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The Topeka Capital Journal
Kansas State football is being praised nationally for Collin Klein hire
- Story byThe Topeka Capital Journal
- Kansas State football is being praised nationally for Collin Klein hire
MANHATTAN — Early reactions to Kansas State football's hiring of Collin Klein have been positive , with national pundits across the country giving the Wildcats praise for landing their legendary quarterback and Texas A&M's offensive coordinator.
Klein was announced as K-State's next head coach on Thursday, Nov. 4, replacing Chris Klieman, who announced his retirement on Wednesday after seven years.
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National outlets grade Klein's hiring as one of the best in the country , amid what's been a wild coaching carousel. The Wildcats got the obvious choice, bringing home one of the greatest players ever to wear Wildcat purple.
Here is a look at the early reaction from those covering the coaching carousel across the country.
ESPN says Klein hire gives K-State a pathway to succeed in pursuit of CFP
Adam Rittenberg gave Kansas State an "A" for hiring Klein , saying that his history with the program and his success at Texas A&M have made him ready to lead. He wrote that Klein was the best and only hire the school could make.
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"His knowledge of the school, key recruiting spots and the pathway for K-State to succeed will help him hit the ground running after the CFP," Rittenberg wrote. "Despite Texas Tech's surge, the Big 12 has a relatively even playing field for its members, and Klein undeniably gives K-State an edge."
When breaking down the hire, Rittenberg wrote that Klein has gained a reputation as one of the nation's best play-callers and schematic designers. The "A" Rittenberg gave Kansas State was higher than the grade he gave LSU, Florida and others, with only Virginia Tech's hiring of James Franklin matching it.
ESPN's Max Olson added that his biggest challenge will begin in January when the portal opens, given the number of graduations. He wrote that Klein needs to quickly meet with quarterback Avery Johnson, whom Klein recruited to K-State.
"The margin for error is always extremely small in the Big 12, and K-State lost five games decided by one-score margins this season," Olson wrote. "But if anybody knows the secret to success there, it's Klein."
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The Athletic says Collin Klein knows what it takes to win at Kansas State
Chris Vannini gave the hire an A- because this is Klein's first head-coaching job, but wrote that it would be difficult for Kansas State to ask for more.
"Klein has done a really strong job as Texas A&M's offensive coordinator, and he was in the mix for the Oklahoma State job as well," Vannini wrote. "It's his first head coaching job, but it's a familiar place, and Klein's time at Texas A&M was valuable outside experience to bring back to Manhattan."
Vannini only gave Lane Kiffin's hiring at LSU and Florida's hiring of Jon Sumrall higher grades.
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Sports Illustrated says Collin Klein's time at Texas A&M will prove to be valuable
Sports Illustrated's Bryan Fischer wrote that Klein's two years at Texas A&M should prove to be valuable for Kansas State heading into college football's new era.
"The lessons he's learned from that time with the Aggies — under an excellent program builder like Mike Elko — should serve Klein well moving forward as he tries to modernize Kansas State without straying too far from the program's roots," Fischer wrote. "That can be a tough needle to thread sometimes, but it's hard to find a better fit and easy transition for the school in what could have been a tricky situation."
Fischer ultimately gave K-State an "A-" for the hire. He noted that taking over a Power 4 program for your first head-coaching job isn't easy, especially at a place like Kansas State.
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Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_ , contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at wwheeler@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Collin Klein hire at Kansas State gets positive national reactions
