This K-State assistant will act as head coach if Chris Klieman misses games in 2020
Chris Klieman understands that nothing is guaranteed about the upcoming college football season.
The Kansas State football coach began his weekly news conference on Tuesday by reminding a virtual audience of reporters that “we have to do some things right this week with COVID testing so we can stay on course to play” as the Wildcats prepare for their opening game against Arkansas State on Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
To that end, Klieman has created a number of contingency plans that will allow K-State to continue operating on a normal schedule even if key players or coaches test positive for the coronavirus and are unable to participate on game day, including himself.
So who will replace Klieman as the team’s acting head coach if he is unable to fulfill his usual duties at a K-State football game?
The answer will probably surprise you. Instead of handing his headset over to offensive coordinator Courtney Messingham or defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman, Klieman says cornerbacks coach Van Malone will take over.
“Van would step in for me and run the show, and we wouldn’t miss a beat,” Klieman said. “That is the reality. It doesn’t matter if it is a coach, if it is a player or a graduate assistant. Everyone has great value on gameday. Everybody will have to step up. Knock on wood that doesn’t happen to any of us, but we are aware there is a good chance it could happen to us throughout the season.”
Malone is an interesting choice for K-State’s new backup head coach. But it makes sense considering that Klieman awarded him the title of assistant head coach/passing game coordinator during the offseason. Klieman also said during the spring that he viewed Malone as a future head coach.
A veteran coach with 21 years of experience at the high school and college level, Malone joined K-State’s coaching staff along with Klieman last year. Before that he served as a defensive quality control coach at Mississippi State and defensive coordinator at SMU.
As a player, he starred as a defensive back at Texas and lasted four seasons in the NFL with the Detroit Lions.
Klieman didn’t say which coach would call plays on offense if Messingham is unable to attend a game or two, but quarterbacks coach Collin Klein would seem like a logical choice given his history as a K-State passer and his input with strategy.
On defense, coordinator duties would fall to Buddy Wyatt, Mike Tuiasosospo or Steve Stanard if Klanderman was ruled out of a game. Or perhaps Malone is also considered the backup defensive coordinator this season.
Much like players dealing with injuries and coronavirus absences, they will take a “next man up” approach.
It may not be fun to think about those scenarios, but Klieman has forced himself to do so just in case one of them unfolds.
“We have some contingency plans for every coach,” Klieman said. “Messingham makes a great example. By the time we get to Thursday or Friday, everyone knows the gameplan and we have it detailed out. Here is what we want to call on first down, here is what we want to call on third and medium. A variety of guys could call it. We want Messingham to be able to do it because that is a skill that he has, but we have to be ready for anything.”
This story was originally published September 8, 2020 at 3:32 PM with the headline "This K-State assistant will act as head coach if Chris Klieman misses games in 2020."