Weber Now Holds the Special Teams Baton
Feb 17, 2026 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
They applauded him. When they heard the news, the Toledo football players lined the hallway inside the football facility and patiently waited to enter the office of special teams coordinator Stanton Weber, who had served the Rockets well for three strong years, and who was named a finalist for the 2024 Special Teams Coordinator of the Year by FootballScoop in addition to the American Football Coaches Association 35 Under 35 Leadership Institute.
The 32-year-old Weber presided over five All-Mid-American Conference honorees during his tenure at Toledo, including three-straight kickoff return specialists, a punt returner and a kicker. Additionally, the Rockets blocked six punts over his three years.
At about 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 3, Weber was coaching his Toledo players on the football field. Then his cellphone exploded. He had 25 texts and a missed call from his father, Stan Weber, the former K-State quarterback from 1980-84 and longtime lead analyst on the K-State Sports Network.
"I knew something was happening," Weber says. "That's when I heard that Coach Chris Klieman was retiring and there was speculation that they were going to hire Collin."
At 11:30 a.m., Weber received the text from Collin Klein, who had just agreed to become the next head coach at K-State.
What exactly did the text read?
"He just texted me an emoji," Weber says.
What emoji did Klein text?
"The purple devil emoji," Weber says. "I knew I better get my bags packed."
There was history there.
Weber, a native of Overland Park, Kansas, was a three-time First Team Academic All-Big 12 performer as a wide receiver and special teams standout for the Wildcats from 2011-15. A team captain as a senior in 2015, Weber played in 46 career games and finished with 19 tackles. He helped K-State accumulate a 34-18 record, earn the 2012 Big 12 Championship and advance to five straight bowl games.
Weber was teammates with Klein in 2011 and 2012. And, of course, Klein became one of the greatest quarterbacks in K-State history and a 2012 Heisman Trophy Finalist. Along the way, Klein and Weber became great friends, but what Weber remembered most was the sight inside the locker room after Klein scored on a quarterback sneak in the fourth overtime, his sixth touchdown on the game, giving No. 17 K-State a dramatic 53-50 victory over Texas A&M on November 12, 2011, in the longest football game in the history of the Big 12 Conference.
"That guy just carried the ball 30 times. He would be taking his shoulder pads off in the locker room, and you'd literally be able to see imprints of facemasks in his skin, bruises everywhere," Weber says. "The guy could barely walk, and he wouldn't say boo about it, or complain about anything. You think that gave everybody a license to say, 'There's probably nothing that is so bad that I can complain about anything.' It became so clear that he was excellent with his skill level at what he was doing and with whatever he was going to do he was going to be excellent, you just knew it.
"But he was unselfish and tough and going to do whatever it takes to get the job done in the highest integrity way. People want to be a part of that. That was when it was so clear to me that this guy is unique and special, and we're going to go far as a football team. Exchange 30 carries for whatever it takes to be a great head coach, and people are going to be attracted to that."
After Klein finished his Ring-of-Honor destined college career, he remained as a graduate assistant in 2014 and 2015. Klein and Weber's friendship grew tighter. As years passed, Weber served as special teams analyst at South Carolina. Klein was a groomsman in Weber's wedding in July 2022.
"We had talked about this since we were kids, since we were great friends as players to coaches together on the same staff, to he's in my wedding, and to every time we crossed paths," Weber says. "It was like, 'When we get a chance to be together again, it's going to be really special.' We didn't know where it'd be. We had conversations all offseason about maybe being in Stillwater or in South Florida, and then the stars aligned, and I knew we were going home."
Weber pauses.
"God's timing," he says, "is perfect."
Bringing Weber back home to K-State? A no-brainer.
"Stanton," Klein says, "is one of the most competitive individuals I've ever met."
This is family business. For Weber, in more ways than one.
Weber comes from a rich K-State heritage. There's his father, Stan, the quarterback; brother Landry played at wide receiver at K-State from 2017-21; and sister McKenzi played for K-State volleyball from 2016-19.
Today, Weber stands in a gray hoodie inside the team theater room at the Vanier Family Football Complex. The first person who Klein hired to his coaching staff, Weber has been back in Manhattan for nearly two months. Weber and his wife, Natalie, bought a home — he just isn't always around. There are players to meet with and film to break down and numbers to crunch and analyze.
"You get to the football office and get to work and it's time to work, it feels like what you've been doing for several years," Weber says. "There's flashes when you're driving home and actually own a house in Manhattan and see your wife there, and she's excited about it and to live here in Manhattan is something I didn't know if I'd ever get a chance to do again. There's flashes, but we're getting into the groove and having a lot of fun."
Weber also knows one thing for certain: K-State for three decades has been called "Special Teams U" for a reason.
More times than not, K-State has ranked near or at the top of the Football Bowl Subdivision in special teams efficiency and overall impact. An afterthought at times for some football programs, special teams is big business for the Wildcats, whose rich history greatly contributed to the program's record rise under Bill Snyder in the 1990s and carried on through the 10- and 11- win seasons, and so on.
"It's an extremely rich tradition," Weber says. "The time I spent away from here confirms a lot of great things about Kansas State, but there was certainly a great tradition that people knew about. Getting a chance to work for Shane Beamer, son of Frank Beamer, my experience in talking nationally with folks, there was a great respect for Bill Snyder and Frank Beamer, and the first thing they want to talk about is special teams. To be a part of that is special, but to be the one that has the baton in his hand moving forward is an incredible responsibility, and I take it very seriously and I'm passionate about it. It means a lot, but it's something that's a part of our identity and has been for a long time. It's something that we continue to educate the current group about and hopefully continue to grow.
"The hope is that all three phases are doing a great job, and we certainly know that we need to pull our weight here and we hope to."
During the 2025 regular season, Toledo ranked fourth in the FBS in blocked punts (3), 20th in punt-return defense (4.22) and 31st in punt returns (11.48). All-MAC kickoff returner Trayvon Rudolph averaged 21.6 yards per kickoff return, including a 96-yard return for a touchdown. All-MAC punt returner Bryson Hammer ranked 12th in the FBS in averaging 12.3 yards per punt return and his 333 total punt-return yards ranked sixth nationally.
In 2024, Weber's special teams ranked in the top 30 in blocked punts (20th; 1), kickoff returns (21st; 24.07), punt returns (22nd; 12.95), punt return defense (27th; 4.89) and blocked kicks (27th; 2). His 2023 units ranked highly in blocked punts (3rd; 2) and kickoff-return defense (11th; 16.00).
Prior to his time at Toledo, Weber spent two seasons as a special teams analyst at South Carolina. In 2022, the Gamecocks were ranked No. 1 in the country in special teams efficiency by ESPN, led the SEC in punt-return average and had the nation's longest kickoff return of the season (100 yards) against Texas A&M. They were also second in the SEC in yards per punt and were 11-of-11 on field goal attempts.
Weber quickly did his research when he arrived in Manhattan. He also had a chance to meet with players before they left K-State for winter break. He met with players again recently — and he was impressed with their attitudes.
"They're eager," Weber says. "I had a first voluntary special teams meeting. Forty guys showed up. At 7 o'clock at night. I've been impressed by that. They're eager. There's a hunger to do it right, a hunger to please. I'm very excited about them. They're smart people and players.
"We've had a chance to see them move athletically just a little bit. We have our work cut out for us in terms of getting things in places where they need to be, but when it comes to seeing different groups of kids, it's all about building relationships with them. I'm excited for that."
Weber said that he and Natalie invited junior kicker Luis Rodriguez, junior long-snapper Andrew Johnson and junior punter Simon McClannan to dinner.
"All three of those guys are great teammates, and I have had brief opportunities to see them as players on the grass other than obviously studying the film," Weber says. "We're very lucky we have a solid group of guys."
Asked to describe K-State special teams in one word, Weber replies: "Weapon."
Why?
"Because," he says, "when we're at our best, it's giving us an edge, and it needs to give us an edge. It's part of our identity. It's an incredible responsibility, and one I don't take lightly at all. It's near and dear to my heart and the baton has been passed to me. It's not mine, it'll always be ours, but it's my job to push it forward and get it to a place where it should be."
They applauded him. When they heard the news, the Toledo football players lined the hallway inside the football facility and patiently waited to enter the office of special teams coordinator Stanton Weber, who had served the Rockets well for three strong years, and who was named a finalist for the 2024 Special Teams Coordinator of the Year by FootballScoop in addition to the American Football Coaches Association 35 Under 35 Leadership Institute.
The 32-year-old Weber presided over five All-Mid-American Conference honorees during his tenure at Toledo, including three-straight kickoff return specialists, a punt returner and a kicker. Additionally, the Rockets blocked six punts over his three years.
At about 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 3, Weber was coaching his Toledo players on the football field. Then his cellphone exploded. He had 25 texts and a missed call from his father, Stan Weber, the former K-State quarterback from 1980-84 and longtime lead analyst on the K-State Sports Network.
"I knew something was happening," Weber says. "That's when I heard that Coach Chris Klieman was retiring and there was speculation that they were going to hire Collin."
At 11:30 a.m., Weber received the text from Collin Klein, who had just agreed to become the next head coach at K-State.
What exactly did the text read?
"He just texted me an emoji," Weber says.
What emoji did Klein text?
"The purple devil emoji," Weber says. "I knew I better get my bags packed."
There was history there.
Weber, a native of Overland Park, Kansas, was a three-time First Team Academic All-Big 12 performer as a wide receiver and special teams standout for the Wildcats from 2011-15. A team captain as a senior in 2015, Weber played in 46 career games and finished with 19 tackles. He helped K-State accumulate a 34-18 record, earn the 2012 Big 12 Championship and advance to five straight bowl games.
Weber was teammates with Klein in 2011 and 2012. And, of course, Klein became one of the greatest quarterbacks in K-State history and a 2012 Heisman Trophy Finalist. Along the way, Klein and Weber became great friends, but what Weber remembered most was the sight inside the locker room after Klein scored on a quarterback sneak in the fourth overtime, his sixth touchdown on the game, giving No. 17 K-State a dramatic 53-50 victory over Texas A&M on November 12, 2011, in the longest football game in the history of the Big 12 Conference.
"That guy just carried the ball 30 times. He would be taking his shoulder pads off in the locker room, and you'd literally be able to see imprints of facemasks in his skin, bruises everywhere," Weber says. "The guy could barely walk, and he wouldn't say boo about it, or complain about anything. You think that gave everybody a license to say, 'There's probably nothing that is so bad that I can complain about anything.' It became so clear that he was excellent with his skill level at what he was doing and with whatever he was going to do he was going to be excellent, you just knew it.
"But he was unselfish and tough and going to do whatever it takes to get the job done in the highest integrity way. People want to be a part of that. That was when it was so clear to me that this guy is unique and special, and we're going to go far as a football team. Exchange 30 carries for whatever it takes to be a great head coach, and people are going to be attracted to that."
After Klein finished his Ring-of-Honor destined college career, he remained as a graduate assistant in 2014 and 2015. Klein and Weber's friendship grew tighter. As years passed, Weber served as special teams analyst at South Carolina. Klein was a groomsman in Weber's wedding in July 2022.
"We had talked about this since we were kids, since we were great friends as players to coaches together on the same staff, to he's in my wedding, and to every time we crossed paths," Weber says. "It was like, 'When we get a chance to be together again, it's going to be really special.' We didn't know where it'd be. We had conversations all offseason about maybe being in Stillwater or in South Florida, and then the stars aligned, and I knew we were going home."
Weber pauses.
"God's timing," he says, "is perfect."
Bringing Weber back home to K-State? A no-brainer.
"Stanton," Klein says, "is one of the most competitive individuals I've ever met."
This is family business. For Weber, in more ways than one.
Weber comes from a rich K-State heritage. There's his father, Stan, the quarterback; brother Landry played at wide receiver at K-State from 2017-21; and sister McKenzi played for K-State volleyball from 2016-19.
Today, Weber stands in a gray hoodie inside the team theater room at the Vanier Family Football Complex. The first person who Klein hired to his coaching staff, Weber has been back in Manhattan for nearly two months. Weber and his wife, Natalie, bought a home — he just isn't always around. There are players to meet with and film to break down and numbers to crunch and analyze.
"You get to the football office and get to work and it's time to work, it feels like what you've been doing for several years," Weber says. "There's flashes when you're driving home and actually own a house in Manhattan and see your wife there, and she's excited about it and to live here in Manhattan is something I didn't know if I'd ever get a chance to do again. There's flashes, but we're getting into the groove and having a lot of fun."
Weber also knows one thing for certain: K-State for three decades has been called "Special Teams U" for a reason.
More times than not, K-State has ranked near or at the top of the Football Bowl Subdivision in special teams efficiency and overall impact. An afterthought at times for some football programs, special teams is big business for the Wildcats, whose rich history greatly contributed to the program's record rise under Bill Snyder in the 1990s and carried on through the 10- and 11- win seasons, and so on.
"It's an extremely rich tradition," Weber says. "The time I spent away from here confirms a lot of great things about Kansas State, but there was certainly a great tradition that people knew about. Getting a chance to work for Shane Beamer, son of Frank Beamer, my experience in talking nationally with folks, there was a great respect for Bill Snyder and Frank Beamer, and the first thing they want to talk about is special teams. To be a part of that is special, but to be the one that has the baton in his hand moving forward is an incredible responsibility, and I take it very seriously and I'm passionate about it. It means a lot, but it's something that's a part of our identity and has been for a long time. It's something that we continue to educate the current group about and hopefully continue to grow.
"The hope is that all three phases are doing a great job, and we certainly know that we need to pull our weight here and we hope to."
During the 2025 regular season, Toledo ranked fourth in the FBS in blocked punts (3), 20th in punt-return defense (4.22) and 31st in punt returns (11.48). All-MAC kickoff returner Trayvon Rudolph averaged 21.6 yards per kickoff return, including a 96-yard return for a touchdown. All-MAC punt returner Bryson Hammer ranked 12th in the FBS in averaging 12.3 yards per punt return and his 333 total punt-return yards ranked sixth nationally.
In 2024, Weber's special teams ranked in the top 30 in blocked punts (20th; 1), kickoff returns (21st; 24.07), punt returns (22nd; 12.95), punt return defense (27th; 4.89) and blocked kicks (27th; 2). His 2023 units ranked highly in blocked punts (3rd; 2) and kickoff-return defense (11th; 16.00).
Prior to his time at Toledo, Weber spent two seasons as a special teams analyst at South Carolina. In 2022, the Gamecocks were ranked No. 1 in the country in special teams efficiency by ESPN, led the SEC in punt-return average and had the nation's longest kickoff return of the season (100 yards) against Texas A&M. They were also second in the SEC in yards per punt and were 11-of-11 on field goal attempts.
Weber quickly did his research when he arrived in Manhattan. He also had a chance to meet with players before they left K-State for winter break. He met with players again recently — and he was impressed with their attitudes.
"They're eager," Weber says. "I had a first voluntary special teams meeting. Forty guys showed up. At 7 o'clock at night. I've been impressed by that. They're eager. There's a hunger to do it right, a hunger to please. I'm very excited about them. They're smart people and players.
"We've had a chance to see them move athletically just a little bit. We have our work cut out for us in terms of getting things in places where they need to be, but when it comes to seeing different groups of kids, it's all about building relationships with them. I'm excited for that."
Weber said that he and Natalie invited junior kicker Luis Rodriguez, junior long-snapper Andrew Johnson and junior punter Simon McClannan to dinner.
"All three of those guys are great teammates, and I have had brief opportunities to see them as players on the grass other than obviously studying the film," Weber says. "We're very lucky we have a solid group of guys."
Asked to describe K-State special teams in one word, Weber replies: "Weapon."
Why?
"Because," he says, "when we're at our best, it's giving us an edge, and it needs to give us an edge. It's part of our identity. It's an incredible responsibility, and one I don't take lightly at all. It's near and dear to my heart and the baton has been passed to me. It's not mine, it'll always be ours, but it's my job to push it forward and get it to a place where it should be."
Players Mentioned
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Monday, February 16
K-State Men's Basketball | Postgame Press Conference at Houston
Sunday, February 15
K-State Football | Stanton Weber Press Conference - Feb. 12, 2026
Thursday, February 12
K-State Football | Thad Ward Press Conference - Feb. 12, 2026
Thursday, February 12
