ARLINGTON, Tex. — Coming off one of the more unusual seasons in recent memory, Kansas State football looks ahead to 2021 with positivity, according to Wildcats' Head Coach Chris Klieman.
Wednesday, Klieman took to the podium inside AT&T Stadium and addressed hundreds of media in attendance face-to-face for the first time in over a year.
"Kudos to Commissioner Bowlsby, to get us through a really tough time," said Klieman. "We had a difficult season last year in a number of respects, but I think if you don't grow and learn from something then it can really overshadow the problems that you had. We really grew, and I learned an awful lot about myself as a leader, about myself as a coach, about myself as a mentor and our staff did as well. We had some really good wins and some good times, and we had some really tough times and some of those tough times weren't even on the field."
Kansas State will return 16 starters from 2020, with 10 on offense and six on defense, when it opens up the 2021 season on a neutral site against Stanford at the very same stadium where Klieman spoke to the media Wednesday, but one position that Klieman is the most excited for is quarterback.
"I feel really good about us going in to 2021, and it starts off with our quarterback, having Skylar Thompson back," said Klieman. "but I also will throw Will Howard into that mix too because we have two starting quarterbacks returning and it's pretty cool when quarterback oftentimes is a position that you either have one or you have none and we have at least two, and some other kids that potentially have a chance."
Klieman also highlighted the returning offensive line, which could become a strength for the Wildcats this season, after an inauspicious 2020 up front.
Coach Klieman stated that where K-State needed the most improvement was on defense.
"Where we have t omake great strides is on defense. We were not a very good defense throughout last year," he said. " We had a couple of nice moments on defense, but not good enough in this league to be successful, and that's something we're going to work like heck to get sured up."
To hear full remarks from K-State Head Coach Chris Klieman, click the link below.