K-State Hosts Bye Week Press Conference
Sep 28, 2026 | Football
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State head coach Collin Klein, offensive coordinator Sean Gleeson, defensive coordinator Jordan Peterson and special teams coordinator Stanton Weber met with the media on Monday inside the Vanier Family Football Complex to during K-State's bye week. Links to video and audio of Klein's press conference – which was streamed live on ESPN+ – are above in addition to video and audio links of the coordinators. A transcript of Klein's press conference is below.
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COLLIN KLEIN, HEAD COACH
Opening Statement…
"Well, good morning. After being able to go through the tape it confirmed a lot of what we already knew. Disappointing outcome, some thin margins and some things we'd like to have back in all three phases, for sure. I was proud of the guys, how we competed and managed the situations we were in – or put ourselves in – accordingly down the stretch, and gave ourselves a chance. Our team is obviously hurting, and it's painful experience for sure. I am very, very confident in their character and our togetherness to build on and move forward from that will make us better, and a lot of lessons to be gained from that, for sure. Just starting offensively, that third quarter was painful. Two 3-and-outs in the ballgame, the first play of the third quarter with the turnover and a 3-and-out right after that going from up seven to down seven in very, very short order, not being able to get the brakes to put on that momentum in that phase was something we can't do. We have to be able to move the football and calm the storm there when we're in that situation. Defensively, the things that we talked about afterwards held true. Of those 271 rushing yards, just under 200 of them are on five plays. You look at 270 yards of offense total in seven plays. Some major, major explosives, some major, major lapses for a handful of different reasons at different times, that will really, really cost you and are painful there. It's things that we have to learn from and fix. The good part is all of them are fixable and within our control, and that's the way we're going to be moving forward. The bye week comes at a good time being able to get healthy, get some guys back is definitely foreseeable. Some others we won't know yet here, even probably until the end of today or maybe tomorrow. That'll be case-by-case. We're excited for the week to get back to work, get out on the practice field, and get better."
Â
On what can be done to move red zone field goal into touchdowns…
"I think there's a lot of things in our control. There hasn't been one thing consistently in every one of those situations that is the thing, whether it's a not a great scheme, missed block, missed read. Whatever it happens to be, we're not finishing on a couple plays here and there, and it's costing us."
Â
On cleaning things up on throws that require split-second decisions…
"I think there's definitely some sequence to it. There's some timing. I think a similar type of play, maybe to the one you're describing, is Josh Manning on the shallow cross on 3rd and 5 or whatever. It's the sequencing of his eye pattern. He almost got through his progression too quick and then was trying to come back to find him. It made him a half count too late. There's some things that happen like that, but overarchingly, I think it's rhythm and timing, probably collectively."
Â
On injury updates on tight end Will Anciaux and wide receiver Jaron Tibbs…
"No final, final answer on Will. We should know, hopefully, by the end of the day. I think it'll be a little bit of time for sure. Then depending on how things go, we'll know more by the end of today. Jaron will be fine."
Â
On his philosophy for the bye week schedule…
"It'll be a normal midweek phase for us. So, we'll be able to put some pads on and play a little bit, keep our motors going, and continue to move timing and continuity forward. But, we're also going to get guys that have a lot of reps banked a little bit more reps through phase two, so that we're taking care of them and utilizing the time."
Â
On if there were one or two things that he could wait to get back to Manhattan and fix…
"I feel like the cleansing process for me doesn't really happen until you hit the practice field. Being able to have an experience like that in a bye week is not fun. It's never fun, but you got to sit on it a little bit longer, and we got to sit on it for another week to stew on a little bit before we get a chance to go out there again and play. Again, the exciting part is there's a lot that's in our control and that we can fix and that we're very, very capable of, and I know our guys are looking at it like that."
Â
On what Cincinnati's offensive line did to give K-State problems…
"I think they're great size, great length, and very athletic. There was one scheme that they ran that we had not repped in practice and weren't prepared for. I think it was a fundamental execution thing on our end – some eye discipline, some guys trying to do too much and make plays instead of do their job and hold their gap at whatever time, formation, call it was. Then we didn't finish and get guys on the ground at times when we had the opportunity. Albeit painful and some big plays off of it, but that's where the key lies."
Â
On what Linkon Cure needs to do to get more involved in the offense…
"He's been doing a great job. It'll be crucial for us. We've been in 12 personnel a lot and used all three of those guys in a lot of different ways. So, I'm not worried about him stepping up and doing a great job."
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On why Linkon Cure hasn't been targeting much…
"I don't know exactly what the numbers per percent as far as him being targeted. I don't know if I could speak to that specifically, or what it should be. I know we got three really good ones. They've all done a really, really nice job. There was there was two – and I'd probably even say three – shots that were designed for him that he was down the field 15-plus yards in that ballgame even Saturday night, and two of those we popped the gap protection and got flushed, and the other one he wasn't open. I think some of that is a little bit of that. It's part of the progress and process. Then, you know, we got two other really, really good tight ends that are doing a nice job, too. So, there's a lot of distribution there."
Â
On if there were a common theme of opponent running explosives being given up…
"Well, I think the Tulane game, they came out and played triple option football, which really they hadn't done out of some formations that we hadn't prepped, and it took us a second to get our feet on the ground from that standpoint. Saturday night was more of we got pushed around a little bit up front inside and had bad eye discipline and some fit structures that were a problem, and probably a different problem."
Â
On how watching the film went over…
"Oh, it's never easy. When you fail to accomplish the outcome as a group, collectively, it's never fun. It's not easy. However, it's those adverse times, it's those real life lessons that, albeit painful, you can learn from the most and ultimately help shape who you are. If we use it like that, it'll be, at the end of the day, a good thing for our football program."
Â
On what needs to happen for the offensive line to improve…
"We averaged like 5.2 yards per carry. We're the only team in the country that hasn't given up a sack. We played with a lot of different guys. We're ninth in the country in runs over 10 yards per game. There's a lot of good things that we're doing, and I'm with you – there's improvement that we need to make, and there's things that we need to do better. That group is fired up and competes like heck for each other. We were in a two-minute drill three times in that game – once before the half, once when you're down by two, and once when you try to win the game. I think we ran it 30 times. Normally it's 35 to 40. We've been relatively balanced that way. So, there's that yardage down a little bit there. Cincinnati did a great job. I mean, you watch every single run play, every single read scheme we had, there was a guy that was looking Avery (Johnson) dead in the eyes every time, and they were making us give the football. So, it was over 55% efficient on first and second down run calls. We only had three runs over 10, so down a little bit from our number. However, we were getting four consistently. So, I'm not trying to pick a fight or anything. I just want to defend my guys and a position group that I think is doing a lot of really nice things in my O-line."
Â
On how the defense is tackling overall..
"Not good enough. That's one of those things that it's going to be a constant process to get better at. We're still learning how to be aggressive and confident to tackle and attack people and run through our leverage and get rid of bleeding yards. But, again, I think we have to be better."
Â
On how to balance wide receiver Derrick Salley Jr. having a good game but a fumble…
"He was being really hard on himself for a mistake, and albeit a costly one. His teammates rallied around him in a hurry because they know where his heart is, they know how hard he works and the plays he was able to make in that ballgame were huge for us. I think his ceiling is extremely high. You have to come back, and you have to go to work and build the confidence through repetitions and doing things the right way over and over and over again. I have no doubt he'll do that. I know his teammates have no doubt he'll do that, and I'm proud of how he competed."
Â
On cornerback Donovan McIntosh returning to the field…
"I'm excited. It's been a process for him. He's worked hard at it. It helps our depth. I think his reps will continue to go up and increase. He's got a lot of playing experience. He's played good football here for a minute and someone that we need and want to continue to have his role grow."
Â
On what his first order of business was after returning from the game...
"Well, I was able to look at both sides of the ball on the way home and kind of take some notes and get a revisit of what exactly happened and how all that had gone. I went to bed and got up and went to church with my family, and was already stewing and focused on what we can do to move this thing forward and get better."
Â
On how the days have been since Saturday night…
"I'm a pretty routine guy. I enjoy that part of it. It's just about putting our heads down right now and getting better, fixing problems, getting from A to B as best we can."
Â
On future non-conference schedules and playing during Week Zero...
"Some of that is even a bigger picture conversation with some of the big-picture calendar stuff that they got going to where we may not have a choice depending on how some of that goes. We have to be ready to play, and we'll build everything around what's best for our program, and ultimately what we have to do. It's out of my control a little bit."
Â
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COLLIN KLEIN, HEAD COACH
Opening Statement…
"Well, good morning. After being able to go through the tape it confirmed a lot of what we already knew. Disappointing outcome, some thin margins and some things we'd like to have back in all three phases, for sure. I was proud of the guys, how we competed and managed the situations we were in – or put ourselves in – accordingly down the stretch, and gave ourselves a chance. Our team is obviously hurting, and it's painful experience for sure. I am very, very confident in their character and our togetherness to build on and move forward from that will make us better, and a lot of lessons to be gained from that, for sure. Just starting offensively, that third quarter was painful. Two 3-and-outs in the ballgame, the first play of the third quarter with the turnover and a 3-and-out right after that going from up seven to down seven in very, very short order, not being able to get the brakes to put on that momentum in that phase was something we can't do. We have to be able to move the football and calm the storm there when we're in that situation. Defensively, the things that we talked about afterwards held true. Of those 271 rushing yards, just under 200 of them are on five plays. You look at 270 yards of offense total in seven plays. Some major, major explosives, some major, major lapses for a handful of different reasons at different times, that will really, really cost you and are painful there. It's things that we have to learn from and fix. The good part is all of them are fixable and within our control, and that's the way we're going to be moving forward. The bye week comes at a good time being able to get healthy, get some guys back is definitely foreseeable. Some others we won't know yet here, even probably until the end of today or maybe tomorrow. That'll be case-by-case. We're excited for the week to get back to work, get out on the practice field, and get better."
Â
On what can be done to move red zone field goal into touchdowns…
"I think there's a lot of things in our control. There hasn't been one thing consistently in every one of those situations that is the thing, whether it's a not a great scheme, missed block, missed read. Whatever it happens to be, we're not finishing on a couple plays here and there, and it's costing us."
Â
On cleaning things up on throws that require split-second decisions…
"I think there's definitely some sequence to it. There's some timing. I think a similar type of play, maybe to the one you're describing, is Josh Manning on the shallow cross on 3rd and 5 or whatever. It's the sequencing of his eye pattern. He almost got through his progression too quick and then was trying to come back to find him. It made him a half count too late. There's some things that happen like that, but overarchingly, I think it's rhythm and timing, probably collectively."
Â
On injury updates on tight end Will Anciaux and wide receiver Jaron Tibbs…
"No final, final answer on Will. We should know, hopefully, by the end of the day. I think it'll be a little bit of time for sure. Then depending on how things go, we'll know more by the end of today. Jaron will be fine."
Â
On his philosophy for the bye week schedule…
"It'll be a normal midweek phase for us. So, we'll be able to put some pads on and play a little bit, keep our motors going, and continue to move timing and continuity forward. But, we're also going to get guys that have a lot of reps banked a little bit more reps through phase two, so that we're taking care of them and utilizing the time."
Â
On if there were one or two things that he could wait to get back to Manhattan and fix…
"I feel like the cleansing process for me doesn't really happen until you hit the practice field. Being able to have an experience like that in a bye week is not fun. It's never fun, but you got to sit on it a little bit longer, and we got to sit on it for another week to stew on a little bit before we get a chance to go out there again and play. Again, the exciting part is there's a lot that's in our control and that we can fix and that we're very, very capable of, and I know our guys are looking at it like that."
Â
On what Cincinnati's offensive line did to give K-State problems…
"I think they're great size, great length, and very athletic. There was one scheme that they ran that we had not repped in practice and weren't prepared for. I think it was a fundamental execution thing on our end – some eye discipline, some guys trying to do too much and make plays instead of do their job and hold their gap at whatever time, formation, call it was. Then we didn't finish and get guys on the ground at times when we had the opportunity. Albeit painful and some big plays off of it, but that's where the key lies."
Â
On what Linkon Cure needs to do to get more involved in the offense…
"He's been doing a great job. It'll be crucial for us. We've been in 12 personnel a lot and used all three of those guys in a lot of different ways. So, I'm not worried about him stepping up and doing a great job."
Â
On why Linkon Cure hasn't been targeting much…
"I don't know exactly what the numbers per percent as far as him being targeted. I don't know if I could speak to that specifically, or what it should be. I know we got three really good ones. They've all done a really, really nice job. There was there was two – and I'd probably even say three – shots that were designed for him that he was down the field 15-plus yards in that ballgame even Saturday night, and two of those we popped the gap protection and got flushed, and the other one he wasn't open. I think some of that is a little bit of that. It's part of the progress and process. Then, you know, we got two other really, really good tight ends that are doing a nice job, too. So, there's a lot of distribution there."
Â
On if there were a common theme of opponent running explosives being given up…
"Well, I think the Tulane game, they came out and played triple option football, which really they hadn't done out of some formations that we hadn't prepped, and it took us a second to get our feet on the ground from that standpoint. Saturday night was more of we got pushed around a little bit up front inside and had bad eye discipline and some fit structures that were a problem, and probably a different problem."
Â
On how watching the film went over…
"Oh, it's never easy. When you fail to accomplish the outcome as a group, collectively, it's never fun. It's not easy. However, it's those adverse times, it's those real life lessons that, albeit painful, you can learn from the most and ultimately help shape who you are. If we use it like that, it'll be, at the end of the day, a good thing for our football program."
Â
On what needs to happen for the offensive line to improve…
"We averaged like 5.2 yards per carry. We're the only team in the country that hasn't given up a sack. We played with a lot of different guys. We're ninth in the country in runs over 10 yards per game. There's a lot of good things that we're doing, and I'm with you – there's improvement that we need to make, and there's things that we need to do better. That group is fired up and competes like heck for each other. We were in a two-minute drill three times in that game – once before the half, once when you're down by two, and once when you try to win the game. I think we ran it 30 times. Normally it's 35 to 40. We've been relatively balanced that way. So, there's that yardage down a little bit there. Cincinnati did a great job. I mean, you watch every single run play, every single read scheme we had, there was a guy that was looking Avery (Johnson) dead in the eyes every time, and they were making us give the football. So, it was over 55% efficient on first and second down run calls. We only had three runs over 10, so down a little bit from our number. However, we were getting four consistently. So, I'm not trying to pick a fight or anything. I just want to defend my guys and a position group that I think is doing a lot of really nice things in my O-line."
Â
On how the defense is tackling overall..
"Not good enough. That's one of those things that it's going to be a constant process to get better at. We're still learning how to be aggressive and confident to tackle and attack people and run through our leverage and get rid of bleeding yards. But, again, I think we have to be better."
Â
On how to balance wide receiver Derrick Salley Jr. having a good game but a fumble…
"He was being really hard on himself for a mistake, and albeit a costly one. His teammates rallied around him in a hurry because they know where his heart is, they know how hard he works and the plays he was able to make in that ballgame were huge for us. I think his ceiling is extremely high. You have to come back, and you have to go to work and build the confidence through repetitions and doing things the right way over and over and over again. I have no doubt he'll do that. I know his teammates have no doubt he'll do that, and I'm proud of how he competed."
Â
On cornerback Donovan McIntosh returning to the field…
"I'm excited. It's been a process for him. He's worked hard at it. It helps our depth. I think his reps will continue to go up and increase. He's got a lot of playing experience. He's played good football here for a minute and someone that we need and want to continue to have his role grow."
Â
On what his first order of business was after returning from the game...
"Well, I was able to look at both sides of the ball on the way home and kind of take some notes and get a revisit of what exactly happened and how all that had gone. I went to bed and got up and went to church with my family, and was already stewing and focused on what we can do to move this thing forward and get better."
Â
On how the days have been since Saturday night…
"I'm a pretty routine guy. I enjoy that part of it. It's just about putting our heads down right now and getting better, fixing problems, getting from A to B as best we can."
Â
On future non-conference schedules and playing during Week Zero...
"Some of that is even a bigger picture conversation with some of the big-picture calendar stuff that they got going to where we may not have a choice depending on how some of that goes. We have to be ready to play, and we'll build everything around what's best for our program, and ultimately what we have to do. It's out of my control a little bit."
Â
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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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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.
Players Mentioned
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/ FootballMonday, September 28
Monday, September 28
Monday, September 28
Monday, September 28
