Offensive Playmakers Excited After First Practice
Mar 09, 2022 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
The transition of Collin Klein to full-time offensive coordinator was felt in Kansas State's first spring practice Tuesday morning. Just two months after Klein's brilliant debut as interim playcaller helped guide the Wildcats to their highest scoring total of the 2021 season in a 42-20 win over LSU in the TaxAct Texas Bowl, returning players continue to notice a sizable difference in the offense.
"The tempo," K-State wide receiver Kade Warner said. "Today we did a lot of no-huddle, a lot of quick up-on-the-ball with constant movement, six plays in a row with tempo, stuff like that. It's just changing the pace and trying to get more plays per game.
"The more plays, the more offense, you know?"
Count senior wide receiver Phillip Brooks, who led the team with 543 receiving yards last season, among the fans of this philosophy as well.
"(Klein) likes to get the ball to his playmakers," Brooks said. "That's what I like. We're trying to attack the defense rather than trying to set the temp and control the ball. I like his aggressive approach to the game.
"We were normally controlling the tempo of the game and huddling up. Now we're going. That's going to be beneficial to us. The bowl game was really game-changing. Our offense set the tone and we just kept attacking the defense."
Klein, who initiates his tenure as the sole offensive playcaller for the first time in his career, directed K-State's offense to its third-highest point total in bowl history and its 442 total yards marked the second-best output of last season and fifth in K-State bowl history.
K-State head coach Chris Klieman indicated that the offense's operation was a product of Klein's organization in preparing the offense to face LSU.
"It helped (Klein) not just with the game but the preparation was so important for him, to be out in front leading all of us for three weeks," Klieman said. "He was out in front in leading everybody and getting the practice plans and game plan together. He leans on everybody on offense and does a really good job getting input from other people and coming up with a collective idea and saying, 'Here's what we're going to do.'"
That's carried onto the meeting rooms and practice field as well.
"We're much farther along on install on offense, much farther along than we'd been in the past," Klieman said. "Guys ran around with confidence and made plays and had excitement."
K-State returns three pass catchers who recorded at least 400 receiving yards last season — Brooks (543), Consensus All-American running back Deuce Vaughn (468) and senior Malik Knowles (441), while Warner finished with 166 yards and tight end Sammy Wheeler with 151 yards.
The Wildcats will spend their first spring under Klieman without star quarterback Skylar Thompson, who finished his career as one of the most esteemed signal-callers in school history.
Transfer quarterback Adrian Martinez arrived after setting 16 records at Nebraska but will go without live contact in the spring while recovering from offseason surgery to his throwing shoulder. He is expected to begin throwing in April or May.
However, K-State has experienced junior Will Howard along with junior Jaren Lewis and redshirt freshman Jake Rubley. Klieman and Klein, who also serves as quarterbacks coach, will count on all three for growth and consistency in operating the new-look, aggressive, up-tempo offense.
"I'm excited about those guys," Klieman said. "Will is even bigger and stronger. Will is probably 245 (pounds) and just needs to continue to take repetitions, and he'll run with the ones this spring. Jaren has that much more experience and is better. Jake Rubley we're excited about, and we really need to push Jake this spring to give him some opportunities and see his growth and development. Adrian is learning and is out there doing all the things he can."
Howard passed for 332 yards with one touchdown and one interception, and he added 184 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Howard apparently has already made a jump in his improvement and could make even more by the time that the Wildcats stage their final practice on April 16.
"(Howard) is just more confident throwing the football," Klieman said. "He understands our offense so well and Coach Klein does a phenomenal job with him. I was in the quarterback meeting this morning. He's so crisp and confident in what he's doing. Same with Jaren. They just know what we're doing so well offensively. Now it's making the right read and being decisive and being confident and pulling the trigger and rolling.
"I saw some really good throws he made today and some seam routes to Phillip that excited all of us because it was like, 'We've seen this and now it's about consistency.' He just has to gain confidence and consistency so it just snaps out of his hand."
Brooks was pleased with his connection with Howard in the first practice.
"He had a good first day today," Brooks said. "He was throwing it well."
Meanwhile, Klieman, during his first news conference of the spring, revealed one of the biggest developments to follow heading into next fall: Senior Jax Dineen, a 5-foot-10, 253-pound Lawrence native, is moving from fullback to running back.
"We've made the wholesale change to put Jax Dineen at running back," Klieman said. "That's probably the big thing. He'll play some fullback, but if you noticed in the bowl game, he played some true running back for us. He gives us a different dimension for sure running the football. He's got good hands and will be able to protect."
Klieman called 6-foot, 171-pound redshirt freshman wide receiver RJ Garcia II "very talented" and indicated that he is coming along just fine for the Wildcats.
"He made a couple real splash plays today at practice," Klieman said.
After spending a majority of last season battling back from a significant injury late in the 2020 campaign, it appears 6-foot-4, 225-pound senior Chabastin Taylor could finally be healthy enough to contribute next fall.
"I'm excited to see this spring how Chabastin Taylor does," Klieman said. "I think he's finally healthy. Unfortunately for C-Bass, he just wasn't healthy the entire fall. His injury occurred December 2020. It's been a little over a year now. I'm excited for C-Bass."
K-State ranked eighth in the Big 12 in scoring offense (27.5) and ninth in total offense (361.9) — numbers that could improve in the fall.
The Wildcats are now building toward that goal.
"We're going much faster," Brooks said. "It's something to get used to, but I like where it is. I like the idea behind it. It's definitely going to take some getting used to but it's going to work out for us.
"It's going to be a great change. In the time I've been here, we've been a run-first team and now we're getting to be more balanced. We have playmakers in the receiving room. The idea of getting us the ball more is great for myself, Malik and Kade. I'm excited for how it's going to turn out."
The transition of Collin Klein to full-time offensive coordinator was felt in Kansas State's first spring practice Tuesday morning. Just two months after Klein's brilliant debut as interim playcaller helped guide the Wildcats to their highest scoring total of the 2021 season in a 42-20 win over LSU in the TaxAct Texas Bowl, returning players continue to notice a sizable difference in the offense.
"The tempo," K-State wide receiver Kade Warner said. "Today we did a lot of no-huddle, a lot of quick up-on-the-ball with constant movement, six plays in a row with tempo, stuff like that. It's just changing the pace and trying to get more plays per game.
"The more plays, the more offense, you know?"
Count senior wide receiver Phillip Brooks, who led the team with 543 receiving yards last season, among the fans of this philosophy as well.
"(Klein) likes to get the ball to his playmakers," Brooks said. "That's what I like. We're trying to attack the defense rather than trying to set the temp and control the ball. I like his aggressive approach to the game.
"We were normally controlling the tempo of the game and huddling up. Now we're going. That's going to be beneficial to us. The bowl game was really game-changing. Our offense set the tone and we just kept attacking the defense."
1% better #KStateFB pic.twitter.com/HiNPqwb8zm
— K-State Football (@KStateFB) March 9, 2022
Klein, who initiates his tenure as the sole offensive playcaller for the first time in his career, directed K-State's offense to its third-highest point total in bowl history and its 442 total yards marked the second-best output of last season and fifth in K-State bowl history.
K-State head coach Chris Klieman indicated that the offense's operation was a product of Klein's organization in preparing the offense to face LSU.
"It helped (Klein) not just with the game but the preparation was so important for him, to be out in front leading all of us for three weeks," Klieman said. "He was out in front in leading everybody and getting the practice plans and game plan together. He leans on everybody on offense and does a really good job getting input from other people and coming up with a collective idea and saying, 'Here's what we're going to do.'"
That's carried onto the meeting rooms and practice field as well.
"We're much farther along on install on offense, much farther along than we'd been in the past," Klieman said. "Guys ran around with confidence and made plays and had excitement."
K-State returns three pass catchers who recorded at least 400 receiving yards last season — Brooks (543), Consensus All-American running back Deuce Vaughn (468) and senior Malik Knowles (441), while Warner finished with 166 yards and tight end Sammy Wheeler with 151 yards.
The Wildcats will spend their first spring under Klieman without star quarterback Skylar Thompson, who finished his career as one of the most esteemed signal-callers in school history.
Transfer quarterback Adrian Martinez arrived after setting 16 records at Nebraska but will go without live contact in the spring while recovering from offseason surgery to his throwing shoulder. He is expected to begin throwing in April or May.
However, K-State has experienced junior Will Howard along with junior Jaren Lewis and redshirt freshman Jake Rubley. Klieman and Klein, who also serves as quarterbacks coach, will count on all three for growth and consistency in operating the new-look, aggressive, up-tempo offense.
"I'm excited about those guys," Klieman said. "Will is even bigger and stronger. Will is probably 245 (pounds) and just needs to continue to take repetitions, and he'll run with the ones this spring. Jaren has that much more experience and is better. Jake Rubley we're excited about, and we really need to push Jake this spring to give him some opportunities and see his growth and development. Adrian is learning and is out there doing all the things he can."
Howard passed for 332 yards with one touchdown and one interception, and he added 184 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Howard apparently has already made a jump in his improvement and could make even more by the time that the Wildcats stage their final practice on April 16.
"(Howard) is just more confident throwing the football," Klieman said. "He understands our offense so well and Coach Klein does a phenomenal job with him. I was in the quarterback meeting this morning. He's so crisp and confident in what he's doing. Same with Jaren. They just know what we're doing so well offensively. Now it's making the right read and being decisive and being confident and pulling the trigger and rolling.
"I saw some really good throws he made today and some seam routes to Phillip that excited all of us because it was like, 'We've seen this and now it's about consistency.' He just has to gain confidence and consistency so it just snaps out of his hand."
Brooks was pleased with his connection with Howard in the first practice.
"He had a good first day today," Brooks said. "He was throwing it well."
Meanwhile, Klieman, during his first news conference of the spring, revealed one of the biggest developments to follow heading into next fall: Senior Jax Dineen, a 5-foot-10, 253-pound Lawrence native, is moving from fullback to running back.
"We've made the wholesale change to put Jax Dineen at running back," Klieman said. "That's probably the big thing. He'll play some fullback, but if you noticed in the bowl game, he played some true running back for us. He gives us a different dimension for sure running the football. He's got good hands and will be able to protect."
Klieman called 6-foot, 171-pound redshirt freshman wide receiver RJ Garcia II "very talented" and indicated that he is coming along just fine for the Wildcats.
"He made a couple real splash plays today at practice," Klieman said.
After spending a majority of last season battling back from a significant injury late in the 2020 campaign, it appears 6-foot-4, 225-pound senior Chabastin Taylor could finally be healthy enough to contribute next fall.
"I'm excited to see this spring how Chabastin Taylor does," Klieman said. "I think he's finally healthy. Unfortunately for C-Bass, he just wasn't healthy the entire fall. His injury occurred December 2020. It's been a little over a year now. I'm excited for C-Bass."
K-State ranked eighth in the Big 12 in scoring offense (27.5) and ninth in total offense (361.9) — numbers that could improve in the fall.
The Wildcats are now building toward that goal.
"We're going much faster," Brooks said. "It's something to get used to, but I like where it is. I like the idea behind it. It's definitely going to take some getting used to but it's going to work out for us.
"It's going to be a great change. In the time I've been here, we've been a run-first team and now we're getting to be more balanced. We have playmakers in the receiving room. The idea of getting us the ball more is great for myself, Malik and Kade. I'm excited for how it's going to turn out."
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