Ten Years Later, Klein Back in the Driver’s Seat
Mar 31, 2022 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
As Kansas State celebrates the 10th anniversary of the 2012 Big 12 Championship this fall, former Heisman Trophy finalist Collin Klein sits in the team meeting room at the Vanier Family Football Complex, in the heat of spring practice, wearing the Powercat that has been a part of his life for more than 15 years, and thinking a ton of thoughts — none of which involve one of the best quarterbacks in school history standing upon a podium holding the Big 12 trophy above his head at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
"A different life," he says, chuckling.
Today, the 32-year-old Klein occupies a slightly different chair, as he prepares to embark upon his first full season as offensive coordinator for the Wildcats, who he helped guide to a 42-20 win over LSU in the TaxAct Texas Bowl in Houston on January 4. Named interim offensive coordinator prior to the bowl game, Klein oversaw an offense that rolled to its highest-scoring game of the 2021 season while its 442 total yards were second best of the campaign as well.
In a way, much like he did a decade ago, Klein holds the offensive keys again. Except instead of lining up the offense on the field, he'll do so from the press box, sliding into a comfortable glove that seemingly only grows warmer by the year. It's a spot that he knows full well. It's his calling. It's his duty. It's his love and joy. And it's his boundless passion. Linus and his blanket. Indiana Jones and his hat. Mr. T with his gold chains. Luke with his lightsaber.
Collin and his football at K-State.
"The Lord has used it in a way in my life in so many ways from obviously getting to meet my wife, Shalin, here, and learning and truly developing the disciplines and practices and making them your own through that growing-up process, you can't put a price tag on those," he says. "Now being on the other side of it, of being a part of that mission, of having that opportunity to help impact young men through this game of football at this place, which 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 and you're a part of something truly special at a place that is truly special. It's hard to put that into words."
Football has been his love for more than a quarter century, back when Doug Klein tossed around the pigskin with his two sons in Loveland, Colorado, and then he came to K-State, and skinned elbows and all, brought the Wildcats to a No. 1 national ranking, a league title, and a berth in the Cotton Bowl and Fiesta Bowl. He went 22-6 as a starter and finished top 5 in 26 game, season and career statistical categories at K-State.
Yet…
"Coaching wasn't something that was heavy, heavy on my heart until probably about a year after I got done playing," he admits, "so I didn't really know exactly what I was wanting to do or where I was wanting to go. Football has just been such a passion of mine since I was a little kid. I realized that once I was done it was, 'What's the next phase?' Once it started down this road (first as a quarterbacks coach, now as quarterbacks coach at offensive coordinator), of course, as a quarterback that's how you think about the game and prepare for a game — running point, so to speak.
"Of course, it's been a dream of mine, a goal of mine. For the Lord to work it out with my first real opportunity here at this place I love and care about so much is amazing. But we have a lot of work to do and there's a lot in front of us. I haven't spent much time thinking about too much of the big-picture stuff."
He's focused on the details. Which could drive defenses batty in the fall and causes the Wildcats' defense to stay on its toes in practice.
"We're still, offensively, in the growing stages, and Collin is going to be a great offensive coordinator, but I see some exciting things for our offense," K-State assistant head coach and defensive passing game coordinator Van Malone says. "I see some input from the other coaches on the staff. As a group, they'll do a good job giving Collin input, and he'll do a good job of continuing to make my hair gray this spring."
There's still so much left to do. Transfer quarterback Adrian Martinez arrived with 16 school records from Nebraska but is limited in spring practice while rehabbing his throwing shoulder following surgery. K-State is still trying to nail down a No. 2 and No. 3 running back behind Consensus All-American Deuce Vaughn. The starters for a talented offensive line remain unknown.
Yet there's calm, collected, and competitive Klein voicing gold-star words such as "aggressive" and "attacking mentality," which is chicken noodle soup to the offensive soul. There's running backs coach Brian Anderson remarking that Klein "wants to score 50 points every day we're out there." There's Malone talking about gray hairs. And there's a sleeping Bill Snyder Family Stadium and blank videoboards ready to erupt in cheers and highlights for a team that's already projected by some as a dark horse to capture the Big 12 title.
"Collin has a lot of confidence in what we're doing, and the kids have a lot of confidence in him," Anderson says. "We're on the right track going from bowl prep to spring ball, and then hopefully continuing into this summer and fall camp. He's done a great job of getting the kids to buy into what we're doing."
Adds offensive line coach Conor Riley: "The type of player he was, is the type of coach he is. He doesn't let much rattle him. There aren't a lot of emotional ups and downs, which is a good balance, and he's extremely, extremely competitive."
He's taken the offense. He's simplifying some things. He's adding some new things. He's kept some offensive packages and has repackaged other formations. The players are on board. They're hungry. They're studying. They're focusing on fundamentals and execution and physicality and schematic components and mental discipline and toughness.
The players have said that they like the offensive changes.
"That's good," Klein says, laughing.
As for how different the offense might look to outsiders in 2022?
Klein says that remains a work in progress. He says that the plan is to remain multiple, but that the offense could look different week to week based upon particular defenses. The offense will be more flexible and adaptive in games, in drives, and in plays at times. They might tweak some things midstream. But yeah, underneath the fundamentals and techniques and mental toughness is the root of it all, perhaps the biggest thing of all, that was so dear to Klein as a player a decade ago.
"Attack mentality," he says, "is the biggest thing that I hope we go to the practice field with every day and that (I hope) ultimately ends up being on the game field."
Less than 160 days remain until kickoff.
Indomitable Klein, in his new role, is determined to cause opposing defenses headaches once again.
As Kansas State celebrates the 10th anniversary of the 2012 Big 12 Championship this fall, former Heisman Trophy finalist Collin Klein sits in the team meeting room at the Vanier Family Football Complex, in the heat of spring practice, wearing the Powercat that has been a part of his life for more than 15 years, and thinking a ton of thoughts — none of which involve one of the best quarterbacks in school history standing upon a podium holding the Big 12 trophy above his head at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
"A different life," he says, chuckling.
Today, the 32-year-old Klein occupies a slightly different chair, as he prepares to embark upon his first full season as offensive coordinator for the Wildcats, who he helped guide to a 42-20 win over LSU in the TaxAct Texas Bowl in Houston on January 4. Named interim offensive coordinator prior to the bowl game, Klein oversaw an offense that rolled to its highest-scoring game of the 2021 season while its 442 total yards were second best of the campaign as well.
In a way, much like he did a decade ago, Klein holds the offensive keys again. Except instead of lining up the offense on the field, he'll do so from the press box, sliding into a comfortable glove that seemingly only grows warmer by the year. It's a spot that he knows full well. It's his calling. It's his duty. It's his love and joy. And it's his boundless passion. Linus and his blanket. Indiana Jones and his hat. Mr. T with his gold chains. Luke with his lightsaber.
Collin and his football at K-State.
"The Lord has used it in a way in my life in so many ways from obviously getting to meet my wife, Shalin, here, and learning and truly developing the disciplines and practices and making them your own through that growing-up process, you can't put a price tag on those," he says. "Now being on the other side of it, of being a part of that mission, of having that opportunity to help impact young men through this game of football at this place, which 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 and you're a part of something truly special at a place that is truly special. It's hard to put that into words."
Football has been his love for more than a quarter century, back when Doug Klein tossed around the pigskin with his two sons in Loveland, Colorado, and then he came to K-State, and skinned elbows and all, brought the Wildcats to a No. 1 national ranking, a league title, and a berth in the Cotton Bowl and Fiesta Bowl. He went 22-6 as a starter and finished top 5 in 26 game, season and career statistical categories at K-State.
Yet…
"Coaching wasn't something that was heavy, heavy on my heart until probably about a year after I got done playing," he admits, "so I didn't really know exactly what I was wanting to do or where I was wanting to go. Football has just been such a passion of mine since I was a little kid. I realized that once I was done it was, 'What's the next phase?' Once it started down this road (first as a quarterbacks coach, now as quarterbacks coach at offensive coordinator), of course, as a quarterback that's how you think about the game and prepare for a game — running point, so to speak.
"Of course, it's been a dream of mine, a goal of mine. For the Lord to work it out with my first real opportunity here at this place I love and care about so much is amazing. But we have a lot of work to do and there's a lot in front of us. I haven't spent much time thinking about too much of the big-picture stuff."
He's focused on the details. Which could drive defenses batty in the fall and causes the Wildcats' defense to stay on its toes in practice.
"We're still, offensively, in the growing stages, and Collin is going to be a great offensive coordinator, but I see some exciting things for our offense," K-State assistant head coach and defensive passing game coordinator Van Malone says. "I see some input from the other coaches on the staff. As a group, they'll do a good job giving Collin input, and he'll do a good job of continuing to make my hair gray this spring."
There's still so much left to do. Transfer quarterback Adrian Martinez arrived with 16 school records from Nebraska but is limited in spring practice while rehabbing his throwing shoulder following surgery. K-State is still trying to nail down a No. 2 and No. 3 running back behind Consensus All-American Deuce Vaughn. The starters for a talented offensive line remain unknown.
Yet there's calm, collected, and competitive Klein voicing gold-star words such as "aggressive" and "attacking mentality," which is chicken noodle soup to the offensive soul. There's running backs coach Brian Anderson remarking that Klein "wants to score 50 points every day we're out there." There's Malone talking about gray hairs. And there's a sleeping Bill Snyder Family Stadium and blank videoboards ready to erupt in cheers and highlights for a team that's already projected by some as a dark horse to capture the Big 12 title.
"Collin has a lot of confidence in what we're doing, and the kids have a lot of confidence in him," Anderson says. "We're on the right track going from bowl prep to spring ball, and then hopefully continuing into this summer and fall camp. He's done a great job of getting the kids to buy into what we're doing."
Adds offensive line coach Conor Riley: "The type of player he was, is the type of coach he is. He doesn't let much rattle him. There aren't a lot of emotional ups and downs, which is a good balance, and he's extremely, extremely competitive."
He's taken the offense. He's simplifying some things. He's adding some new things. He's kept some offensive packages and has repackaged other formations. The players are on board. They're hungry. They're studying. They're focusing on fundamentals and execution and physicality and schematic components and mental discipline and toughness.
The players have said that they like the offensive changes.
"That's good," Klein says, laughing.
As for how different the offense might look to outsiders in 2022?
Klein says that remains a work in progress. He says that the plan is to remain multiple, but that the offense could look different week to week based upon particular defenses. The offense will be more flexible and adaptive in games, in drives, and in plays at times. They might tweak some things midstream. But yeah, underneath the fundamentals and techniques and mental toughness is the root of it all, perhaps the biggest thing of all, that was so dear to Klein as a player a decade ago.
"Attack mentality," he says, "is the biggest thing that I hope we go to the practice field with every day and that (I hope) ultimately ends up being on the game field."
Less than 160 days remain until kickoff.
Indomitable Klein, in his new role, is determined to cause opposing defenses headaches once again.
Players Mentioned
QB
/ Football
RB
/ FootballK-State Men's Basketball | Postgame Press Conference at Colorado
Thursday, February 26
K-State Rowing | Media Day
Tuesday, February 24
K-State Rowing | Weights Practice
Tuesday, February 24
K-State Tennis | Weekend Recap vs Old Dominion & Minnesota
Tuesday, February 24
