Notre Dame offensive coordinator candidate: Collin Klein
Notre Dame has a vacancy at offensive coordinator after Tommy Rees took the same position on Nick Saban’s Alabama staff in early February. Where will Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame turn for their new offensive coordinator?
Here at Fighting Irish Wire, we are giving you a bio and career summary of some of the coaches that emerge as candidates. We’re also making an effort for some guest contributors who have either followed or covered each potential candidate’s coaching careers.
The latest candidate to emerge is Kansas State offensive coordinator Collin Klein. For those unfamiliar, his story sounds a lot like one we just heard a week ago at Notre Dame. Here’s what to know and a few of the things you have to like about the former Heisman Trophy finalist.
Success Despite Being Short-handed
Will Howard filled in admirably for Adrian Martinez, helping the Wildcats to a Big 12 Championship. Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Adrian Martinez transferred from Nebraska and helped Kansas State get off to a fast start that included an upset victory at then top-10 Oklahoma. Martinez was hurt in the October meeting against TCU, however, and played the majority of just one game the rest of the season, a loss at Texas.
Despite this, Will Howard filled in admirably for Kansas State. It averaged 41 points per game in the five games that followed Martinez’s exit, all against Big 12 opponents. The Wildcats went 5-0 in those contests, including a 31-28 overtime win against TCU to win the Big 12 championship.
Dominant Running Game
Running back Deuce Vaughn and his 1,936 scrimmage yards were a huge reason for Kansas State’s offensive success in 2022. Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
If you remember Collin Klein as a player, it wasn’t his ability to throw that scared opponents. He threw 30 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in his two years as a starting quarterback, but he rushed for 2,061 yards and 50 touchdowns those two years.
I know you just went back to re-read that to confirm what you read. No, that isn’t a misprint.
The 2022 Kansas State offense was run-first. It threw 42.5% of downs, which ranked 110th among the 131 Football Bowl Subdivision teams. Despite the lack of a major passing attack, the running game was so good it helped Kansas State finish the year ranked 28th in scoring, 23rd in average points per play and 30th in yards per play nationally.
Disciplined Offense
USA TODAY SPORTS
One thing you can certainly say about Kansas State’s offense in 2022 was it didn’t beat itself. It averaged less than a single turnover a game (0.9) and was outstanding in the red zone (90% scoring percentage). It goes without saying but I’ll say it anyway, it’s a heckuva lot easier to score when you’re not giving the ball away. Notre Dame’s 1.4 giveaways per game last year was 57th-best nationally. What is the final record for the Irish if that turnover number is cut in half and compares to Kansas State’s?
Heisman Finalist as a Player
Collin Klein, Johnny Manziel, and Manti Te’o at the 2012 Heisman Trophy ceremony in New York. Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
As noted above, Klein was a force of a player at Kansas State. As a two-year starter, he led the Wildcats to a 21-5 record. As stated above, he was more of a threat to run than to pass but made his skills work to the fullest as he helped Kansas State to the No. 1 ranking in the BCS standings in early November of 2012.
Klein was invited to New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist that year as the award ultimately went to Johnny Manziel — not that it should have. Klein went undrafted. Though he was invited to a rookie camp in 2013 with the Houston Texans, he wasn’t offered a contract.
Verdict:
Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports
Change the uniform colors and switch out a couple of logos and this feels a lot like what Notre Dame fans went through a week ago, doesn’t it? Klein has been a mainstay at his alma mater, playing four years there and coaching another eight. He clearly has done well for himself but it’s not like he’s had same kind of talent to work with that Notre Dame has successfully recruited offensively.
Wow, this really does sound familiar, doesn’t it?
After researching him a bit deeper than just having a Kansas State game on a TV during a fall Saturday, it’s clear Klein has a lot to offer. He clearly doesn’t have a resume as long as Andy Ludwig, and his numbers don’t immediately jump out like those of Sean Lewis.
Not that you make the offensive coordinator hire based on Sam Hartman, but for a second look at Klein through his eyes. Hartman came to Notre Dame to run a high powered offense with an NFL style. Now I don’t care whether the style of play matches the NFL product. Lou Holtz’s offenses never did, and he fared rather well under Touchdown Jesus. But does Klein’s small sample size speak to a guy that could direct Notre Dame’s offense to national championship level?
I’d love to be a fly on the wall to hear those conversations because he clearly has a plan for how he’d attack this role.
