COLLIN KLEIN, HEAD COACH
Opening Statement…
“Good to see, everybody. We are really excited to be able to hit the field, hit the grass with these guys. I think we've had a really, really good winter. I’ve been very, very proud of how the entire program – players and staff – have kind of embraced some of the new things that we're doing and really attacked it. We had 27 guys that added over 10 pounds of lean muscle mass. We broke five K-State squat records, so Coach (Jeremy) Jacobs and his staff have done a great job, and our players have done a really, really good job of attacking that out-of-season program, and I think it positioned us very, very well for spring. The mindset and mantra through the whole winter was ‘Strain and Finish,’ and just learning how to be able to give more every single rep of every single thing that you do while finishing every single rep of everything that we do. They’ve embraced that, and we’re excited to get on the grass. I think we've got a lot of positions that are going to be very, very competitive, which we're excited about. We are positioning things in a way to get everybody on the roster a lot of reps, to be able for us to get to know them, them get to know us, them actually get physical repetitions in this offense, in this defense, on teams. For us as a staff, to be able to get good evaluations and build the depth and position flexibility, obviously positioning us for the fall. So, I’ve been really, really excited with all the steps that they've taken, and gets real tomorrow.”
On what areas he feels like he should have done more prior to spring practices…
“Well, I think, sure, there's always things that are that way, or put in your notes for next year's cycle, type of a thing. But at the end of the day, I think the way my mindset has been, and our entire staff and players is just that attack mindset. You know what, we're going to log it away and fix it next time, but at the end of the day, we're moving forward and we're not wasting time. The whole staff has done a really good job with that.”
On what his emotions will be on Thursday for his first practice as a head coach…
“It's exciting, but again I'm just excited to see the players get to reap the rewards of what they've done for these last three months. It is a little surreal. Like I said, I don't think it's hit me yet, but just trying to provide everybody in this program the best opportunity to be successful and be the best they can be. We get to make it real tomorrow.”
On filling the cornerbacks coaching position…
“I was very, very happy and sad for Coach (Marcus) Woodson and for us all at the same time. I was very thankful for what he did for us the couple months he was here. In this world, relationships are paramount. There's a couple guys we were connected with that our defensive staff was connected with and was really, really excited. I got to know Marcel (Yates) very, very quickly. He hasn't wasted any time getting to work, and he has been a great fit.”
On what he expects the biggest difference will be for spring practices this year compared to previous years…
“Some of it will be a little bit to where the changing of rosters and things in college football, of how that's changed. We will elongate practices a little bit to try to get some more reps and get them distributed through the roster this spring. We have 97 guys or so on the roster right now, which is a really, really good number for spring. So, it gives us a lot of flexibility and a lot of the things that we can do. We're going to be very aggressive. We're going to have 12 of the 15 practices that are going to be fully padded. That's one thing in the spring that you're able to do is really dive into and emphasize the fundamental components of the game and be very, very aggressive from that standpoint. So, that's something that we're going to do. Then, we're going to have a lot of competitive periods and let the guys play and try to develop that depth and competition. That bodes well for the fall.”
On if he will still give Avery Johnson a bulk of the quarterback reps or give the opportunity to other guys to develop…
“It will be a combination. I think, initially, he will get the bulk of those just to make sure – even though there's great history and familiarity – that even though, ‘Hey, this is who we are now moving forward,’ that he's very comfortable in that, and that he and all of us are very used to working with each other and he's used to working with the guys around him to make sure that we know very much who he is as a player. Not that every player has room to get better and improve in areas, but I think, initially, he'll probably take the majority, but then as we go through the spring, being able to develop the depth at that position will be important as well. So, being able to massage that down the stretch is probably the plan.”
On the program strength records…
“Derrick Salley Jr., a wide receiver, squatted 505 (pounds), Jet Dineen squatted at 510, Keiton Jones at O-line (squatted) 605, Jacob Knuth (squatted) 495, and Andrew Johnson, a specialist, at 505.”
On the significance of the gains in the weight room over a short amount of time…
“Well, there's not one thing that goes into that. You looked at our entire support staff, from Scott Trausch in nutrition, Lance Yancy in sports science, to, obviously, our entire strength staff and training staff helping give those guys the support they need to do the work, and then those guys going out and putting their nose down and getting it done. So, I’m really proud of all of them.”
On what stood out to him during the strength and conditioning period of the offseason…
“Well, I think the bigger thing is we are learning each other. In the winter, that was a big part of it is getting to know the roster. I do think we have good length at a lot of positions. I think our receiver room is very, very long. I think we have some good length up front at O-line, in the secondary as well. So, I think we do have good length as a team. Through the winter and, what I was saying, is just really being extremely detail oriented and concise with the expectations that we have for them as a staff in everything that they do so that we can measure and hold them accountable in everything that we do through the entirety of the program. Then, through those out of season workouts, ‘Hey, there's more in every one of us,’ and trying to draw that out of each and every one of them to make sure that they realize and kind of open their horizon and potential of, ‘Oh my goodness, I am capable of so much more. I have so much more to give. The more I give, the more I have to give,’ which is so counterintuitive to human nature. That was the messaging, they embraced it, and I think we all made good progress there.”
On if there are any position groups he will hone in on during the spring…
“I think it's across the board, for sure. There's going to be room and competition at every spot, for sure. But, I think on the offensive line – we have a lot of good pieces that I’m really, really excited about what a very good group of individuals have done in that room to position themselves to compete. Seeing that come together in the right fits there, I think are going to be really important for us. In the secondary, at safety and nickel, seeing some of those pieces kind of come together and how that competition sorts itself out and who is best where, and complementing who, etc., I think will be really, really good. We have really good depth at linebacker to see who rises out of that group. Then D-tackle and interior wise, I’m very excited about those guys and what they've done, but it'll be interesting to see how those positions take shape.”
On how much George Fitzpatrick will compete in spring practices…
“I’m really excited. He's been able to hit every benchmark that the physicians and the trainers have wanted him to hit. He's made really, really good progress. We'll obviously monitor him very, very carefully as we get back into it, but I’m very, very excited at the prospect of what he's going to be able to do.”
On guys that have separated themselves in terms of leadership…
“Absolutely. Avery (Johnson) sticks out. I think he's done a tremendous job. Him and Joe Jackson, both, have been a very, very vocal piece of driving energy and driving spirit. You look at Rex Van Wyhe on defense, and Jordan Allen, and Zashon (Rich) and Dono (Donovan McIntosh) I think all those guys have really done a great job of facilitating those things relationally on both sides of the ball.”
On guys coming off injuries from last season…
“For the season, I feel really good where things are at. We should be sitting in really, really good shape there. There will be some guys like the Garrett Oakleys, the John Pastores, Tanner Morley, a few guys like that, that will be limited and we will monitor and have to manage what they do through the course of the spring. But, everything's been tracking very, very well and on schedule that way.”
On Linkon Cure playing more of a true tight end in 2026…
“Well, he gives you a ton of position versatility for sure. He's attacked. He's a worker. He attacks everything he does. He's attacked some of the new nuances and different things that we're doing. He'll play the tight end position, predominantly, the Y in 11, the F in 12, more off-the-ball in nature, collectively. But, he gives you the flexibility to align him all in the field. We'll still use a lot of two-tight end sets, so whether it's in 12 personnel flexibility there, or 11 personnel giving you some open set and 10-type personnel pictures, he gives you a lot of flexibility. So, excited about how he's worked in the program. He had the highest muscle mass gain and the most fat loss, which for that athlete to put that together is really impressive? Who's already a very elite athlete, and so credit to his work ethic.”
On the re-acclimation process of the offense by Avery Johnson…
“I think it's progressing well. I think it's come back to him pretty quickly, but, just like anything – and more important than any other position – is just thinking exactly the same way as play caller to quarterback and making sure that gray is not a good thing in that relationship. So, he's been very great and detailed and thorough of not trying to take for granted anything that, ‘Oh, well, I know that,’ and us as a staff are doing the exact same thing to make sure that we're exactly on the same page.”
On what his goals were for the transfer portal and if he feels like he hit those goals…
“It was one of the craziest two weeks of my coaching career, for dang sure, just with how fast everything happens in a matter of hours at times. I’m really, really proud of our staff again. I think we shored up where we needed to, for sure. I think time will tell, and you can probably answer that question this fall after the work and preparation are done.”
On how prepared he feels like he’s been in becoming a head coach and applying what he’s learned as an assistant…
“I've been extremely blessed to be around some of the best to ever do it, really, from Coach Snyder to Coach Kleiman, and, most recently, Coach Elko. I'm so grateful to each one of them, and I learned different things from each one of them. But, at the end of the day, I don't necessarily even think of it like that. We have to get this program from A to B, and we have to get it done the fastest, most efficient and provide the best opportunity for our players and our staff. That's the mindset that I look through trying to do my job better and better every single day for them. So, we're attacking it day by day.”
On Oklahoma State transfers Rodney Fields Jr. and Wendell Gregory…
“I've been proud of both of them. Rodney is coming off surgery from last season, so he's been more limited. I’m very, very proud of Wendell and how he's attacked the work. He’s obviously extremely talented. He's got a great, great God-given skill set, but I’ve very, very impressed with his motor and how hard he's worked and prepped himself these last three weeks to put that skill set to work. So, I’m excited to see how that goes.”