We're trying to make sure we're smart with those reps. Talk about a hard working. He's a hard-working sucker, now. He would take every rep if we let him because he wants to compete and he wants to be out there on the field with his guys. So, trying to protect him and be smart, but obviously he's a competitor and is out there and plays hard. We point it out every day as coaches – he's one of the best finishers on the team. All of our guys emulate and feed off that energy."

On finding a backup for Deuce Vaughn in the running back room…
"I think it's still very competitive. I don't think there's one individual that has separated themselves from the others at this point. We've got a couple guys that are getting a lot of reps and will be able to play, so I think that's probably where it stands right now. DJ (Giddens) is coming along, Jordan (Schippers) is coming along, and obviously Jax (Dineen) gives you some freedom and flexibility to be a little bit of that hybrid for us."

On if the aggressive mindset refers to pace or play calling style…
"It will probably be a mixture of both, quite honestly. I think a little bit of that will be on the week and how that goes. But again, I think the flexibility to change tempos will be probably as much as anything."

On wide receivers coach Thad Ward…
"Thad has been phenomenal. I've really enjoyed working with him. He's creative, he's very detail oriented, he's a self starter and really has just again. He's an incredibly hard worker. It's been fun because we complement each other very well in how we see the game and a lot of that is very, very similar. Making sure that those two rooms are in sync is critical and something that we have had and need to keep moving that forward."

On what impresses him most about Adrian Martinez….
"I think he's the whole package. I really do. I've been very impressed with his football knowledge and football IQ, work ethic, level of understanding. It's a little bit hard just because he hasn't been able to go and obviously do what he wants to do. But, obviously, we know he has great physical tools to work with. But again, I've just been so impressed with his character and how good he's been for our team and our locker room, and my room, too. Him, Will (Howard) and all those guys, they work together well. They push each other, help each other, and they're all team guys, which is important when you have competitive rooms and environments like that. So, it's been a really good thing."

On if he drove to Nebraska right after Adrian Martinez entered the transfer portal…
"Pretty much, pretty much and because, just like through the recruiting process of anyone, it's making sure that it's the right fit. It doesn't matter where they come from, who they are, their story, their ability or whatever, they have to be the right fit. They have to be a character fit, culture fit, locker room fit. Then, obviously, we have to fill in all those blanks before we get too down the road. That's what we wanted to do, and he checked every one of those boxes."

On avoiding attrition in the quarterback room despite the competition…
"No, always the biggest thing for me through that and through a young man's career that I'm able to coach, that's in my room, that's on our team is you got to be upfront and honest and completely transparent because that, ultimately, is the foundation of trust for every single one of my players and players on our team. First thing it happened I went in, and we talked to every single one of them and didn't try to handle the situation, didn't try to micromanage the systems, just being honest of, 'Hey, we really feel like we need a little bit more experience in the room because it is inexperienced and young room. And it's going to be competitive. We're going to be transparent through this entire process, and we want what's best for our football team and our offense. Whatever that means, we're going to do and want every single one of you guys to be a part of it.' Credit to them, they've caught that vision and taking the mission that – and I tell them all, I tell my guys all the time it's not about becoming the starting quarterback at Kansas State. You have to become the best you can possibly be, and you've got to have a desire for excellence and to be the best not just get on the field. I think they've caught that and are working in light of that, and I'm very proud of all of them."

On the mentorship that Adrian Martinez brings…
"You can tell, obviously, he's got a lot of experiences. I think it's funny because know that just how, listening to them, and obviously I'm around them all the time, but they're picking his brain telling old stories, asking about situations or games or plays or techniques or whatever. That's really been fun for me and something I'm proud of because it's about all of us getting better. It's about all of us trying to be the best we can be, and because of Adrian's character and the character of our guy that we've had in in my room, it's, like I said, it's been very smooth, and like you said, there's no substitute for experience, and he's got a lot of it."

On once again leading the offense 10 years after his Big 12 Championship and if he envisioned himself in this position…
"Probably not initially, I really didn't. Coaching was not something that was heavy on my heart until probably about a year after I got done playing. So, I didn't really know exactly what I was wanting to do or where I was wanting to go. Football just has been such a passion of mine since I was a little kid and kind of realizing then once you are done playing like, 'Okay, what's the next phase?' Then once it kind of started down this road, then of course, I mean that's as a quarterback, that's how you think. It's how you think about the game, look at the game, prepare for the game is your running point. So, of course, it's been a dream of mine. It's been a goal of mine, and for the Lord to work it out in a way that my really, really first opportunity is here at the place that I love and care about so much about, it's amazing. We've got a lot of work to do, and there's a lot in front of us. So, I haven't spent much time thinking about that big-picture stuff."

On if he can put into words what K-State Football has meant to him…
"I can't really. It has had an impact, and again the Lord has used it in a way in my life to in so many ways and from obviously, getting to meet my wife Shalin here, learning and truly developing the disciplines and the practices and making them your own through that growing up process you cannot put a price tag on those. Now, being on the other side of it, being able to be a part of that mission of having that opportunity to impact young men through this game of football that this place has been so good at for a very, very long time is just amazing. You don't feel like you work every day. You just come in and you're a part of something truly special and a place that is truly special. It's hard to put that into words."

On past influences into his offense…
"It'd be hard probably to put a percentage on that. It really is a players' game, and it's going to be played by the players. So, trying to keep that the central focal point not, these are Collin's plays, these were Dana's (Dimel) plays, these were Mess' (Courtney Messingham) plays or whatever. So, just trying to keep that in mind as we kind of draw on, not just my experience, but our staff's experience with those players that we have to make sure that our ultimate goal is to be able to put them in the best possible position to be successful. To use the talents and abilities that they've been gifted with. So, it's been fun. We've had fun with that. There's been some twists and turns that I didn't expect. We've kind of found and gone, but then there's been other things that it's like, 'Oh definitely, this fits and this is a good thing.' Definitely saw the wisdom and why we did it that way at that point. So, it's a work in progress, but again, it's been a lot of fun."

BRIAN ANDERSON, RUNNING BACKS COACH
On improvements for DJ Giddens and Jordan Schippers…
"They're bigger backs, so they're different. I think Jordan has so much upside. He doesn't know his full potential yet. So, trying to gain him confidence in what he can become. DJ is still developing, but he did a really good job during bowl prep, and now it's continued to build on what he did there."

On Colin Klein as offensive coordinator…
"Passion. He cares about the kids a lot. He wants to score 50 points every day we go out there. He has a lot of confidence in what we're doing, and the kids have a lot of confidence in him. So, I think we're on the right track going from bowl prep to spring ball, and then hopefully continue to summer and in fall camp. So, I'm really, really pleased with where we're at offensively. Like I said, he's done a great job of getting these kids to really buy into what we're doing."

BRIAN LEPAK, TIGHT ENDS/FULLBACKS COACH
On how satisfying it is to have his job position…
"It's very satisfying. It's exciting. It's a great opportunity, and I am really privileged to get to be here and get to do that. So, it's been a lot of work, but I have been blessed enough to be in some great places and have some people believe in me."

On getting to coach tight ends and fullbacks in this offense…
"It's really exciting. It's a lot of fun because the tight ends and the fullbacks in this offense are kind of the adjusters. They're the ones that give us some ability to attack things over the top and in the intermediate passing game, but they're also critical to the run game. They are the kind of guys that help us get the extra hat in the places that we need them. They have to have a wide array of skills, and they have to be on their feet and be ready to adjust."

On Collin Klein taking over as offensive coordinator…
"It's been fun because we have been able to put our own fingerprints on the offense as a staff together. It's a lot more collaborative, and it allows us to expand what we're doing and gives everyone a piece to say what they think we need to do. At the same time, kind of the big picture of this is that this is a team, this is a unit, and how do we get our best players in the best positions possible for being the most effective we can be?"

CONOR RILEY, OFFENSIVE LINE COACH
On his primary objective at this point in the football calendar…
"To compete and improve. That is going to be the number one objective going into every practice and every day. That is a big point of emphasis on the entire unit on a daily basis, that we need to improve on the details. We need to improve on our physicality, and we need to compete. We need to compete in every situation that we have."

On the improvement and progress he has seen in the last three weeks…
"Inconsistent. We've been very pleased at times. Coming after yesterday, I thought our focus and effort are two things that need to significantly be improved upon. We're not afforded right now to be able to take two steps forward and one step back. That's going to be our goal here for the last nine practices that we have."

On the possible five starters…
"It's awfully early to say, quite honestly. I have been very pleased with Andrew Leingang and his transition to playing multiple positions. Obviously, when you look at Cooper Beebe, he's a guy who is fulfilling those expectations. Hadley Panzer and Hayden Gillum are going to have to compete for that center position. I do like the winter that KT Leveston has had and that Christian Duffie has had. Dawson Delforge is someone who has had a lot of experience. You can keep going down the list. I think, quite honestly, that the answer will be better found here in about five or six practices."

THAD WARD, WIDE RECEIVERS COACH
On the transition to Kansas State…
"Yeah, it's been a busy month and a half, but fun. The transition is going. I love working with this staff, and it's been really fun to work with these young men as well and the receiver room. So, we're growing. They're a really good group. Those guys are eager to learn, which is exciting for me to come in the room ready to go every day. Their eyes, they're taking notes. It's been really positive, and we've got a long way to go, but we made progress in six practices."

On why Kansas State…
"I've always had a lot of respect for Kansas State and how they have done things in the past. A great team always finds a way to win, but really Coach Klieman. Just always had a respect for him and the culture that he's had on his playing field. His culture always showed up on the field. That was something I watched from afar being in Missouri Valley (Football Conference), back in the day and had a chance to see it firsthand."

On wide receivers that have stood out…
"Yeah, it's been a really good spring. Malik (Knowles), obviously, has had a really productive spring. Kade Warner has had a great spring so far, he's been really consistent. Both of those guys. Phillip Brooks, you guys all know, he's been getting better. I'm pushing all three of those guys, all of them, to really improve and enhance the way they are. Like I said earlier, they've been awesome as far as learning. A guy that you're going to hear about later is RJ Garcia II. He's really stepped it up this spring. He's coming along. He's growing day by day. He's a guy that we need every last one of his practices to help to get him going so he can be able to help us. Chabastin Taylor has been great as well. He's had some flashes and shown flashes at different practices. So, he showed up as well. Another guy, Xavier Gordon, he's had a great camp so far. He's taking a lot of good reps now, and he's developing. He's a guy that we're developing right now. I've been happy with what he's done so far."

Kansas State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Cooper Beebe

Phillip Brooks

Dawson Delforge

Christian Duffie

RJ Garcia II

DJ Giddens

Hayden Gillum

Xavier Gordon

Andrew Leingang

KT Leveston

Adrian Martinez

Witt Mitchum

Hadley Panzer

Taylor Poitier

Jordan Schippers

Ben Sinnott

Will Swanson

Chabastin Taylor

Deuce Vaughn

Kade Warner

Carver Willis

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