Kansas State football offensive coordinator Collin Klein to stay with Wildcats, not Notre Dame
Collin Klein is still a Wildcat.
Klein, Kansas State's first-year offensive coordinator, reportedly has turned down a lucrative offer to take a similar position at Notre Dame and will remain on Chris Klieman's staff.
Football Scoop, which covers college football comings and goings, reported Thursday that Klein was in South Bend, Indiana, on Wednesday and Thursday, interviewing for the job with Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman. Numerous reports have indicated that the job was his for the taking, but ultimately he chose to remain in Manhattan.
Heather Dinich, a college football reporter for ESPN, first reported Friday morning that Klein was no longer a candidate to replace Tommy Rees, who recently left Notre Dame to become offensive coordinator at Alabama.
More:Kansas State football loses wide receivers coach Thad Ward to Illinois
More:Four Kansas State football players invited to NFL Scouting Combine
Klein, a former K-State quarterback and a Heisman Trophy finalist after leading the Wildcats to a Big 12 championship in 2012, has spent most of his coaching career at his alma mater. He started as a graduate assistant under former coach Bill Snyder, and after coaching quarterbacks at Northern Iowa in 2016, returned the following year to lead the Wildcats' quarterbacks.
Klein was the only full-time assistant to remain on staff when Klieman took over following Snyder's retirement in 2018. When offensive coordinator Courtney Messingham was fired at the end of the 2021 regular season, Klein took over the offense on an interim basis for the Texas Bowl.
K-State beat LSU 42-20 in the Texas Bowl, and shortly after Klieman took the interim tag off Klein's title. His first season as the Wildcats' play caller was a resounding success, with K-State going 10-4, beating TCU in the Big 12 championship game and taking on Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.
K-State's offense flourished, averaging 418.8 yards and 32.3 points per game. Junior quarterback Will Howard, who took over for injured starter Adrian Martinez midway through the season, emerged as a future star.
Klein no doubt could have greatly increased his $600,000 annual salary by taking the Notre Dame job, but the comfortable family surroundings of Manhattan won out. His wife, the former Shalin Spani, played basketball at K-State.
Klieman, Klein and the rest of the coaching staff should be in line for substantial raises after their 2022 success.
Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State football offensive coordinator Collin Klein to stay put
