Inside Collin Klein’s Bold Plan to Uphold Bill Snyder’s Legendary Kansas State Legacy

The atmosphere inside Morgan Family Arena was electric as anticipation filled the air, waiting for the moment Collin Klein stepped up to accept the reins as Kansas State’s head football coach. It wasn’t just a coaching hire—it was a homecoming steeped in tradition and reverence. When the legendary Bill Snyder—the man who shaped the very fabric of K-State football for nearly three decades—entered the room, the energy surged to a pinnacle. Snyder’s presence wasn’t just symbolic; it was a powerful reminder of the foundation upon which Klein now stands and the legacy he aims to carry forward. Through heartfelt emotion and a deep-rooted respect, Klein acknowledged the towering influence of his former coach, promising to uphold the values of discipline, toughness, and accountability that define Wildcat football. This isn’t merely a new chapter; it’s a continuation of a storied journey built on grit and a relentless pursuit of excellence—a journey Klein knows intimately and is ready to lead. LEARN MORE

MANHATTAN — Patiently waiting for Collin Klein to be introduced as Kansas State’s next head football coach, the crowd inside Morgan Family Arena suddenly stood on its feet in applause.

Royalty had just entered the room.

The iconic Bill Snyder had just arrived to see his former quarterback take over the position that he held for 27 years. He blew a kiss to the crowd and sat down to watch the Jumbotron that was showing the final minutes of their 2012 Big 12 championship-clinching win over Texas. He wore a sweet smile.

During Klein’s opening statement after being named Kansas State‘s head coach, he tried to speak about his former coach, but stopped for a moment to collect himself.

“Coach Snyder… Thank you for creating the Powercat the year I was born,” Klein said.

Snyder’s presence at the event was felt, as it is in every room he walks into in a city where his name is plastered everywhere. On the building next door, the giant screens at Bill Snyder Family Stadium featured Klein being welcomed back to The Little Apple.

Synder didn’t recruit Klein to Kansas State. Ron Prince earns the credit for that, but he was fired, and Snyder returned to the program. The man responsible for the Manhattan Miracle then saw something special in Klein years ago, making him the team’s full-time starting quarterback in 2011 and 2012, and brought him back as an assistant coach in 2017.

On Friday, Klein, who briefly FaceTimed Snyder earlier in the week, thanked Snyder for the program that he built.

“Thank you for establishing the foundation and a legacy of serving people, players, staff, faculty, community and for using the Kansas State football program as a vehicle to impact lives for the better,” Klein said. “I just can’t thank you enough for when I didn’t know what my journey was going to look like, and then you came back. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Klein spoke of the characteristics that Snyder built the program upon. Challenging the athlete makes them mentally tough, a trait that needs to be bred into every K-State football player. Physicality comes from them being challenged, which tends to be why Kansas State is a tough outing late in the season, because it’s tougher. No shortcuts are taken.

“Coach Snyder had the ability to build a culture from the ground up,” Klein said. “The discipline, the accountability, the work ethic, the toughness… I think it’s the foundation for every successful program that has ever been.”

It’s the foundation that Klein fell in love with, and what he intends to continue as the team’s coach.

Klein believes those ways can still work in this era of college football.

“I don’t think kids are any different now; I really don’t,” Klein said. “I think players respond to being challenged when you know what you’re talking about and you can provide value to them and better them across that developmental journey. If they don’t? Fine. But we’re going to attract those types of guys that have that mindset and that desire to be really, really good football-minded guys.”

Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_, contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at [email protected]

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State coach Collin Klein hopes to honor Bill Snyder’s legacy