Collin Klein arrives at Kansas State this fall with a unique advantage — he already knows the place well. As a former Heisman Trophy candidate and Big 12 champion who played for the Wildcats, Klein is returning to familiar ground as a first-year head coach.
At Big 12 media days held Wednesday in Frisco, Texas, Klein acknowledged that his deep familiarity with the program gives him a head start — but he was careful to note that history alone won’t win games.
That message of earned success is central to what he tells prospective players. “I tell recruits it’s going to be hard,” Klein said. “I tell them it’s a badge of honor to wear that Powercat. I tell them that the most valuable things in life you’re going to have to pay the most for. We’re going to make that price really freaking high to play at Kansas State.”
Klein is one of four coaches making their Big 12 head coaching debuts this season. Joining him are Iowa State’s Jimmy Rogers, who previously coached at Washington State; Oklahoma State’s Eric Morris, who came from North Texas; and Utah’s Morgan Scalley.
Like Klein, Scalley is a first-time head coach taking over at his own alma mater — a situation Klein says is difficult to fully grasp until you’re actually living it. “I don’t think even as much as you walk yourself through it mentally, you really even understand until your boots are on the ground and you’re in it,” Klein said.
Klein also has an existing bond with returning Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson. Klein had recruited Johnson during his time as an offensive assistant with the Wildcats before departing to serve as offensive coordinator at Texas A&M during the 2024 season. Johnson said the team is thrilled to have Klein back. “Everybody has a newfound energy,” Johnson said. “We’ve all been super grateful for Coach Klein to come back, and I think we’re all excited for the season.”
Meanwhile, Scalley shared an amusing story about once trying to recruit Klein when Scalley was a graduate assistant at Utah. Despite Klein arriving on campus dressed to impress, he left without an offer. “He showed up on campus in a suit and tie,” Scalley recalled, using the anecdote to speak to the caliber of people in the conference. “So much respect for the coaches in this league. Really good coaches, good men, and it is a competitive league.”
Scalley faces the challenge of following his predecessor, who posted 18 winning seasons across 22 years. “It is a responsibility I do not take lightly,” Scalley said. “There’s something to be said about continuity and believing in a staff and creating a culture.”
In other Big 12 news, Yahoo Sports reported that conference leadership recently met with Texas Tech officials following a heated dispute over quarterback Brendan Sorsby’s eligibility. Sorsby ultimately dropped his effort to play for the Red Raiders after controversy arose over his admission to wagering roughly $90,000 on college and professional sporting events.
Those talks were described as “productive, but not over,” with discussions centering on how Big 12 schools can remain competitive in today’s college football landscape. Texas Tech board chair Cody Campbell told Yahoo, “We want to find a way to get all other Big 12 schools to elevate themselves. Everybody needs to do some version of what we’ve done. That’s the path forward for this conference. A rising tide lifts all boats. People not on board with that and those that want everyone worse so they can be relatively better, we’ll have a problem with those institutions.”
