K-State's Season Is Becoming a Test of Collin Klein's Leadership

K-State was 3-0 and appeared on its way to a special season, but two consecutive losses to start Big 12 play have put Collin Klein in a challenging spot.

Kansas State Wildcats head coach Collin Klein runs off the field following the game against Houston Cougars inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kansas, on Oct. 10, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

K-State entered the season with a ton of optimism and belief that Collin Klein could lead the Wildcats into a special era in Manhattan.

While that is still possible, the first-year coach is now facing a challenge that goes beyond specific schemes or preparing for the next opponent. He must show that he can lead the WIldcats through adversity.

For K-State, the early portion of the season had people extremely excited, but the Wildcas have been unable to carry any of that momentum into Big 12 play. Weaknesses that the Wildcats were able to overcome in the non-conference have now stood out in a huge way in the first two Big 12 games.

The challenge facing Klein and his staff isn't about what went wrong in one game. For the first time since being named the coach at K-State, Klein's team was booed in their own stadium. This is the first real adversity Klein has experienced as a head coach, and how the team responds the rest of the year has now become the most important thing to watch in 2026.

Adversity comes with building a program

For every Bob Chesney at UCLA or Will Stein at Kentucky, there are 20 coaches in their first year who experience a roller coaster. They are the outlier, and more often than not, there will be struggles in year one.

From the moment he became the head coach, Klein has put an emphasis on discipline, preparation, and execution. Throughout the last two games, there have been issues in all three categories. From the offense not being on the same page to defensive breakdowns at all three levels to big penalties, the Wildcats have not been playing clean football.

It is not realistic to expect the Wildcats to play perfect football. However, there have to be signs of improvement, and they shouldn't have the same issues every single week.

Keeping the locker room together

It is easy to have a great culture when you're winning games, but the real challenge is what happens when the team loses. The Wildcats are on a two-game losing streak, and how the locker room responds is going to be the biggest key to salvaging this season.

Running back Joe Jackson was asked after the game about what he is saying to his teammates, and he said the team has to stay together.

"The message to the guys was we just got to stay together," Jackson said. "I've seen this team break many times when stuff like this starts to happen. So, just a message to them, just to keep everybody just staying together, please. I just ask everybody to please stay togehter because it's gonna get better later. We still got a whole season out in front of us. No reason to drop our heads or complain or moan and just divide. We can't. We can't have that happen."

That quote there is a little worrisome, as Jackson is saying that it has been an issue in the past. For Jackson and other K-State players who have experienced that, it is imperative that they use their voices in their locker room the keep the team together.

Next week is the first step for Klein

After losing two games in a row, you have to find the resolve to bounce back. For the Wildcats, having your in-state rival be the next opponent is definitely a good thing. The Wildcats have won every matchup since 2008, and there is an understanding in the locker room how important this game is.

KU enters this game 2-3, but the Jayhawks showed a lot of fight in the loss at Utah. The Jayhawks were right there for over three quarters, and will present challenges for the Wildcats.

The Jayhawks do a ton of pre-snap movement offense, causing the defense to have to communicate. Too often last week, there were major communication issues that led to wide-open Houston receivers. They have also been solid on defense and have some defensive linemen that could really challenge the tackles.

As Jackson said, there is still a lot of season left. For Klein, this game provides him with an opportunity that he can galvanize a team when adversity strikes.

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