K-State Previews Houston Game at Weekly Press Conference
Oct 05, 2026 | Football
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State head coach Collin Klein and select players met with the media on Monday inside the Vanier Family Football Complex to preview the Wildcats' home contest this Saturday against No. 22 Houston. Links to video and audio of Klein's press conference – which was streamed live on ESPN+ – are above in addition to an audio link of the player breakout interviews. A transcript of Klein's press conference is below.
COLLIN KLEIN, HEAD COACH
Opening Statement…
"Good morning, everybody. Good to see you, and I appreciate you coming. We had a good bye week. We're able to get some guys healthy and make some progress on the injury front for sure. A couple immediate updates that I wanted to get to you guys are, Will Anciaux will have a lower leg injury and will miss the remainder of the season. So, that's unfortunate. He was playing some really, really good football, and very, very proud of the progress that he had made and some of the things that he was doing on the field. He'll be able to get well and that's that. Jaron Tibbs will be just fine and has progressed well through the bye week. So, no surprises there. Everybody else has been day to day or moving forward in a good direction. We got our hands full this week. It's a great test having Houston come in here. I have looked up to Coach (Wllie) Fritz for a long time, having gotten into this profession and seeing his track record, seeing how hard his teams play, how disciplined they are, the pressure they put on you schematically in all phases. It's going to be a really, really good test for us, and I respect the heck out of him and their program. I'm excited for our guys. I thought we had a good, really good practice week last week during the bye week and really attacked things. We kind of got back in the swing of things this morning, and we got to carry through our preparation this week. Got to have a good week."
On if the bye week was perfectly timed or horribly timed…
"It always hurts sitting on a loss like that for that long. That's always painful. That can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how we respond, for sure. From an injury standpoint, timing-wise, probably pretty good. I think we were able to maximize it. We got a long eight weeks here ahead of us and got to put our heads down and put some good performances together."
On if K-State's fixes after the Cincinnati game were minor adjustments or significant changes…
"I think it's a combination of both. I do. You never know when those little things are going to bite you. There was a couple that were one little thing here and there, and they bit us bad. But I think that's a lesson. Even you watch across all of college football right now, with how thin the margins are, how tight the games are, one possession here, one possession there, one play here, one play there, that's the difference. So, the good news is, those are in your control and something that we have to focus on and continue to get better at across the board."
On if there were signs of their issues before the Cincinnati game…
"I think it was a little bit of new. Every team, especially early in the year, is going to provide unique challenges and a unique set of questions that you have to and we have to get answered, for sure. When you look at it collectively, explosives are going to be an X factor in any ball game one way or another. It doesn't matter how many good things you do in the course of a ball game, those have the ability to change the outcome and to really be a huge swing. That's what it was in that game. Just from even a competitive, maturity standpoint, I was proud of how our guys fought through. But, when that adversity struck in that third quarter, we were on our heels for a second on both sides of the ball, and we couldn't get that flipped. We couldn't get that settled down. That was a big story of the night. Now, that experience is very, very valuable because you go through a bad possession, you have lightning strike – heaven forbid – in one area of the football game. Our ability collectively to settle in and grind through those together while minimizing the damage of whatever happens, that's a skill, and that's something that you have to practice at and experience. That was the first time we'd experienced that as a group. So, I think that compounded some of the technical and schematic issues that we were fighting."
On how if Will Anciaux will limit K-State's abilities at the tight end position…
"We have some plans for that. We'll definitely package things around that position group and how that goes. We've been able to create an extra gap with an extra tight end and do a lot of good things out of 12 personnel. It's not something that will change by any stretch, but we have to be mindful and adjust accordingly."
On if there were young guys that stood out during the bye week…
"There was probably a couple. I think Lawson McGraw, obviously being one of those in the position group that you just mentioned (tight end). I think that was really good. I think a couple wideouts, whether it be Adonis Moise or even Larry Porter IV, had a couple of really, really good days and capitalized on some reps that they were able to get. So, that's a really, really good thing. We were able to compete, and that was important just to be able to get on that practice field and do some good on good work and compete."
On the difficulty of preparing for teams coached by Willie Fritz…
"Well, they're really, really good in situational football. They're very, very fundamentally sound. They have a top-10 rush defense, and that doesn't happen unless you are a good tackling football team and play incredibly hard. They don't beat themselves. They stay on schedule on offense. They're the No. 1 third-down team in the country, and they keep themself and manageable, and do a really, really nice job there. Connor Weigman's doing a really nice job for them and has been very, very efficient and threatens you with his legs and throwing the football. If I were to say all those things about when we played them last time in 2022 (when Fritz was at Tulane), those things would line up and be consistent there."
On watching Conner Weigman's career progression from his time at Texas A&M…
"Yeah, I've been so proud of him and so happy for his success. You look at how he's competing and leading that football team, it's very, very impressive. You even look back at some of last year's tape, his ability and their ability to win close games and find ways to be on the right side of those. He did that. They did that collectively the past two years, and that doesn't happen without great leadership and a competitive nature. He's played really, really efficiently. He's protected the football. He's kept drives alive and threatens people with his legs. He's doing a heck of a job."
On similarities in Houston's running game compared to Cincinnati's running game…
"They'll run some outside zone, but they're very multiple, and they do a good job of being patient with it, as well. To stay at it, to not get bored, not get outside themselves, and then they do a really, really good job with their targeting to match up things based on your defensive contour, your secondary rotations and things. We have a lot of respect for how they do things."
On Avery Johnson improving when playing under pressure…
"I think it's been a combination. There's been a lot of work put into protection management. That's physically blocking aspect of the game, absolutely, but there's also a lot that he does that, if you're not really in tune or even you may not know, which is just from a protection call adjustment tweak type standpoint, that really tried to protect him well in those situations, too, because it's throwing hot is great, but it's hard to do. So, trying to eliminate or minimize those situations as much as you can is a good thing. I think he's been decisive with his legs, too. He gets a crease to not hang in there too long to then try to force the throw right, which then can lead to a negative result. So, I think he's managed those situations well to keep himself out of bad situations there. Then, the continuity and trust from a wideout and tight end standpoint, 'Hey, I have to get the ball out of my hand, I have to get it out of my hand quickly.' The trust and continuity factor and all the work that those guys have put in through the offseason continues to grow."
On Houston's run defense…
"I think it's very stout across the board. Their ends do a really, really great job of being disruptive. They have a really, really good idea of space and how to make you feel like it's not there and take it away from a quarterback standpoint. The guys, interiorly, do a nice job of getting press and pressing into gaps to take some of that space and hurt your combos that way. It's going to be a big challenge for us. We're excited for it, and our guys can't wait to get back out there."
On his relationship with Michael Bishop…
"Over the years, I have definitely gotten to know him better. I respect him tremendously. When I was down recruiting Houston a little more often, I would stop and we would have really, really good conversations as I was kind of going through there. He did a heck of a job when he was coaching high school there, and it does not surprise me that he's gotten into the college ranks and is doing a great job. So, ultimate respect, and it'll be hard seeing him in that red, to be honest with you."
On injury updates on offensive lineman Oliver Miller and the backup quarterbacks…
"Yeah, Oliver has made really, really good progress. It continues day to day, but I think it's realistic he could get some snaps in the very, very near future if everything progresses well, which is a great thing. Quarterback-wise is still day to day. They've made progress, but kind of working, still working through it, and massaging that one."
On expanding the role of wide receiver Derrick Salley Jr.…
"I think he's definitely earned it. Just even watching him grow – and that's us as a team, all of our players – the growth process when you start playing a season doesn't stop. If anything, it increases and can get faster. That's what it's done for him. I was not surprised at all with that performance that he had based on what he had done in practice. He has just continued to get better and better through the course of it. We're going to need that depth and that level of competition coming through these next eight consecutive weeks. So, I would definitely see his contributions continuing."
On tight end Garrett Oakley…
"He has been so consistent. He's got a really, really quiet swagger to him and really commands the respect of his teammates at a really high level. He's just a solid worker. He really works hard through every phase of the yearly cycle. I love competing with him. I think his teammates would share that sentiment."
On what makes Garrett Oakley a great tight end…
"His balanced skill set is unique. To have the type of length that he does, to be as physical at the point of attack that he is, while also being able to run and create space and sink his hips and change direction – all of those things create a very, very balanced skill set. Over the course of his career, he has really gone up and attacked the football well. He's a tremendous player and means a lot to our football team even beyond last game and some of those numbers."
COLLIN KLEIN, HEAD COACH
Opening Statement…
"Good morning, everybody. Good to see you, and I appreciate you coming. We had a good bye week. We're able to get some guys healthy and make some progress on the injury front for sure. A couple immediate updates that I wanted to get to you guys are, Will Anciaux will have a lower leg injury and will miss the remainder of the season. So, that's unfortunate. He was playing some really, really good football, and very, very proud of the progress that he had made and some of the things that he was doing on the field. He'll be able to get well and that's that. Jaron Tibbs will be just fine and has progressed well through the bye week. So, no surprises there. Everybody else has been day to day or moving forward in a good direction. We got our hands full this week. It's a great test having Houston come in here. I have looked up to Coach (Wllie) Fritz for a long time, having gotten into this profession and seeing his track record, seeing how hard his teams play, how disciplined they are, the pressure they put on you schematically in all phases. It's going to be a really, really good test for us, and I respect the heck out of him and their program. I'm excited for our guys. I thought we had a good, really good practice week last week during the bye week and really attacked things. We kind of got back in the swing of things this morning, and we got to carry through our preparation this week. Got to have a good week."
On if the bye week was perfectly timed or horribly timed…
"It always hurts sitting on a loss like that for that long. That's always painful. That can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how we respond, for sure. From an injury standpoint, timing-wise, probably pretty good. I think we were able to maximize it. We got a long eight weeks here ahead of us and got to put our heads down and put some good performances together."
On if K-State's fixes after the Cincinnati game were minor adjustments or significant changes…
"I think it's a combination of both. I do. You never know when those little things are going to bite you. There was a couple that were one little thing here and there, and they bit us bad. But I think that's a lesson. Even you watch across all of college football right now, with how thin the margins are, how tight the games are, one possession here, one possession there, one play here, one play there, that's the difference. So, the good news is, those are in your control and something that we have to focus on and continue to get better at across the board."
On if there were signs of their issues before the Cincinnati game…
"I think it was a little bit of new. Every team, especially early in the year, is going to provide unique challenges and a unique set of questions that you have to and we have to get answered, for sure. When you look at it collectively, explosives are going to be an X factor in any ball game one way or another. It doesn't matter how many good things you do in the course of a ball game, those have the ability to change the outcome and to really be a huge swing. That's what it was in that game. Just from even a competitive, maturity standpoint, I was proud of how our guys fought through. But, when that adversity struck in that third quarter, we were on our heels for a second on both sides of the ball, and we couldn't get that flipped. We couldn't get that settled down. That was a big story of the night. Now, that experience is very, very valuable because you go through a bad possession, you have lightning strike – heaven forbid – in one area of the football game. Our ability collectively to settle in and grind through those together while minimizing the damage of whatever happens, that's a skill, and that's something that you have to practice at and experience. That was the first time we'd experienced that as a group. So, I think that compounded some of the technical and schematic issues that we were fighting."
On how if Will Anciaux will limit K-State's abilities at the tight end position…
"We have some plans for that. We'll definitely package things around that position group and how that goes. We've been able to create an extra gap with an extra tight end and do a lot of good things out of 12 personnel. It's not something that will change by any stretch, but we have to be mindful and adjust accordingly."
On if there were young guys that stood out during the bye week…
"There was probably a couple. I think Lawson McGraw, obviously being one of those in the position group that you just mentioned (tight end). I think that was really good. I think a couple wideouts, whether it be Adonis Moise or even Larry Porter IV, had a couple of really, really good days and capitalized on some reps that they were able to get. So, that's a really, really good thing. We were able to compete, and that was important just to be able to get on that practice field and do some good on good work and compete."
On the difficulty of preparing for teams coached by Willie Fritz…
"Well, they're really, really good in situational football. They're very, very fundamentally sound. They have a top-10 rush defense, and that doesn't happen unless you are a good tackling football team and play incredibly hard. They don't beat themselves. They stay on schedule on offense. They're the No. 1 third-down team in the country, and they keep themself and manageable, and do a really, really nice job there. Connor Weigman's doing a really nice job for them and has been very, very efficient and threatens you with his legs and throwing the football. If I were to say all those things about when we played them last time in 2022 (when Fritz was at Tulane), those things would line up and be consistent there."
On watching Conner Weigman's career progression from his time at Texas A&M…
"Yeah, I've been so proud of him and so happy for his success. You look at how he's competing and leading that football team, it's very, very impressive. You even look back at some of last year's tape, his ability and their ability to win close games and find ways to be on the right side of those. He did that. They did that collectively the past two years, and that doesn't happen without great leadership and a competitive nature. He's played really, really efficiently. He's protected the football. He's kept drives alive and threatens people with his legs. He's doing a heck of a job."
On similarities in Houston's running game compared to Cincinnati's running game…
"They'll run some outside zone, but they're very multiple, and they do a good job of being patient with it, as well. To stay at it, to not get bored, not get outside themselves, and then they do a really, really good job with their targeting to match up things based on your defensive contour, your secondary rotations and things. We have a lot of respect for how they do things."
On Avery Johnson improving when playing under pressure…
"I think it's been a combination. There's been a lot of work put into protection management. That's physically blocking aspect of the game, absolutely, but there's also a lot that he does that, if you're not really in tune or even you may not know, which is just from a protection call adjustment tweak type standpoint, that really tried to protect him well in those situations, too, because it's throwing hot is great, but it's hard to do. So, trying to eliminate or minimize those situations as much as you can is a good thing. I think he's been decisive with his legs, too. He gets a crease to not hang in there too long to then try to force the throw right, which then can lead to a negative result. So, I think he's managed those situations well to keep himself out of bad situations there. Then, the continuity and trust from a wideout and tight end standpoint, 'Hey, I have to get the ball out of my hand, I have to get it out of my hand quickly.' The trust and continuity factor and all the work that those guys have put in through the offseason continues to grow."
On Houston's run defense…
"I think it's very stout across the board. Their ends do a really, really great job of being disruptive. They have a really, really good idea of space and how to make you feel like it's not there and take it away from a quarterback standpoint. The guys, interiorly, do a nice job of getting press and pressing into gaps to take some of that space and hurt your combos that way. It's going to be a big challenge for us. We're excited for it, and our guys can't wait to get back out there."
On his relationship with Michael Bishop…
"Over the years, I have definitely gotten to know him better. I respect him tremendously. When I was down recruiting Houston a little more often, I would stop and we would have really, really good conversations as I was kind of going through there. He did a heck of a job when he was coaching high school there, and it does not surprise me that he's gotten into the college ranks and is doing a great job. So, ultimate respect, and it'll be hard seeing him in that red, to be honest with you."
On injury updates on offensive lineman Oliver Miller and the backup quarterbacks…
"Yeah, Oliver has made really, really good progress. It continues day to day, but I think it's realistic he could get some snaps in the very, very near future if everything progresses well, which is a great thing. Quarterback-wise is still day to day. They've made progress, but kind of working, still working through it, and massaging that one."
On expanding the role of wide receiver Derrick Salley Jr.…
"I think he's definitely earned it. Just even watching him grow – and that's us as a team, all of our players – the growth process when you start playing a season doesn't stop. If anything, it increases and can get faster. That's what it's done for him. I was not surprised at all with that performance that he had based on what he had done in practice. He has just continued to get better and better through the course of it. We're going to need that depth and that level of competition coming through these next eight consecutive weeks. So, I would definitely see his contributions continuing."
On tight end Garrett Oakley…
"He has been so consistent. He's got a really, really quiet swagger to him and really commands the respect of his teammates at a really high level. He's just a solid worker. He really works hard through every phase of the yearly cycle. I love competing with him. I think his teammates would share that sentiment."
On what makes Garrett Oakley a great tight end…
"His balanced skill set is unique. To have the type of length that he does, to be as physical at the point of attack that he is, while also being able to run and create space and sink his hips and change direction – all of those things create a very, very balanced skill set. Over the course of his career, he has really gone up and attacked the football well. He's a tremendous player and means a lot to our football team even beyond last game and some of those numbers."
– k-statesports.com –
How to follow the Cats: For complete information on K-State Football, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.
How to follow the Cats: For complete information on K-State Football, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.
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/ FootballMonday, October 05
Monday, September 28
Monday, September 28
Monday, September 28
