Watch Coach Klieman’s Press Conference | Listen to Coach Klieman’s Press Conference | Listen to Player Breakout Interviews
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman and select players met with members of the media on Tuesday inside the Vanier Family Football Complex as the Wildcats prepare to face Texas Tech on Saturday inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Links to video and audio of Klieman’s press conference – which was streamed live on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ – are above in addition to an audio link of player breakout interviews. A transcript of Klieman’s opening statement is below.
CHRIS KLIEMAN, HEAD COACH
Opening Statement…
“Good afternoon, everyone. Before we get started, I just wanted to recognize I lost my first college head football coach last week in Darrel Mudra. Mudra taught me so much as a player. I was only with Darrell for a couple of years, but he had a huge impact on my life. It was sad for me to lose Coach. (He was) 93 years old, unbelievable life, he lived in football. He started the national championship tradition at North Dakota State in the 60s, and I didn't know that when I played for him in the 80s at Northern Iowa until I went back to North Dakota State and the impact that he had on that football program in that community, as well as the Eastern Illinois, Western Illinois, Northern Iowa all these schools. I had a number of opportunities to visit with him over the last 10 years, probably not the last two or three though, because of some health issues that Darrel had. But Terry Allen, who I also played for, and I have communicated a lot about how Coach was doing and what a great life Darrel lived and thankful I had the opportunity to play for him and get to know him. Just want to rest in peace Coach, you meant the world to me.
“Great game by our guys on Saturday. Phenomenal effort, great poise. We didn't panic. We started fast like we needed to. They came back like I knew they would, and we found a way to continue to keep answering the bell when it got close and never got behind. I think that was really important with the crowd the way it was in us not losing the lead. Continued to stay a step ahead and getting an extra possession and getting a field goal before half or a big kick return and getting another score when we were losing the momentum. Then in the second half putting a couple of big drives together, as well as the defense, even though we didn't play exceptionally well on defense. We played well at critical times and against one of the best offenses in college football to force a couple of punts in our territory, which really changed, I think, some of the momentum that they had. Then we're able to continue to keep that two-score lead until the very end. Proud of the guys. We talked about it yesterday, it is really 12 one-week seasons in college football. That's what it is guys, it doesn’t matter what league it's in, what conference it's in. Anybody can beat anybody, so you better prepare, better have great preparation, focus. This week it’s no different with Texas Tech. So, exciting week for us at home on Ag Day here at K State. Excited about our agricultural background and being an ag school and being a land grant university. It's going to be a special day here at The Bill.”
RYAN LACKEY
Associate Athletics Director for Communications