Changes could be on horizon for Chris Klieman’s Kansas State football coaching staff
Chris Klieman has mostly avoided turnover since he assembled his original coaching staff at Kansas State three years ago. Nine assistants from that group are still working for the Wildcats today, and all nine of them have received pay raises.
But continuity might be hard to come by between now and the 2022 football season.
The proverbial coaching carousel is spinning faster than ever at the moment. We have already seen 23 head-coaching jobs open this cycle. With unprecedented movement taking place, the odds of any team retaining its entire coaching staff seem low.
Furthermore, there is little contractually attaching K-State’s assistants to Manhattan beyond Feb. 28, 2022, when all of their current deals are set to expire.
Klieman will likely arrange new deals for many of them, but it will be interesting to see if any of his assistants explore new opportunities or aren’t given the option to return.
Any assistant who chooses to leave before January will owe K-State two months of his yearly salary as a buyout, according to a copy of their contracts. Any assistant terminated by K-State would be owed the remainder of his contract’s value.
Strength and conditioning coach Trumain Carroll has a contract that pays him a salary of $325,000 and runs through 2024. But K-State’s 10 on-field assistant coaches will all need new deals within the next few months to continue coaching for the Wildcats next season.
They each received pay increases following an 8-5 season in 2019, and had one year added to their original two-year contracts.
That could make for some interesting decisions before or after K-State plays in a bowl game.
Will any of K-State’s assistants entertain other offers? Will Klieman make fans happy by bringing some new coaching blood to the offense?
Klieman has lost a few coaches during his time in Manhattan. His original defensive coordinator, Ted Monachino, left after only a few days on the job to take a position with the Chicago Bears. His replacement, Scottie Hazelton, left after one season for a big pay day at Michigan State. Blake Seiler left for West Virginia before he coached his first game under Klieman.
Central Florida also hired strength and conditioning coach Chris Dawson last year.
Klieman hasn’t fired any of his coaches, but he may be more willing to part ways with one or two under-performing assistants if it means simply letting their contracts expire.
K-State’s coaching staff has been defined mostly by continuity under Klieman. But don’t be surprised if that changes over the next few weeks.
K-State coaching salaries
Chris Klieman (head coach): $3.1 million
Courtney Messingham (offensive coordinator): $625,000
Conor Riley (offensive line): $425,000
Joe Klanderman (defensive coordinator): $375,000
Steve Stanard (linebackers): $340,000
Van Malone (cornerbacks): $325,000
Brian Anderson (running backs): $325,000
Collin Klein (quarterbacks): $325,000
Trumain Carroll (strength and conditioning): $325,000
Jason Ray (tight ends, fullbacks): $325,000
Buddy Wyatt (defensive ends): $300,000
Mike Tuiasosopo (defensive tackles): $297,000
This story was originally published December 1, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Changes could be on horizon for Chris Klieman’s Kansas State football coaching staff."