Spearheading a defense that has been one of the best in the Big 12 over the last four seasons, Joe Klanderman enters his seventh season at Kansas State in 2025 and his sixth as the defensive coordinator. In addition to running the defense, Klanderman also tutors the Wildcat safeties as he has done since arriving in Manhattan in 2019.
Leading a dynamic shift in defensive philosophy prior to the 2021 season, Klanderman implemented a three-man front for the first time in his career, and the returns paid off as the Wildcats have averaged 21.8 points allowed per game over the last four seasons – a span of 53 games – to rank 24th nationally, 17th among Power 4 teams and third among current Big 12 teams. K-State has allowed fewer than 24.0 points per game each of the last four seasons, the longest streak since the 1991 through 2003 campaigns.
A key figure in the limited points surrendered is turnovers, as the Wildcat has forced 62 combined turnovers the last three seasons to rank first among active Big 12 schools.
Klanderman has helped Wildcat defenders to 41 All-Big 12 honors as defensive coordinator, while he has tutored safeties to eight all-conference accolades since his arrival in 2019, including honorable mention pick VJ Payne in 2024.
In 2024, the K-State defense ranked fourth nationally in fourth down defense at 32.1% (first in Big 12), 25th in sacks per game at 2.69 (second in Big 12) and 28th in rushing yards allowed per game at 118.7 (second in Big 12). The rushing defense figure and ranking was the Wildcats’ best since 2007 (No. 13; 117.7) thanks to the fact that they did not allow a 200-yard rushing game in any of the 13 contests. K-State was one of only two Big 12 teams to lay that claim (Arizona State), while it was the first time the Wildcats accomplished the feat since 2016. Their best game against the run came at Colorado as its -29 rushing yards allowed was the third fewest in school history and the second fewest of any team in 2024.
K-State’s No. 25 national ranking in sacks was its best since 2015 (No. 9), while the 2.69 sacks per game was the Wildcats’ highest mark since 2020 (2.80). Additionally, the Wildcats’ No. 4 ranking in fourth down defense was their best since at least 2004 and the 32.1% conversion rate was the lowest allowed since a 21.4% mark in 2001.
In another banner year defensively in 2023, K-State finished the season ranked in the top 30 nationally in eight categories, placing 11th in third-down defense (30.2%), 16th in fumbles recovered (10), 18th in pass efficiency defense (118.63), 20th in turnovers gained (23), 25th in interceptions (13), 26th in scoring defense (21.0), 28th in first downs allowed (225) and 30th in red zone defense (89.2%). Although the Wildcats allowed points in nearly 90% of their opponents’ red zone attempts, only 39.4% of those resulted in touchdowns, which was the second-best mark in the nation.
Klanderman saw Wildcat defenders pick up 12 All-Big 12 honors in 2023, including a pair of safeties in Kobe Savage (second team) and Marques Sigle (honorable mention). Sigle, a transfer from North Dakota State, also earned votes for the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year award as he tied for team-high honors with 63 tackles and totaled 10 passes defended on the year.
In 2022, the defense helped carry the Wildcats to a Big 12 Championship as they ranked in the top 30 nationally in five categories. One of those was a No. 18 showing in fourth down defense (39.4%), which included a key 4th and Goal stop in overtime of the Big 12 Championship just prior to the game-winning field goal during the 31-28 victory over No. 3 TCU. The Wildcats also ranked 10th in the country in interceptions (16), 14th in total turnovers (24), 27th in third down defense (34.0%) and 29th in scoring defense (21.9).
The Wildcats’ 24 turnovers gained and 16 passes intercepted were both their highest since 2016, while K-State’s No. 10 national ranking in interceptions was the best since the 2003 squad also ranked 10th. Additionally, Kansas State’s pass efficiency defense of 123.36 was its best mark since 2013 (114.82).
Klanderman presided over a 2022 defense that produced First Team All-American Felix Anudike-Uzomah, who was also named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year. Anudike-Uzomah was one of seven Wildcat defenders to earn All-Big 12 honors, including Savage, a safety who also picked up votes for the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year award.
Anudike-Uzomah was one of three Wildcat defenders selected in the 2023 NFL Draft as he was taken in the first round by Kansas City, while cornerback Julius Brents was selected in the second round (No. 44 overall) by Indianapolis to mark the first time in school history two Wildcats were taken within the first 44 picks of an NFL Draft. Additionally, safety Josh Hayes was selected in the sixth round by Tampa Bay.
In 2021 – the first season of the Wildcats’ new-look defense – K-State trimmed 11.2 points per game allowed from the previous season, down to 21.0 points per game to stand as their best mark since 2003 and rank 23rd in the nation and fourth in the Big 12.
Additionally, the defense allowed its fewest yards per game since 2009 (344.7) to rank third in the Big 12, while its 129.5 rushing yards allowed per game was its best effort in four seasons. K-State also finished with 90 tackles for loss on the year – its best mark since 2006 – to rank 10th in school history.
Overall, Klanderman helped nine Wildcats obtain All-Big 12 honors in 2021, including a pair of first-team honorees in Anudike-Uzomah and safety Russ Yeast. Anudike-Uzomah was also the co-Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year and earned votes for Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. In addition to Yeast, Klanderman also coached safety Jahron McPherson to All-Big 12 Honorable Mention accolades for a second-straight season. Following his lone season in Manhattan, Yeast was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams.
Klanderman oversaw a unit in 2020 that ranked seventh in the nation in interception-return touchdowns and 24th in sacks, the latter being the Wildcats’ best mark in five years. The Wildcats had four All-Big 12 performers, including first-team honoree Wyatt Hubert as the defensive end ranked 16th in the nation and third in the Big 12 in sacks. Hubert went on to be drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals.
Another All-Big 12 performer and Klanderman protégé, McPherson, was a catalyst in helping K-State upset No. 3 Oklahoma in Norman. He totaled 11 tackles – including one for a loss – a forced fumble and an interception. He was the first Wildcat with double-digit tackles, a TFL, a forced fumble and a pick in the same game since 2002.
In his first year in Manhattan, Klanderman helped the 2019 Wildcats rank first in the nation in third down defense at 28.0%, which was the best by K-State since at least 2003. The Wildcats also ranked 15th nationally in first down defense (224) and put together a No. 2 ranking in the Big 12 in pass defense (202.9 yards per game), their best ranking in the conference in five seasons. Thanks in part to Klanderman’s tutelage of the back end of the defense, K-State allowed just 21.4 points per game, their best mark since 2003. Under Klanderman’s guidance, Denzel Goolsby earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention accolades, the first Wildcat safety to do so since 2016.
Klanderman came to Manhattan from North Dakota State after helping the Bison win four national titles in his five seasons on staff, which included a perfect 15-0 record in 2018. The NDSU defense was a major factor in its undefeated run as the Bison ranked first nationally with 23 interceptions, including six by safety Robbie Grimsley and five by safety James Hendricks.
Overall, the Bison ranked in the top five in scoring defense each of his five years on staff, including a No. 2 ranking in 2017 (11.6 points per game) and the No. 3 spot in 2018 (12.6). His secondary also helped NDSU rank in the top 11 in passing yards allowed in four of the five years, with a No. 3 national ranking in 2017 (147.9 yards per game).
Thanks to the nation-leading 23 picks in 2018, the Bison totaled 100 interceptions during Klanderman’s five years on staff, helping NDSU finish third in the country in 2017 and fifth in both 2014 and 2016.
During his time at NDSU, Klanderman coached a trio of All-America safeties in Grimsley, Colten Heagle and Tre Dempsey, in addition to multiple all-conference performers. Heagle finished his career ranked first in Bison history with 191 solo tackles, while Grimsley was second with 159.
Klanderman went to North Dakota State after a 12-year coaching stint at his alma mater, Minnesota State. While in Mankato, Klanderman served as the defensive line coach from 2002 to 2004 before moving to the secondary in 2005. He then took over the reins as defensive coordinator from 2007 to 2013 while coaching the linebackers.
During his time at Minnesota State, Klanderman helped tutor 26 first team all-conference honorees and 10 All-Americans. He helped five Maverick squads earn at least nine wins, including the 2012 and 2013 seasons in which MSU went a combined 24-2.
Klanderman was a four-year letterwinner on the defensive line for the Mavericks from 1997 to 2001, serving as a starter for three of those seasons. A product of Hammond, Wisconsin, Klanderman was named an Academic All-Region honoree following his senior season in 2001.
A 2001 graduate from Minnesota State with a degree in social studies, Klanderman also obtained his master’s degree in sports administration from MSU in 2004.
Klanderman and his wife, Amanda, are the parents of four children, Elle, Corryn, Jarrett and James.
