First year Wildcats head coach Collin Klein is no stranger to success at Kansas State. Better yet, this isn't even his first go-around with the program. Entering the 2026 college football season, that's all about to change.
Defining success in Collin Klein's first season at Kansas State
For starters, we have to rewind the clocks to 2012. Klein entered his senior season as the Wildcats starting quarterback with tall odds stacked against him, and eventually made a run to the Big 12 Championship. That wasn't the end of it, either.
Klein also appeared in the Fiesta Bowl against Oregon that season, but the result didn't fall in the Wildcats' favor. Now, he's back in Manhattan, and not just as a coordinator. After the announced retirement of former head coach Chris Klieman, Klein now steps into that role.
And while everything in terms of recruiting and building roster depth has gone his way so far, what does defining a successful first year truly look like? That's the question we're here to answer.
Klein's tenure both starts and ends with winning football games
All successful head coaches know how to compete, but what separates the great ones from the middle tier is their ability to consistently turn close games into wins. There’s a major difference between merely being competitive and actually stacking victories, and that’s the line Klein has to cross.
In a conference like the Big 12, and especially with a powerhouse like Kansas State, keeping it close for the majority of the year simply isn't good enough. That's not to say that it's perfect season or bust, but a lower-than-average .500 mark won't cut it.
There's also the obvious factor that winning the must-win games has to happen, especially during the nonconference schedule. Dropping games early is only a receipe for disaster, and something that can't happen ahead of conference play.
Majority roster retention after year one
Building powerhouse programs looks a little different in the modern era of college football. It's less about developing talent across all four years, and more about bringing in difference makers from all levels of the game. What separates the winners from the losers, however, is having a roster full of players who don't jump ship after just one season.
Following the 2026 season, that starts with the quarterback position. Players like Avery Johnson and others at the skill positions have defined the Wildcats in recent years, and draw in more than just interest of the fanbases.
Following the 2026 season, that starts with the quarterback position. Players like Avery Johnson and others at the skill positions have helped define the Wildcats in recent years, generating attention well beyond the fanbase.
Retaining a player of Johnson’s caliber moving forward doesn’t just raise the floor; it gives the staff a true centerpiece to build around. Pair that with strategic transfer portal additions, and Kansas State is already operating with a clear advantage over much of the league.
If nothing else, just beat the Jayhawks
The Wildcats haven't lost to Kansas in football since the 2008 season, making this year's matchup even more crucial for Klein and his staff. While a single game might not define the entire 2026 season, a loss in this one would certainly stand out.
It’s also worth noting that Kansas made a notable recruiting push for former Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards, who is expected to factor into the Jayhawks’ backfield rotation this season. With roster movement now a defining feature of college football, matchups like this come with added familiarity and just enough personal history to raise the stakes in an already heated rivalry game.
In a series that’s been one-sided for nearly two decades, that’s the kind of loss that reshapes how the matchup is talked about. Like it or not, it's a non-negotiable.
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