MANHATTAN, Kan. ? Chris Klieman was running a football practice at North Dakota State on Monday when Gene Taylor called to offer him an opportunity he has been waiting for his entire professional life.
?How would you like to be the next head football coach at Kansas State University?? Taylor asked from his office at K-State.
Klieman responded with the type of answer that might become his catchphrase if he is successful in Manhattan.
?I would be so jacked,? Klieman said, ?to be the next football coach at Kansas State. I would be so thrilled to be that.?
It took little more than a week for Taylor, K-State?s athletic director, to settle on his choice for a football coach to replace Bill Snyder, who retired after a legendary 27-year run eight days ago.
Klieman, who has spent the past five seasons in charge at North Dakota State, will soon be on his way to Manhattan. He agreed to a six-year contract with a starting base salary of $2.3 million that will increase by $200,000 each year. He will be formally introduced to K-State fans at a news conference at noon Wednesday.
?I?m very excited to have Chris Klieman lead our program,? Taylor said. ?He is a perfect fit for us, both from a personal standpoint and as a head coach. He?s a tremendous teacher who I had the pleasure to hire at NDSU and watched him turn into a very successful coach. He will bring a ton of energy and excitement.?
Klieman, pronounced KLY-men, will take over the Wildcats after an incredibly successful stint with the Bison, where he guided them to a 67-6 record and three FCS national championships. His team recently defeated Colgate 35-0 to advance to the semifinal round of the FCS playoffs. He will continue coaching at North Dakota State until its season is complete.
He was thought to be a leading contender for the K-State opening from the beginning, based on his shared history with Taylor.
When Taylor was the athletic director at North Dakota State, he promoted Klieman from defensive coordinator to head coach after Craig Bohl left for Wyoming. Klieman took over a FCS juggernaut good enough to beat K-State in 2013 and has since made it even better.
North Dakota State is viewed as the nation?s premier FCS team, producing NFL stars like Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz.
Taylor and Klieman will now try to recreate that success together in Manhattan at the FBS level.
One thing is for sure: Klieman won?t lack motivation.
?It?s a dream of mine to be a Power Five head football coach and I get to do it at an institution like Kansas State, a land grant institution,? Klieman said. ?I am excited about leading that program. We are going to win and we are going to do it the right way.?
K-State may first have to sell Klieman to some of its fans, though. Many of them turned to social media and message boards to voice their displeasure over the prospect of hiring a FCS coach last week.
