Will Collin Klein Help Kansas State Football?
By Stan Unruh
Kansas State is expected announce former Wildcat Quarterback Collin Klein is returning to Manhattan as an assistant coach. Fans are thrilled that the young man who as a player led the team to a Big 12 Title is returning.
On Sunday, GoPowerCat.com, the Wichita Eagle and others reported Klein was returning to Kansas State and would replace Del Miller who was going to retire.
Collin Klein is one of the most popular players to ever wear a football uniform at Kansas State University. Will he be able to transfer what he did on the field to players?
He was the 2012 Johnny Unitas Award Winner, an award given to the nation’s top senior quarterback, and finished third in Heisman Trophy voting.
He should be able to help Wildcat quarterbacks, or will he?
Is this a good hire or a nice way to bring a popular player back to Manhattan?
Due to the speculation about Coach Snyder’s health, the team needs to be extra careful who joins the staff.
In 2014, Klein did help Wildcat quarterback Jake Waters go for a Kansas State record 3,501 yards passing.
How would you feel if Collin Klein joined the #Kstatefb coaching staff? Sounds like he's giving up purple/gold for KSU purple
— Jug of Snyder (@JugofSnyder) February 12, 2017
He improved the play of several quarterbacks in 2015 while the Wildcats battled injuries, according to the introductory media release when he joined the University of Northern Iowa coaching staff as quarterbacks coach last summer.
Klein may be the perfect choice for this opportunity but in his only year with Northern Iowa, the team struggled. They Panthers only won 5 games last season after going 9-5 in 2015.
The Panther quarterbacks did increase passing yardage last season. They Threw for 198 yards per game up from 148 yards passing in 2015.
One Panther quarterback improved his completion rate from 60-63%. Another quarterback regressed from 55 to 51%. There are dozens of factors that may have contributed to the numbers and the disappointing win-loss record.
Kansas State could hire someone with more experience and with ties to Kansas.
A number of coaches at the University of Minnesota were left looking for work when Clay Center, Kansas native Tracy Claeys was unexpectedly fired.
Claeys and the staff were with Jerry Kill for many seasons. Kill spent the 2016 season as Associate Athletic Director at Kansas State before taking the offensive coordinator job at Rutgers.
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For example, compare Klein with Kansas native Pat Poore, a longtime member of Kill’s staff.
He has worked with quarterbacks, running backs and special teams with outstanding success.
His experience might have been a perfect fit at Kansas State. Poore will coach wide receivers next season at Southern Illinois.
Experience in any job is critical. Klein may be an outstanding coach this season or in the near future.
I’m sure he’s happy to leave the UNI purple and gold for Wildcat purple.