Why K-State running back Joe Jackson expects ‘way bigger’ year with Collin Klein
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Joe Jackson returned to K‑State to pursue unfinished business with Collin Klein.
- Jackson aims to build on 911 yards and eight TDs in Klein’s run‑friendly offense.
- Jackson aims to refine patience, vision and leadership to expand production.
Kansas State running back Joe Jackson didn’t have to make a pros-and-cons list when it came time to decide on his college football future.
He knew he wanted to return for another season almost immediately after K-State’s 2025 campaign came to an end.
“It was pretty easy with what I knew about Kansas State, having been in the program already and being familiar with the people here,” Jackson said after a spring practice Thursday. “We still had a lot of unfinished business, so it wasn’t that tough of a decision, especially when we knew Coach Klein was coming back.”
Playing for new K-State head coach Collin Klein was a major selling point for Jackson, even though he put up stats like an all-conference rusher at the end of his sophomore season while playing for Chris Klieman.
Jackson rushed for 911 yards and eight touchdowns last year, but the bulk of that production came in K-State’s final two games. He sprinted for a program-record 293 yards and three scores against Utah and then followed that up with 142 yards and three more scores against Colorado.
A coaching change may have caused some running backs to enter the transfer portal. Not Jackson. He played for Klein as a freshman when Klein was the offensive coordinator at K-State. Reuniting with him was a huge reason for Jackson to stay.
“The first thing I told him was, ‘Let’s finish what we started,’” Jackson said. “He recruited me and most of the 2023 class on the offensive side of the ball. He recruited all of us. He was here our freshmen year. Once we knew he was coming back, I just thought we have got a lot of unfinished business.”
It will be fascinating to see what Jackson can do in Klein’s offense.
Last week, Klein said he is trying to create a system that will bring out the best version of every running back on the K-State roster.
“It’s probably as good an offense to play running back as there is in the country,” Klein said. “We’re going to be able to threaten people at the point of attack and run the ball effectively, and we’re going to get them in one-on-one matchups in the secondary. They are going to have a lot of space to do something with when they get the ball in their hands.”
Jackson is hopeful to pick up where he left off last season.
The 6-foot and 212-pound running back from Haines City, Florida, got off to a quiet start as a sophomore, but he was a big reason why the Wildcats were able to win four of their final six games and finish with a 6-6 record.
“I feel like I can build off of it,” Jackson said.
He already knows how he can be a more complete player.
“People may not see the little small things in there that I have got to fix,” Jackson said. “It was a lot of small things that could have made things go way bigger, like me being more patient with things, me seeing things different ways, me trusting myself, me trusting the guys up front, me not trying to rush different things like that, making different guys miss and understanding the scheme more.”
Jackson is also trying to become a vocal leader, even though he describes himself as an introvert.
Now that he is back for his fourth straight season at K-State, he is willing to do whatever it takes to finish strong.
This story was originally published April 3, 2026 at 5:30 AM with the headline "Why K-State running back Joe Jackson expects ‘way bigger’ year with Collin Klein."