Chris Klieman laying the groundwork for another run at Big 12 Title
Kansas State Coach Chris Klieman walks along the sideline during a timeout in the third quarter against TCU Saturday October 21, 2023 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. (Lynn Harrington/stayaliveinpower5)
LAS VEGAS — Although the Wildcats failed to defend their Big 12 crown last year, they finished 17th in the final AP Poll and beat a ranked Power Five team in the postseason.
The success was more than enough momentum for the team to carry over into the spring. Now with the season approaching, Coach Chris Klieman is making sure that his players are focusing on the blue collar work that it takes to win on the gridiron.
After all, Kansas State will be fielding a talented group on both sides of the ball, and expectations are high. Klieman could care less about where the polls have his team for the preseason though. He understands the hype could potentially be rat poison for his players if they feed into it, and no one wants team distractions.
“Everybody sees it, but it’s not something that we talk about an awful lot,” Klieman said. “I hope it shows people the overall depth and value of our roster and how important our role players are and how important our players are as far as if you’re a successful team, individual honors at the end of the season are going to come.”
That’s why Klieman is focused on business the same way he has been in the past, which earned him four FCS National Championships as a head coach. His players aren’t flashy by any means, but they’re grinders, that perform with discipline and physicality. Not to mention Klieman is a natural at developing under the radar talent into All-Big 12 performers.
Kansas State fans have high anticipation for the 2024 season, and Klieman doesn’t want to disappoint. He finds it encouraging where the team is at ahead of fall camp, and is enjoying how everything is trending up.
Quarterback Avery Johnson has become the big man on campus after he dazzled fans with his breathtaking mobility, and earned MVP honors in the Pop Tarts Bowl. Running back DJ Giddens is coming off a magnificent 1,000-yard campaign, and is very explosive. Although Giddens won’t have Treshaun Ward by his side this time around, Klieman gave him a dynamic teammate in the backfield in Colorado transfer Dylan Edwards.
They are all vital pieces for Klieman to build the offense around. However, the unit will be operating under two Coordinators this fall in Connor Riley and Matt Wells. Riley will work more with the running backs and a young offensive line, while Wells will oversee the aerial attack.
Klieman finds their impact on the offense in such a short amount of time promising, and feels the best is yet to come. Wells is guiding Johnson through his maturation process, and sharpening his passing techniques, which should make the signal-caller more dangerous with the ball in his hands.
“There’s a great mesh there, there’s a great comfort between the two guys,” he said. “They are on the same page an awful lot, and I know that Avery, as well as our offensive staff, coaches, Coach Riley, our offensive coordinator, are excited about some of the things that Coach Wells will bring to K-State, especially the pass game.”
It’s still going to be a challenge for Wells and Riley to replace the production from All-Big 12 tight end Ben Sinnott, and veteran wideout Phillip Brooks, plus the leadership of All-American Cooper Bebee. That’s something Klieman hopes the offense will have resolved midway through fall camp.
On the other side of the ball Klieman has an All-Big 12 caliber player at every level of his defense. Joe Klanderman knows the Big 12 like the back of his hand, and is one the league’s longest-tenured Coordinators. There’s enough experience and production for the defense to dominate in Klieman’s eyes, starting up front.
“We’re probably going to have eight or nine deep on the defensive line, and we’ve always rotated guys really well,” the 56-year old coach said. “But we’ve got two six-year defensive ends in Brendan Mott and Cody Stufflebean coming back that have been in the program for a long time, and those young kids will play a lot to a high standard, to high expectations.”
Linebacker Austin Moore, who has led the team in tackles over the past two seasons, will continue to be the enforcer in the middle of the defense. Despite the secondary losing All-Big 12 safety Kobe Savage to Oregon, senior Marques Sigle is coming off a solid campaign, and tied for first on the team in stops.
The Wildcats are loaded, but will need to be ready with a schedule that includes three teams through the first five games that finished with double-digit wins in 2023. There’s no denying that the new 16-team, Big 12 will be up for grabs. So Klieman is anticipating intense practices next month, and can’t wait to show the world what Kansas State has in store for the fall.
“Competitive league, as usual, great parity with the amount of schools and new schools we have, especially the ones we play, but we’re excited about the challenge.”
