Future appears bright for Chris Klieman as K-State downs ISU in regular season-finale
Chris Klieman’s first season as Kansas State football coach isn’t over, but it’s already a success.
The Wildcats were expected to win a handful of games and then went 8-4, with a 5-4 conference record. They were also picked ninth in the preseason Big 12 poll and then tied for third in the final standings, their best finish since 2014.
They were even home underdogs against Iowa State and found a way to prevail 27-17 on a cold and windy night on Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
Much like the entire regular season, it was far from a perfect effort. But it was impressive all the same, as well as a fitting way for K-State to enter bowl season.
“There’s nothing I’m not proud of,” Klieman said afterward. “Our backs were against the wall before the season started. Not very many people thought an awful lot of this football team, except for the guys in the room.”
It’s certainly been a wild ride for the Wildcats. They turned some heads with a 3-0 start that included a road win against Mississippi State, but doubters returned when they opened Big 12 play with a pair of losses. Then they beat TCU, Oklahoma and Kansas to climb to No. 16 in the playoff rankings. Another pair of losses derailed that momentum, but here they are back on a winning streak.
Klieman told his players to “block out the outside noise” every step of the way, and they did exactly that.
“It’s just us in our room,” Klieman said. “Let’s just focus on the guys that you’re with, on your brothers on a daily basis. I had belief in these guys. They had belief in each other. They just had to believe in themselves.”
K-State proved how far it has come during a short time under Klieman on Saturday. At this time last year, the Wildcats lost a heartbreaking game against the Cyclones and missed out on a bowl with only five victories.
Longtime coach Bill Snyder retired a week later and Klieman was pegged as his replacement.
No one knew how Klieman would perform in Manhattan, as he was moving up to the power-conference level for the first time after years of success at FCS powerhouse North Dakota State. But the first-year results have been impressive.
He is the only new coach in the Big 12 to reach bowl eligibility, and he is arguably the nation’s best new hire behind Ryan Day at Ohio State.
Best of all, the future seems bright.
He’s not just winning big with a senior-laden group of players that Snyder recruited. He has turned to several young players, including true freshmen, to win games.
Two of them made huge plays against the Cyclones.
Joshua Youngblood, a freshman receiver, returned the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown to set the tone for the remainder of the game. It was his third touchdown on special teams. Later, freshman running back Jacardia Wright rumbled for 60 yards and a touchdown.
“It just shows that we have a great foundation,” Youngblood said.
“I feel like it is very special,” Wright said. “We all know that. Hopefully our freshmen can continue to do things over the next couple years.”
“The young kids have already got it going,” senior defensive end Reggie Walker said. “I can’t wait to see the future of K-State football.”
There is still plenty left for Klieman to prove. His first season in Manhattan is about recruiting as much as it is on-field results. Plenty of coaches have started strong and faded. He will need to build off his initial success to achieve staying power.
One of the first things he told K-State players when he arrived on campus was that he expects to compete for championships, not just six wins and a bowl invitation.
The Wildcats fell short of that goal. Still, they’re off to an encouraging start.
“There are great things to come,” junior quarterback Skylar Thompson said. “We just have to continue to build off this and use it as a stepping stone. I just hope people take notice to the type of coach we have in this program. He is very special, and he is going to do great things here. I’m fortunate to be a kickoff to all of it and be his quarterback.”
This story was originally published December 1, 2019 at 12:43 AM with the headline "Future appears bright for Chris Klieman as K-State downs ISU in regular season-finale."