Kansas State University Athletics
Signing Day Press Conference Quotes
Dec 19, 2018 | Football
CHRIS KLIEMAN, HEAD COACH
Opening statement…
"Good afternoon. Exciting day for Kansas State football. We have been working extremely hard, and I appreciate everybody's efforts. We have a number of student-athletes that are joining the Wildcat family, and we could not be more thrilled for us and for them and for their families. Thanks to Taylor (Braet) – he is kind of running the show. He was with me and picked me up on Saturday morning with Collin Klein and Blake Seiler in Fargo at 6 a.m., after a couple hours of rest. We hit a bunch of places on Saturday. It was a lot of fun picking their brain and them picking my brain about recruiting. We had a great time and saw a lot of guys. I appreciate their efforts so much in helping me facilitate some of these guys in becoming part of the Wildcat family. Brian Norwood, as well, really helped me with some of these defensive backs that he had a great rapport with. Kelli Krier and Kacey Harper: thanks so much for all the support that you guys gave the recruits and families when they came on their visits.
"That is the challenge right now, me reaching out to all these families. I met a number of families but a lot of them were just on the phone. Gaining trust in myself and my vision with help from all of these guys that Kansas State is a great place, it does not matter who is in the front of the room. The institution is a phenomenal institution. You are going to get a great degree. You are going to play Big 12 football. You are going to compete at the highest level. You are going to have an opportunity to be successful and have an opportunity to compete.
"I am thrilled that we are able to sign 15 guys today. We had nine of them on offense, five of them on defense and one specialist. We have two college transfers coming in, one junior-college transfer and 12 high school guys. Five from Kansas, five from Texas, one from Missouri, one from South Carolina, one from Indiana, one from Georgia and one from Illinois. Make no mistake, we need to win in the states of Kansas and Missouri. We need to win with the Kansas City metro guys. I believe that is something that I can bring to the table with these guys – I have a lot of ties in the Kansas City area. The Kansas City area has phenomenal football. The state of Kansas has great football and the state of Missouri has great football. We really want to own that footprint. We were able to get five guys from Kansas and one from Missouri.
"We still have some work to do in January. We will ultimately have 10 guys on the road once we get to January, busting our tail for Wildcat nation to try to fill the rest of those spots. We could not be more happy with the group that we have signed today. Taylor, Collin and Blake know a lot about these guys, and I know about a number of them. Taylor is going to be the brain trust up here because he is good with developing relationships. We are going to go through the guys, answer questions and take it from there."
On James Gilbert transferring in and what that means to the program…
"Well, he has one year left and we need some leadership and veteran guys in that room. I know that it's depleted. I am familiar with James. I know somebody that is a mentor of his in the Indianapolis area, which is where he is from. He reached out to me and said the young man was looking to transfer and he fit the skill set of what we were looking for as a running back. So when I took over, a week or so ago, I reached out to him and he said he had been looking at a lot of places. He saw our depth chart, I had Taylor (Braet) get in touch with him as well because he knows our depth chart better than I did, and it was a fit. Some of the things that we are going to do offensively, he was able to watch on Friday night especially and say, 'I think I can help, I think I have a skill set that can help and make an immediate impact.' He knows there is going to be competition, but I am excited to add an older kid to the class."
On Jaren Lewis being added to the class…
"I know one thing: we lost a quarterback not long ago in the program. It was really important for me to make sure we had enough quarterbacks. That is the position that you need to have great depth and great competition. When we were down another number there, I asked Collin (Klein) to find the best quarterback. Collin had continued to build relationships with both Chris and Jaren throughout the process – especially in the fall – and it fit another skill set for us. It fit another need for us. I have been a part of programs where, if you lose a guy at the quarterback position and you do not have a backup, it does not matter how good you are in other places, you are going to struggle. I think adding to the quarterback depth and adding to the competition is going to be really healthy. I know that Coach Klein is excited to have more depth and more competition in the room."
On next steps in the recruiting process…
"For me, recruiting is really fluid. We have positional needs everywhere, and we are going to continue to look at the best fit for Kansas State. Whether that is another running back, wide receiver, defensive back or a linebacker, we will have an opportunity to get together in San Antonio at the convention and brainstorm a little bit. Taylor (Braet) will be a big part of that to decide, 'Where do we need to still go? What do we still need to fill there?' Make no mistake, it has to be a fit. It has to be the right kind of guy that will fit our culture and be successful here, not only academically but athletically, as well."
On the focus on the secondary and progress made with this class…
"I know that was an area of need and that was one of things Taylor (Braet) let me know right off the bat, that we need to be able to land some DBs. We will continue to look for defensive backs. We were able to flip William (Jones) last night. Coach Seiler and I were on the phone with him and his dad for quite a while. They loved their visit up here, absolutely loved their visit. They had not met me and had not been around me. I know that is difficult and there is a lot of trust factors involved in recruiting. It is building relationships and that is why Blake (Seiler) was such a big help to me last night. Him sitting there and reiterating some of the things that I was talking to the young man and his family about, that we see that this is genuine. I know that it was important for his family to be able to watch him play, so that probably helped in the decision process, to go from out in the West Coast to play in the Midwest. We hit it off. There are not many defensive head coaches out there anymore, especially somebody that has defensive background, and I think that was a big play for William, as well, to know that I am going to get to know him really well and get a chance to work with him."
On recruiting Jax Dineen despite family ties to KU…
"I have so much respect for the Dineen family – that's tough to do when you have so many legacies at a school. Jax and his father and his mom and his brother all visited North Dakota State in the spring, so they at least were familiar. He never committed to North Dakota State or anything like that, but they were at least familiar with myself. I spent some good time with them, so I already had some rapport with that family. I think they're excited about what we're going to do offensively that will fit their son's skill set."
On having a resource like Taylor Braet to help with the class at the start…
"It was instrumental because he knew everybody, and he would get in contact with these kids and say, 'Coach is calling you,' or get the kid on the phone. Recruiting is about building relationships. That is the number one thing: you have to build relationships. You can have the best facilities, you can the best offense, best defense, but you have to build relationships. When all those young men knew that Taylor was going to stay aboard, they knew a familiar face. They know somebody that they can trust. He kept explaining to the kids some of my visions and beliefs and I think they fit. We could not have done it without him, without question. He has done a great job from the start of this process. These processes start in late January and it is a full year. I know Taylor spent longer than that with some of these kids. That is a sign of somebody that is committed. That is an easy thing for me to keep a guy around, when they work as hard as they do, they love the school they work for and they have great passion. Energy is over the top once in a while, but it is fun and infectious."
On how many players he'd like from the region vs. out of the region…
"I've never had a quota, so to speak. I still want to have the best fit that fits the profile that we're looking for, but if there's a profile of a young man that's in that area as opposed to out-of-region, we should give that kid an opportunity. Those young men in those areas know Kansas State football and the great tradition that is Kansas State football. I'm a firm believer that you play for teams that you've seen growing up, you play for teams that you love, you play for teams that have been a part of your fabric as a young person. We're going to just keep digging into those areas."
On how quickly James Gilbert might contribute…
"Time will tell, and he has an opportunity to compete. I never tell a kid, 'I promise this. I promise that. You are going to play.' I do not believe in that. I promise any young man an opportunity, and if you give a young man an opportunity and that is what you promise them, I think they will come through. If you promise them other things that may be a little bit delusional, then we get too high of expectations for guys. They are smart enough to see the room and see the depth chart. The fact that he can be here in the spring is so valuable to be able to learn the offense, to be able to understand the playbook and be around the coaches. He will have a great opportunity to compete."
On recruits seeing him any different in a K-State jacket vs. a North Dakota State jacket…
"I am sure that they did. I would be naive to say that they did not, but I still think it is about having a rapport with a family and having a rapport with a young man. Being honest with them, having energy with their family and letting that family know that you are going to challenge the heck out of their son, but you are going to love them up, too. That is the fine balance of making sure that those parents and those student-athletes know that it is never going to be easy. If it were easy, everybody would do this. Not every day is going to be a great day, and they have to feel comfortable to knock on my door, Taylor's door or Collin (Klein) and Blake's (Seiler) door and say, 'I need some help. I just need to talk to somebody.' If you can do those two things – challenge the heck out of a young man and let the parents know that you are going to love them – you have a great chance to recruit them."
TAYLOR BRAET, RECRUITING SPECIALIST
On what signing day means to him personally...
"I was just so excited when Coach (Klieman) decided to keep me. Me and my family, I am a third-generation Kansas kid, so this is home, I'll do anything for home. I wear purple everything, purple shoes, purple wedding ring. When Coach gave me the opportunity to keep me here, I took it with all of the pride that I could and go out on the road and see all of these kids, because to me, the kids are what we are going to build this team on and that's how we are going to be successful with recruiting. It starts with recruiting. Now we finally kind of get to do that and coach allowed me to go out and do it, and I was pumped to actually be able to go do it. The first stop I made was to my high school, because it made sense, I got to connect all of the circles. The second was to see my dad at his junior college. Those two feelings right there I couldn't really explain to anybody else, it was just a surreal moment. I have enjoyed it, and I know coach trusts me to go out and get these kids and do this. I am just going to have fun and be me – I don't know how anything else to do than be goofy and have a good time and be relatable to these kids."
On James Gilbert…
"I think with Coach's first call, he called me on that night he got announced and said, 'Remember this name.' I said, 'Okay, I will remember it.' And that was James."
On landing a pair of prospects from Lawrence Free State High School…
"That says a lot. I could really go into more detail, but I probably should not, but I am super excited to have them. They are great players, great kids, come from great families and they want us to be successful. They are Kansas kids that believe in the state and that is a major punctuation mark of 'We have got this going.' I am jacked for that."
On the difficulty of keeping the class together during the coaching search…
"I was just selling the fact that we have a great AD and he is going to find the perfect fit. Obviously, he did. I kept telling the kids that everywhere I went, I said, 'There are going to be changes but at the same time you are not going to change everything.' Selling Gene (Taylor) was easy and I was just telling them, 'Have confidence in us. Just wait for us to make this hire before you (decide). K-State is still going to need you. The need for you is still going to be there.' We are still going to need defensive backs and running backs. These kids are loyal. A lot of kids stick to their word. It got a little shaky at times, of course, but we just kept going and kept attacking these kids. The staff did a good job on the way out, contacting kids and telling them that K-State is a good spot to be at. Coach came in and knocked it out. We were contacting kids and doing everything as soon as he was. He was making calls all the time for me and all of those things. It was nice having that help."
On recruiting Jax Dineen despite family ties to KU…
"I think he wanted to be different. From the start, I built a relationship with his dad a long time ago with Joe. I have been emailing with his dad back and forth probably since his oldest was a junior in high school. The Dineen family is great, but they know what best suits him here, what the offense is going to be and how we are going to run it. He knows that this is the best home for him. And I think he wants to be different. Keenan (Garber) was a good help, too. They are both friends. Now, I think that is four kids from the city of Lawrence that are all here. They are all kind of building a bond. Obviously, the football out in Lawrence has been pretty good, just like Kansas City. If we are winning those areas (Kansas City, Lawrence, Wichita) it is going to be good."
On Chris Herron's ability and if he'll come in and compete at quarterback…
"No doubt. Like Coach (Klieman) said, we're going to build depth and make competition. He's a great athlete, but he's a quarterback, so we're going to give him a shot and let him do it, compete for it. It's going to be a fun room now with these guys and how athletic they are too. We all know how successful K-State has been in the past with quarterbacks that play other positions. I'm not saying that's what he's going to do. He's going to be a quarterback and I'm excited to see him. Collin (Klein) and I were just reevaluating him upstairs again – he's impressive, especially when he runs. He's got a gift with his feet, so there's a lot we'll see with him."
On how fun it was to get out and recruit…
"It was a lot of fun. I'm glad I got that opportunity because once Coach brings in his entire staff, I probably won't be able to do that again. I really went out and just had fun with it."
On positions of need going forward with Coach Klieman's offense…
"Running backs and tight ends. We're going to need more of those in the future. We've got to walk-on great ones, too, at those positions because they're going to have chances to earn scholarships. Those are the two positions I would say and keep recruiting DBs."
On the number of signees they'd like to add in the closing part of the process…
"We've got a number. We're going to go out and get it done. We're going to go out, like Coach (Klieman) said when January comes around, we're going to attack it and finish off this class the right way. Signing 15 today, that was awesome with everything that's gone on. Now with this set in stone and with us putting together a staff, I can't imagine how great next year's going to be."
COLLIN KLEIN, ASSISTANT COACH
On the group of incoming quarterbacks…
"I think both Chris (Herron) and Jaren (Lewis) are extremely talented players. Similar in some ways, both are very, very good athletes, they make plays with their feet, they make plays with their arm off-schedule. Both are accurate. When I went down and saw Chris last spring throw in person, to see how accurate he was, even in fundamental drills. To see that in-person was very impressive and he's got a very strong arm and can make all of the throws that you want. Obviously, he has home run athletic ability on top of that. With Jaren, it's the same thing. He is very athletic, makes plays off schedule, has very good football instincts. So I'm excited. Like Coach (Klieman) said, it's about competition, it's a process for young guys when they come in. So, it's going to be about developing everyone in my room to provide the depth and competition that we need."
On importance of quarterback traits when switching head coaches…
"A lot of the same. My big three are accuracy, leadership and toughness, and I know he (Coach Klieman) is right along that same vein. We need someone that can lead the football team. You know, someone that's tough mentally and physically and make the plays when things are tough. These guys can do that, and I feel like we are locked on what that is."
On his relationship with Jaren Lewis…
"I had him in camp last summer. I got to work with him in person and really liked what he did. Chris (Herron) committed pretty early and at that point we were only going to take one. So, I had him on my list and in my mind in case something would happen. You never know what can happen. When things happen, we had a transfer and wanted to add more depth. He was one of the ones we started to look at."
On new philosophy of recruiting…
"I think time will probably tell. I will probably be able to answer that question a lot better in the spring. Especially after we get more acclimated into the offense and I get more acclimated into the offense and things like that. We're trying to find the best players possible and take whatever best players we have and the best situation that we have and the way that we can make them successful. That's the things that he (Coach Klieman) has said, and his offense has looked a little differently over the last 10 years at different points because of different players and different skill sets. That's good coaching – finding your best players and trying to get the ball in their hands and trying to make them successful. That will kind of be a work in process I think."
On quarterback Skylar Thompson buying in with the coaching change...
"I've been blessed, all my guys in my room have completely bought in from the beginning. Through the ups and the downs of their own injury situations, playing time situations, obviously a coaching change situation, Skylar has been totally true to that because it's a testament to his character and tremendously proud of him for sure."
On excitement of new offense...
"I am very excited. They have done a tremendous job up there (at North Dakota State) and have tweaked their offense to maximize their talent and the players that they have had. I am excited to learn. I know Coach Klieman is a great football coach. He knows football and being able to learn from him and from other people that he gets on the offensive staff, it's an opportunity to learn and grow and be able to be a part of the family here and contribute and try to win."
On visiting recruits with Coach Klieman…
"It was awesome. It was good, I think everything happened fast for us too, trying to maintain the relationships that we had developed over the fall and the out-of-season to build that trust to a level enough that a kid wants to commit and ultimately sign. It was great getting to know him (Coach Klieman) better, because everything happened fast. So just being able to spend some time with him was really good."
BLAKE SEILER, ASSISTANT COACH
On getting William Jones II to commit in the 11th hour…
"Big time. I have to give Coach (Brian) Norwood a lot of credit there because he's had a great relationship with William from the start. It's a big-time advantage with Coach Klieman having defensive experience, defensive back experience. Of course, you just always felt like William and his family – it's a great family, he's a great kid – they needed to play in the Big 12. It's a special time in your life to play college football, and to be able to do that in front of your family every single week, that was the deal breaker.
On closing the recruiting period in a short window with Coach Klieman…
"It was a whirlwind. I give Coach Klieman credit, we picked him up at the airport in Kansas City after winning his semifinal game and we didn't get back into Manhattan until 2 a.m. We went from Fargo to New Orleans and back. He does a great job. It speaks a lot about his work ethic. Going into homes with a head coach at this point of the recruiting process is a big deal. When you're trying to close kids out, that's what you need to do."
On closing the recruiting period in a short window with Coach Klieman…
"I think it speaks volumes about Kansas State – the university, the program, what Coach Snyder built here that draws kids here. I have to give a lot of credit to all our coaches on staff, because in all the uncertainty, nothing changed. It's not just me and Collin (Klein) and Taylor (Braet) and Coach (Klieman) – all those coaches that we worked with kept these guys selling the university. 'Regardless of what happens to us, you've got a great place here, it's a great school, it's a great football program and a great opportunity.'"
On getting a few signees when recruitment came down to the wire…
"It's exciting. You put a lot of time and effort into this. To have the firepower of Coach Klieman – you know he's going to be here for your career. It gives you a lot more firepower than you used to have, and it's a big deal in recruiting."
On what he's personally looking forward to next season…
"I'm looking forward to seeing all the new faces, whether it's coaches, players, maybe new support staff; Coach Klieman implementing his system and his culture. The offseason to me is exciting, because you're going to see how our players respond to Coach Klieman and his program and how he tries to put his mark on the program."
On it being an easy decision to stay at K-State…
"Absolutely. If you cut me with a knife, it comes out purple. We're still working through all the details there, but this is my home, it's my alma mater. K-State's a special place to me."
On Georgia prep linebacker Khalid Duke…
"Khalid is a rangy, athletic guy that is just scratching the surface of what he can be. Not only because of his size and athleticism, but he's got a mindset about him that's hard to find nowadays. I've got to give Jon Fabris a lot of credit there, that was his high school that he coached at. We've been watching Khalid since he was a freshman, a skinny wide receiver, a rangy safety. We just made a decision to find those type of long, rangy athletes and we'll find a place to play Khalid at.
"Anything's possible (about possible position change), but he's done a lot of good things at linebacker and making first team all-district in that district in Georgia speaks a lot about him."
On any changes in recruiting philosophy already…
"It's been a whirlwind for Coach (Klieman), he's trying to win another national title, and I give him all the credit in the world for doing that, not walking out on his team – that says a lot about him. We'll get into all that in the future. Obviously, his offensive system, we have to recruit towards that. Defensively, you're a product of the league you play in. You have to have cover guys, we've got to have pass rushers and we've go-to have guys that can run."
On it being an easy decision to stay at K-State…
"You can tell it right now. We're already talking about not only finishing out this class but getting started right away in January at the convention in San Antonio, talking about the 2020 class. It's a big deal and you have to do it to compete. You're not just starting as juniors with these guys, it starts their freshman year for a lot of them, definitely their sophomore year and you've got to get in the race at that time.
"There's obviously no bigger hitter than the head coach, that's just the way it is. What Coach Snyder did here to build this program into an attractive place, that's why we're all here – let's be straight about that, that's why we're here. But, if you're going to compete against that tier of talent, then that's what you have to have."
Opening statement…
"Good afternoon. Exciting day for Kansas State football. We have been working extremely hard, and I appreciate everybody's efforts. We have a number of student-athletes that are joining the Wildcat family, and we could not be more thrilled for us and for them and for their families. Thanks to Taylor (Braet) – he is kind of running the show. He was with me and picked me up on Saturday morning with Collin Klein and Blake Seiler in Fargo at 6 a.m., after a couple hours of rest. We hit a bunch of places on Saturday. It was a lot of fun picking their brain and them picking my brain about recruiting. We had a great time and saw a lot of guys. I appreciate their efforts so much in helping me facilitate some of these guys in becoming part of the Wildcat family. Brian Norwood, as well, really helped me with some of these defensive backs that he had a great rapport with. Kelli Krier and Kacey Harper: thanks so much for all the support that you guys gave the recruits and families when they came on their visits.
"That is the challenge right now, me reaching out to all these families. I met a number of families but a lot of them were just on the phone. Gaining trust in myself and my vision with help from all of these guys that Kansas State is a great place, it does not matter who is in the front of the room. The institution is a phenomenal institution. You are going to get a great degree. You are going to play Big 12 football. You are going to compete at the highest level. You are going to have an opportunity to be successful and have an opportunity to compete.
"I am thrilled that we are able to sign 15 guys today. We had nine of them on offense, five of them on defense and one specialist. We have two college transfers coming in, one junior-college transfer and 12 high school guys. Five from Kansas, five from Texas, one from Missouri, one from South Carolina, one from Indiana, one from Georgia and one from Illinois. Make no mistake, we need to win in the states of Kansas and Missouri. We need to win with the Kansas City metro guys. I believe that is something that I can bring to the table with these guys – I have a lot of ties in the Kansas City area. The Kansas City area has phenomenal football. The state of Kansas has great football and the state of Missouri has great football. We really want to own that footprint. We were able to get five guys from Kansas and one from Missouri.
"We still have some work to do in January. We will ultimately have 10 guys on the road once we get to January, busting our tail for Wildcat nation to try to fill the rest of those spots. We could not be more happy with the group that we have signed today. Taylor, Collin and Blake know a lot about these guys, and I know about a number of them. Taylor is going to be the brain trust up here because he is good with developing relationships. We are going to go through the guys, answer questions and take it from there."
On James Gilbert transferring in and what that means to the program…
"Well, he has one year left and we need some leadership and veteran guys in that room. I know that it's depleted. I am familiar with James. I know somebody that is a mentor of his in the Indianapolis area, which is where he is from. He reached out to me and said the young man was looking to transfer and he fit the skill set of what we were looking for as a running back. So when I took over, a week or so ago, I reached out to him and he said he had been looking at a lot of places. He saw our depth chart, I had Taylor (Braet) get in touch with him as well because he knows our depth chart better than I did, and it was a fit. Some of the things that we are going to do offensively, he was able to watch on Friday night especially and say, 'I think I can help, I think I have a skill set that can help and make an immediate impact.' He knows there is going to be competition, but I am excited to add an older kid to the class."
On Jaren Lewis being added to the class…
"I know one thing: we lost a quarterback not long ago in the program. It was really important for me to make sure we had enough quarterbacks. That is the position that you need to have great depth and great competition. When we were down another number there, I asked Collin (Klein) to find the best quarterback. Collin had continued to build relationships with both Chris and Jaren throughout the process – especially in the fall – and it fit another skill set for us. It fit another need for us. I have been a part of programs where, if you lose a guy at the quarterback position and you do not have a backup, it does not matter how good you are in other places, you are going to struggle. I think adding to the quarterback depth and adding to the competition is going to be really healthy. I know that Coach Klein is excited to have more depth and more competition in the room."
On next steps in the recruiting process…
"For me, recruiting is really fluid. We have positional needs everywhere, and we are going to continue to look at the best fit for Kansas State. Whether that is another running back, wide receiver, defensive back or a linebacker, we will have an opportunity to get together in San Antonio at the convention and brainstorm a little bit. Taylor (Braet) will be a big part of that to decide, 'Where do we need to still go? What do we still need to fill there?' Make no mistake, it has to be a fit. It has to be the right kind of guy that will fit our culture and be successful here, not only academically but athletically, as well."
On the focus on the secondary and progress made with this class…
"I know that was an area of need and that was one of things Taylor (Braet) let me know right off the bat, that we need to be able to land some DBs. We will continue to look for defensive backs. We were able to flip William (Jones) last night. Coach Seiler and I were on the phone with him and his dad for quite a while. They loved their visit up here, absolutely loved their visit. They had not met me and had not been around me. I know that is difficult and there is a lot of trust factors involved in recruiting. It is building relationships and that is why Blake (Seiler) was such a big help to me last night. Him sitting there and reiterating some of the things that I was talking to the young man and his family about, that we see that this is genuine. I know that it was important for his family to be able to watch him play, so that probably helped in the decision process, to go from out in the West Coast to play in the Midwest. We hit it off. There are not many defensive head coaches out there anymore, especially somebody that has defensive background, and I think that was a big play for William, as well, to know that I am going to get to know him really well and get a chance to work with him."
On recruiting Jax Dineen despite family ties to KU…
"I have so much respect for the Dineen family – that's tough to do when you have so many legacies at a school. Jax and his father and his mom and his brother all visited North Dakota State in the spring, so they at least were familiar. He never committed to North Dakota State or anything like that, but they were at least familiar with myself. I spent some good time with them, so I already had some rapport with that family. I think they're excited about what we're going to do offensively that will fit their son's skill set."
On having a resource like Taylor Braet to help with the class at the start…
"It was instrumental because he knew everybody, and he would get in contact with these kids and say, 'Coach is calling you,' or get the kid on the phone. Recruiting is about building relationships. That is the number one thing: you have to build relationships. You can have the best facilities, you can the best offense, best defense, but you have to build relationships. When all those young men knew that Taylor was going to stay aboard, they knew a familiar face. They know somebody that they can trust. He kept explaining to the kids some of my visions and beliefs and I think they fit. We could not have done it without him, without question. He has done a great job from the start of this process. These processes start in late January and it is a full year. I know Taylor spent longer than that with some of these kids. That is a sign of somebody that is committed. That is an easy thing for me to keep a guy around, when they work as hard as they do, they love the school they work for and they have great passion. Energy is over the top once in a while, but it is fun and infectious."
On how many players he'd like from the region vs. out of the region…
"I've never had a quota, so to speak. I still want to have the best fit that fits the profile that we're looking for, but if there's a profile of a young man that's in that area as opposed to out-of-region, we should give that kid an opportunity. Those young men in those areas know Kansas State football and the great tradition that is Kansas State football. I'm a firm believer that you play for teams that you've seen growing up, you play for teams that you love, you play for teams that have been a part of your fabric as a young person. We're going to just keep digging into those areas."
On how quickly James Gilbert might contribute…
"Time will tell, and he has an opportunity to compete. I never tell a kid, 'I promise this. I promise that. You are going to play.' I do not believe in that. I promise any young man an opportunity, and if you give a young man an opportunity and that is what you promise them, I think they will come through. If you promise them other things that may be a little bit delusional, then we get too high of expectations for guys. They are smart enough to see the room and see the depth chart. The fact that he can be here in the spring is so valuable to be able to learn the offense, to be able to understand the playbook and be around the coaches. He will have a great opportunity to compete."
On recruits seeing him any different in a K-State jacket vs. a North Dakota State jacket…
"I am sure that they did. I would be naive to say that they did not, but I still think it is about having a rapport with a family and having a rapport with a young man. Being honest with them, having energy with their family and letting that family know that you are going to challenge the heck out of their son, but you are going to love them up, too. That is the fine balance of making sure that those parents and those student-athletes know that it is never going to be easy. If it were easy, everybody would do this. Not every day is going to be a great day, and they have to feel comfortable to knock on my door, Taylor's door or Collin (Klein) and Blake's (Seiler) door and say, 'I need some help. I just need to talk to somebody.' If you can do those two things – challenge the heck out of a young man and let the parents know that you are going to love them – you have a great chance to recruit them."
TAYLOR BRAET, RECRUITING SPECIALIST
On what signing day means to him personally...
"I was just so excited when Coach (Klieman) decided to keep me. Me and my family, I am a third-generation Kansas kid, so this is home, I'll do anything for home. I wear purple everything, purple shoes, purple wedding ring. When Coach gave me the opportunity to keep me here, I took it with all of the pride that I could and go out on the road and see all of these kids, because to me, the kids are what we are going to build this team on and that's how we are going to be successful with recruiting. It starts with recruiting. Now we finally kind of get to do that and coach allowed me to go out and do it, and I was pumped to actually be able to go do it. The first stop I made was to my high school, because it made sense, I got to connect all of the circles. The second was to see my dad at his junior college. Those two feelings right there I couldn't really explain to anybody else, it was just a surreal moment. I have enjoyed it, and I know coach trusts me to go out and get these kids and do this. I am just going to have fun and be me – I don't know how anything else to do than be goofy and have a good time and be relatable to these kids."
On James Gilbert…
"I think with Coach's first call, he called me on that night he got announced and said, 'Remember this name.' I said, 'Okay, I will remember it.' And that was James."
On landing a pair of prospects from Lawrence Free State High School…
"That says a lot. I could really go into more detail, but I probably should not, but I am super excited to have them. They are great players, great kids, come from great families and they want us to be successful. They are Kansas kids that believe in the state and that is a major punctuation mark of 'We have got this going.' I am jacked for that."
On the difficulty of keeping the class together during the coaching search…
"I was just selling the fact that we have a great AD and he is going to find the perfect fit. Obviously, he did. I kept telling the kids that everywhere I went, I said, 'There are going to be changes but at the same time you are not going to change everything.' Selling Gene (Taylor) was easy and I was just telling them, 'Have confidence in us. Just wait for us to make this hire before you (decide). K-State is still going to need you. The need for you is still going to be there.' We are still going to need defensive backs and running backs. These kids are loyal. A lot of kids stick to their word. It got a little shaky at times, of course, but we just kept going and kept attacking these kids. The staff did a good job on the way out, contacting kids and telling them that K-State is a good spot to be at. Coach came in and knocked it out. We were contacting kids and doing everything as soon as he was. He was making calls all the time for me and all of those things. It was nice having that help."
On recruiting Jax Dineen despite family ties to KU…
"I think he wanted to be different. From the start, I built a relationship with his dad a long time ago with Joe. I have been emailing with his dad back and forth probably since his oldest was a junior in high school. The Dineen family is great, but they know what best suits him here, what the offense is going to be and how we are going to run it. He knows that this is the best home for him. And I think he wants to be different. Keenan (Garber) was a good help, too. They are both friends. Now, I think that is four kids from the city of Lawrence that are all here. They are all kind of building a bond. Obviously, the football out in Lawrence has been pretty good, just like Kansas City. If we are winning those areas (Kansas City, Lawrence, Wichita) it is going to be good."
On Chris Herron's ability and if he'll come in and compete at quarterback…
"No doubt. Like Coach (Klieman) said, we're going to build depth and make competition. He's a great athlete, but he's a quarterback, so we're going to give him a shot and let him do it, compete for it. It's going to be a fun room now with these guys and how athletic they are too. We all know how successful K-State has been in the past with quarterbacks that play other positions. I'm not saying that's what he's going to do. He's going to be a quarterback and I'm excited to see him. Collin (Klein) and I were just reevaluating him upstairs again – he's impressive, especially when he runs. He's got a gift with his feet, so there's a lot we'll see with him."
On how fun it was to get out and recruit…
"It was a lot of fun. I'm glad I got that opportunity because once Coach brings in his entire staff, I probably won't be able to do that again. I really went out and just had fun with it."
On positions of need going forward with Coach Klieman's offense…
"Running backs and tight ends. We're going to need more of those in the future. We've got to walk-on great ones, too, at those positions because they're going to have chances to earn scholarships. Those are the two positions I would say and keep recruiting DBs."
On the number of signees they'd like to add in the closing part of the process…
"We've got a number. We're going to go out and get it done. We're going to go out, like Coach (Klieman) said when January comes around, we're going to attack it and finish off this class the right way. Signing 15 today, that was awesome with everything that's gone on. Now with this set in stone and with us putting together a staff, I can't imagine how great next year's going to be."
COLLIN KLEIN, ASSISTANT COACH
On the group of incoming quarterbacks…
"I think both Chris (Herron) and Jaren (Lewis) are extremely talented players. Similar in some ways, both are very, very good athletes, they make plays with their feet, they make plays with their arm off-schedule. Both are accurate. When I went down and saw Chris last spring throw in person, to see how accurate he was, even in fundamental drills. To see that in-person was very impressive and he's got a very strong arm and can make all of the throws that you want. Obviously, he has home run athletic ability on top of that. With Jaren, it's the same thing. He is very athletic, makes plays off schedule, has very good football instincts. So I'm excited. Like Coach (Klieman) said, it's about competition, it's a process for young guys when they come in. So, it's going to be about developing everyone in my room to provide the depth and competition that we need."
On importance of quarterback traits when switching head coaches…
"A lot of the same. My big three are accuracy, leadership and toughness, and I know he (Coach Klieman) is right along that same vein. We need someone that can lead the football team. You know, someone that's tough mentally and physically and make the plays when things are tough. These guys can do that, and I feel like we are locked on what that is."
On his relationship with Jaren Lewis…
"I had him in camp last summer. I got to work with him in person and really liked what he did. Chris (Herron) committed pretty early and at that point we were only going to take one. So, I had him on my list and in my mind in case something would happen. You never know what can happen. When things happen, we had a transfer and wanted to add more depth. He was one of the ones we started to look at."
On new philosophy of recruiting…
"I think time will probably tell. I will probably be able to answer that question a lot better in the spring. Especially after we get more acclimated into the offense and I get more acclimated into the offense and things like that. We're trying to find the best players possible and take whatever best players we have and the best situation that we have and the way that we can make them successful. That's the things that he (Coach Klieman) has said, and his offense has looked a little differently over the last 10 years at different points because of different players and different skill sets. That's good coaching – finding your best players and trying to get the ball in their hands and trying to make them successful. That will kind of be a work in process I think."
On quarterback Skylar Thompson buying in with the coaching change...
"I've been blessed, all my guys in my room have completely bought in from the beginning. Through the ups and the downs of their own injury situations, playing time situations, obviously a coaching change situation, Skylar has been totally true to that because it's a testament to his character and tremendously proud of him for sure."
On excitement of new offense...
"I am very excited. They have done a tremendous job up there (at North Dakota State) and have tweaked their offense to maximize their talent and the players that they have had. I am excited to learn. I know Coach Klieman is a great football coach. He knows football and being able to learn from him and from other people that he gets on the offensive staff, it's an opportunity to learn and grow and be able to be a part of the family here and contribute and try to win."
On visiting recruits with Coach Klieman…
"It was awesome. It was good, I think everything happened fast for us too, trying to maintain the relationships that we had developed over the fall and the out-of-season to build that trust to a level enough that a kid wants to commit and ultimately sign. It was great getting to know him (Coach Klieman) better, because everything happened fast. So just being able to spend some time with him was really good."
BLAKE SEILER, ASSISTANT COACH
On getting William Jones II to commit in the 11th hour…
"Big time. I have to give Coach (Brian) Norwood a lot of credit there because he's had a great relationship with William from the start. It's a big-time advantage with Coach Klieman having defensive experience, defensive back experience. Of course, you just always felt like William and his family – it's a great family, he's a great kid – they needed to play in the Big 12. It's a special time in your life to play college football, and to be able to do that in front of your family every single week, that was the deal breaker.
On closing the recruiting period in a short window with Coach Klieman…
"It was a whirlwind. I give Coach Klieman credit, we picked him up at the airport in Kansas City after winning his semifinal game and we didn't get back into Manhattan until 2 a.m. We went from Fargo to New Orleans and back. He does a great job. It speaks a lot about his work ethic. Going into homes with a head coach at this point of the recruiting process is a big deal. When you're trying to close kids out, that's what you need to do."
On closing the recruiting period in a short window with Coach Klieman…
"I think it speaks volumes about Kansas State – the university, the program, what Coach Snyder built here that draws kids here. I have to give a lot of credit to all our coaches on staff, because in all the uncertainty, nothing changed. It's not just me and Collin (Klein) and Taylor (Braet) and Coach (Klieman) – all those coaches that we worked with kept these guys selling the university. 'Regardless of what happens to us, you've got a great place here, it's a great school, it's a great football program and a great opportunity.'"
On getting a few signees when recruitment came down to the wire…
"It's exciting. You put a lot of time and effort into this. To have the firepower of Coach Klieman – you know he's going to be here for your career. It gives you a lot more firepower than you used to have, and it's a big deal in recruiting."
On what he's personally looking forward to next season…
"I'm looking forward to seeing all the new faces, whether it's coaches, players, maybe new support staff; Coach Klieman implementing his system and his culture. The offseason to me is exciting, because you're going to see how our players respond to Coach Klieman and his program and how he tries to put his mark on the program."
On it being an easy decision to stay at K-State…
"Absolutely. If you cut me with a knife, it comes out purple. We're still working through all the details there, but this is my home, it's my alma mater. K-State's a special place to me."
On Georgia prep linebacker Khalid Duke…
"Khalid is a rangy, athletic guy that is just scratching the surface of what he can be. Not only because of his size and athleticism, but he's got a mindset about him that's hard to find nowadays. I've got to give Jon Fabris a lot of credit there, that was his high school that he coached at. We've been watching Khalid since he was a freshman, a skinny wide receiver, a rangy safety. We just made a decision to find those type of long, rangy athletes and we'll find a place to play Khalid at.
"Anything's possible (about possible position change), but he's done a lot of good things at linebacker and making first team all-district in that district in Georgia speaks a lot about him."
On any changes in recruiting philosophy already…
"It's been a whirlwind for Coach (Klieman), he's trying to win another national title, and I give him all the credit in the world for doing that, not walking out on his team – that says a lot about him. We'll get into all that in the future. Obviously, his offensive system, we have to recruit towards that. Defensively, you're a product of the league you play in. You have to have cover guys, we've got to have pass rushers and we've go-to have guys that can run."
On it being an easy decision to stay at K-State…
"You can tell it right now. We're already talking about not only finishing out this class but getting started right away in January at the convention in San Antonio, talking about the 2020 class. It's a big deal and you have to do it to compete. You're not just starting as juniors with these guys, it starts their freshman year for a lot of them, definitely their sophomore year and you've got to get in the race at that time.
"There's obviously no bigger hitter than the head coach, that's just the way it is. What Coach Snyder did here to build this program into an attractive place, that's why we're all here – let's be straight about that, that's why we're here. But, if you're going to compete against that tier of talent, then that's what you have to have."
Players Mentioned
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/ FootballGAME REPLAY | FB vs Texas Tech
Tuesday, November 04
K-State FB | Klieman Postgame Presser vs Texas Tech
Saturday, November 01
K-State Football | Postgame Highlights vs Texas Tech
Saturday, November 01
K-State FB | Pregame Hype vs Texas Tech
Friday, October 31