Johnson Relishes Opportunity to Return Home
Feb 27, 2026 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Jeremiah Johnson is one of the members of what has been dubbed the "frat house." It's a five-bedroom home located minutes from Bill Snyder Family Stadium that currently houses five members of the Kansas State football coaching staff, as they wait for their families to arrive and set up their own homes in the Little Apple.
The frat house. No mischief. Just eat. And sleep. And shower. And dress. And back to the office.
"It's not like we do anything crazy over there," Johnson said. "We're just five dudes who sleep in the same place."
It's been nearly two months since Johnson, a native of Scandia, Kansas, arrived in Manhattan. Johnson served as defensive coordinator and interim head coach at Coastal Carolina, and about 24 hours after coaching Coastal Carolina in the Independence Bowl, Johnson was off to Manhattan on December 31. His first day at the Vanier Family Football Complex began January 1 shortly after daybreak. There were many people to meet and tons of film of prospective players to evaluate from the transfer portal.
On Johnson's first day on the job, he studied film for 12 hours.
It marked the beginning of an exciting journey wearing the Powercat.
"It's an unbelievable opportunity for me," Johnson said. "I grew up about 90 minutes from here. Collin is a winner. The way that he carries himself is different from a lot of people. He has a quiet confidence about him that's infectious and that's hard to explain, but he's really easy to follow."
Klein and Johnson have maintained a relationship that has spanned since both coaches shared the same press box at Northern Iowa in 2016. Johnson served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, and Klein served as quarterbacks coach.
"It's a small little office up there in the press box, but we got along really good way back in those days and we stayed in touch over the last few years and became really good friends," Johnson said. "When Collin called, it was one of those opportunities that we just felt like we couldn't say no to."
The history runs thick between Johnson, Klein and former K-State head coach Chris Klieman.
"Coach Klieman was in my wedding," Johnson said. "I've known Coach Klieman since 1998 so we're very close, and I've known Joe Klanderman for a while. Before that, I knew Blake Seiler. I recruited in Kansas for so long that I used to come into this building even before Coach Klieman was head coach and clinic with guys. I've been pretty familiar with Kansas State football for a long time and I'm pretty excited to have this logo on my shirt."
Armed with a 24-year coaching career, including 13 years as a coordinator, Johnson is back in the Sunflower State. After stints at Wyoming, Loras College, Northern Iowa, Kent State, Louisiana Tech and Coastal Carolina, Johnson said that it took him 12 seconds to accept Klein's offer to serve as defensive backs coach — more specifically, coaching the safeties — for a Wildcats' defense eager to infuse some old-school juice into a new-age unit that could be a nightmare for opposing offenses in the fall.
Fans can expect plenty of old-school K-State defensive violence.
"It has to be violent," Johnson said.
Johnson remembers the two-hour drives southeast to Manhattan for summer coaching clinics at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. A 2000 graduate of the University of Kansas, Johnson remembers the Wildcats' old-school defenses in the 1990s and early 2000s.
"If we want to be good at football, as a team, a defense has to be violent," Johnson said. "With the guys that we have assembled here both previously and the guys that we just brought in, we have pieces that this defense can be violent, and they can play really fast and they can play aggressive football. I'm excited about it. Coach Jordan Peterson, the defensive coordinator, is excited about it.
"We can be pretty good defensively."
Johnson's comments echo his sentiments during his first interview with a reporter at K-State in January.
"When I think of K-State, I think of winning, Powercat, toughness and physicality," he said. "When I was really young, Kansas State wasn't great. When Coach Snyder got here, everything changed, and he completely flipped everything about what America thought about Kansas State football. Since then, the narrative has been that you expect Kansas State to win, and you know they're going to be physical and disciplined, and that's really what we're going to do. That's not going to change."
One thing that will change? How the defense might look on the field. K-State defensive coordinator Jordan Peterson, who comes off two seasons as co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Texas A&M, has stated his desire to build multiplicity within the Wildcats' defense — a quest that somewhat began with coaches comparing blueprints from different programs across the country.
"We've sat in the room and have watched Oregon, Air Force, Coastal Carolina, Texas A&M, and I mean, there's a lot of stuff that we've talked about as a staff," Johnson said. "It is going to be multiple, unique, exciting for the fans to watch, and it'll be good for our kids. When you can be multiple, it allows kids with different skillsets to have roles. That should be exciting for a lot of different kids because we'll be able to find ways to use their skill set.
"Anytime you can keep an offense off balance, it gives you a chance. The offenses now a days are so good that if they know what you're in or they can get you into something that they want you in, they have a chance to beat you. If we can keep them guessing, we're going to have a chance to win every down. That's the goal — to win every snap."
Last season, Johnson guided a Coastal Carolina defense that ranked 13th nationally in fourth-down defense (40.0%) and sixth in fumble recoveries (11). In 2024, Johnson coached Louisiana Tech's defense to rank 12th nationally in total defense (308.4) — a 98-spot improvement over 2023. His scoring defense ranked 26th (21.0) — a 91-place improvement over 2022. His rushing defense ranked 44th (135.5) — an 88-place bump.
The achievements roll on.
"The defense we inherited at Louisiana Tech was ranked No. 130 in the country and we took them to 12th in the country in one season," Johnson said. "We had really, really good coaches on that staff and tremendous players and they all bought into what we were doing from a culture aspect, and it was a phenomenal experience. We were very proud of that group."
Upon his hiring, Klein lauded Johnson's work ethic and he called Johnson a "relentless recruiter."
"The biggest thing with recruiting is you have to have a work ethic," Johnson said. "That's the key with recruiting is you have to work. I've recruited Kansas City since 2007 and when I was at Northern Iowa, I recruited Kansas City all the time. So, I was able to pull really good players out of there over the years. Fortunately, over those years a lot of those coaches are the same, so I know a ton of high school coaches in the Kansas City area, and really the whole state of Kansas, so I do enjoy recruiting there. I've got recruiting ties in Georgia, Charlotte, but recruiting, to me, is about building relationships. You have to build relationships with the high school coach, with those young people, and then with the people that they're close to. Ultimately, that's how you can get those kids to come be a part of your program.
"In terms of what you sell at Kansas State? Number one, you have phenomenal facilities, a culture that's going to be family oriented, a culture that's going to be based on wins and losses, and we're going to win football games and go to bowl games and compete to play in the College Football Playoff. There's a lot of great things for us to sell. Plus, you can get a world-class education here. The things you can sell are endless, really. That'll be phenomenal. Walking in places with this logo on my shirt is going to fun for me, I think."
Immediately upon his hiring, Johnson began recruiting current K-State players to return to the program — a journey that proved fruitful. A total of 10 safeties are currently on the K-State roster.
That includes up-and-coming junior Wesley Fair, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound Wichita native who has played his entire career at K-State, and who last season played in all 12 games with starts in each of the first six contests and 409 defensive snaps. Fair had 36 tackles, one tackle for loss, three pass breakup and one fumble recovery. He returned a fumble recovery 15 yards for a touchdown against TCU, the team's first fumble-return score in two seasons.
The safeties room figures to be bolstered by the addition of Michael Graham Jr., a 5-foot-11, 187-pound junior transfer from Hutchinson Community College who was the 23rd best overall community-college prospect and second-best safety in the Class of 2026 by Rivals. He had 50 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, one sack, eight interceptions, three pass breakups and two fumble recoveries in his two seasons. He was a 2025 NJCAA First Team All-American while helping Hutchinson to the NJCAA National Championship Game.
"I love the way the way that the kids compete," Johnson said. "These guys have worked really hard and have bought into the things that we've asked them to do right now, which is conditioning and doing agility work. I've asked them to compete against one another. Competition will make you better. So, they're competing against one another at a very high level and pushing one another. As a group, they've done a really good job. I'm proud of that. We have attacked every workout as a group with the correct mindset in trying to improve and compete every day. That's what we want to do."
Asked whether he could identify any early leaders among his group, Johnson pointed to Fair first.
"Wes Fair has done a really good job leading so far," Johnson said. "Logan Bartley is starting to take a leadership role. I challenge him a little bit. After the second or third time we were out there, I said to him, 'You can do this.' He's a younger kid, but he's been in the program, so he's started to lead a little bit. Jack Fabris has led a little bit. Sometimes with younger guys, they're just not sure if it's OK. I told those kids all it takes to be a leader is to have one follower. As long as they understand that you don't have to be a certain age or this or that, all you have to do to be a leader is have one follower.
"Buy into that concept, bring somebody with you, and let's go."
There's not much sleep in the frat house these days.
There's still work to get done.
Jeremiah Johnson is one of the members of what has been dubbed the "frat house." It's a five-bedroom home located minutes from Bill Snyder Family Stadium that currently houses five members of the Kansas State football coaching staff, as they wait for their families to arrive and set up their own homes in the Little Apple.
The frat house. No mischief. Just eat. And sleep. And shower. And dress. And back to the office.
"It's not like we do anything crazy over there," Johnson said. "We're just five dudes who sleep in the same place."
It's been nearly two months since Johnson, a native of Scandia, Kansas, arrived in Manhattan. Johnson served as defensive coordinator and interim head coach at Coastal Carolina, and about 24 hours after coaching Coastal Carolina in the Independence Bowl, Johnson was off to Manhattan on December 31. His first day at the Vanier Family Football Complex began January 1 shortly after daybreak. There were many people to meet and tons of film of prospective players to evaluate from the transfer portal.
On Johnson's first day on the job, he studied film for 12 hours.
It marked the beginning of an exciting journey wearing the Powercat.
"It's an unbelievable opportunity for me," Johnson said. "I grew up about 90 minutes from here. Collin is a winner. The way that he carries himself is different from a lot of people. He has a quiet confidence about him that's infectious and that's hard to explain, but he's really easy to follow."
Klein and Johnson have maintained a relationship that has spanned since both coaches shared the same press box at Northern Iowa in 2016. Johnson served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, and Klein served as quarterbacks coach.
"It's a small little office up there in the press box, but we got along really good way back in those days and we stayed in touch over the last few years and became really good friends," Johnson said. "When Collin called, it was one of those opportunities that we just felt like we couldn't say no to."
The history runs thick between Johnson, Klein and former K-State head coach Chris Klieman.
"Coach Klieman was in my wedding," Johnson said. "I've known Coach Klieman since 1998 so we're very close, and I've known Joe Klanderman for a while. Before that, I knew Blake Seiler. I recruited in Kansas for so long that I used to come into this building even before Coach Klieman was head coach and clinic with guys. I've been pretty familiar with Kansas State football for a long time and I'm pretty excited to have this logo on my shirt."
Armed with a 24-year coaching career, including 13 years as a coordinator, Johnson is back in the Sunflower State. After stints at Wyoming, Loras College, Northern Iowa, Kent State, Louisiana Tech and Coastal Carolina, Johnson said that it took him 12 seconds to accept Klein's offer to serve as defensive backs coach — more specifically, coaching the safeties — for a Wildcats' defense eager to infuse some old-school juice into a new-age unit that could be a nightmare for opposing offenses in the fall.
Fans can expect plenty of old-school K-State defensive violence.
"It has to be violent," Johnson said.
Johnson remembers the two-hour drives southeast to Manhattan for summer coaching clinics at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. A 2000 graduate of the University of Kansas, Johnson remembers the Wildcats' old-school defenses in the 1990s and early 2000s.
"If we want to be good at football, as a team, a defense has to be violent," Johnson said. "With the guys that we have assembled here both previously and the guys that we just brought in, we have pieces that this defense can be violent, and they can play really fast and they can play aggressive football. I'm excited about it. Coach Jordan Peterson, the defensive coordinator, is excited about it.
"We can be pretty good defensively."
Johnson's comments echo his sentiments during his first interview with a reporter at K-State in January.
"When I think of K-State, I think of winning, Powercat, toughness and physicality," he said. "When I was really young, Kansas State wasn't great. When Coach Snyder got here, everything changed, and he completely flipped everything about what America thought about Kansas State football. Since then, the narrative has been that you expect Kansas State to win, and you know they're going to be physical and disciplined, and that's really what we're going to do. That's not going to change."
One thing that will change? How the defense might look on the field. K-State defensive coordinator Jordan Peterson, who comes off two seasons as co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Texas A&M, has stated his desire to build multiplicity within the Wildcats' defense — a quest that somewhat began with coaches comparing blueprints from different programs across the country.
"We've sat in the room and have watched Oregon, Air Force, Coastal Carolina, Texas A&M, and I mean, there's a lot of stuff that we've talked about as a staff," Johnson said. "It is going to be multiple, unique, exciting for the fans to watch, and it'll be good for our kids. When you can be multiple, it allows kids with different skillsets to have roles. That should be exciting for a lot of different kids because we'll be able to find ways to use their skill set.
"Anytime you can keep an offense off balance, it gives you a chance. The offenses now a days are so good that if they know what you're in or they can get you into something that they want you in, they have a chance to beat you. If we can keep them guessing, we're going to have a chance to win every down. That's the goal — to win every snap."
Last season, Johnson guided a Coastal Carolina defense that ranked 13th nationally in fourth-down defense (40.0%) and sixth in fumble recoveries (11). In 2024, Johnson coached Louisiana Tech's defense to rank 12th nationally in total defense (308.4) — a 98-spot improvement over 2023. His scoring defense ranked 26th (21.0) — a 91-place improvement over 2022. His rushing defense ranked 44th (135.5) — an 88-place bump.
The achievements roll on.
"The defense we inherited at Louisiana Tech was ranked No. 130 in the country and we took them to 12th in the country in one season," Johnson said. "We had really, really good coaches on that staff and tremendous players and they all bought into what we were doing from a culture aspect, and it was a phenomenal experience. We were very proud of that group."
Upon his hiring, Klein lauded Johnson's work ethic and he called Johnson a "relentless recruiter."
"The biggest thing with recruiting is you have to have a work ethic," Johnson said. "That's the key with recruiting is you have to work. I've recruited Kansas City since 2007 and when I was at Northern Iowa, I recruited Kansas City all the time. So, I was able to pull really good players out of there over the years. Fortunately, over those years a lot of those coaches are the same, so I know a ton of high school coaches in the Kansas City area, and really the whole state of Kansas, so I do enjoy recruiting there. I've got recruiting ties in Georgia, Charlotte, but recruiting, to me, is about building relationships. You have to build relationships with the high school coach, with those young people, and then with the people that they're close to. Ultimately, that's how you can get those kids to come be a part of your program.
"In terms of what you sell at Kansas State? Number one, you have phenomenal facilities, a culture that's going to be family oriented, a culture that's going to be based on wins and losses, and we're going to win football games and go to bowl games and compete to play in the College Football Playoff. There's a lot of great things for us to sell. Plus, you can get a world-class education here. The things you can sell are endless, really. That'll be phenomenal. Walking in places with this logo on my shirt is going to fun for me, I think."
Immediately upon his hiring, Johnson began recruiting current K-State players to return to the program — a journey that proved fruitful. A total of 10 safeties are currently on the K-State roster.
That includes up-and-coming junior Wesley Fair, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound Wichita native who has played his entire career at K-State, and who last season played in all 12 games with starts in each of the first six contests and 409 defensive snaps. Fair had 36 tackles, one tackle for loss, three pass breakup and one fumble recovery. He returned a fumble recovery 15 yards for a touchdown against TCU, the team's first fumble-return score in two seasons.
The safeties room figures to be bolstered by the addition of Michael Graham Jr., a 5-foot-11, 187-pound junior transfer from Hutchinson Community College who was the 23rd best overall community-college prospect and second-best safety in the Class of 2026 by Rivals. He had 50 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, one sack, eight interceptions, three pass breakups and two fumble recoveries in his two seasons. He was a 2025 NJCAA First Team All-American while helping Hutchinson to the NJCAA National Championship Game.
"I love the way the way that the kids compete," Johnson said. "These guys have worked really hard and have bought into the things that we've asked them to do right now, which is conditioning and doing agility work. I've asked them to compete against one another. Competition will make you better. So, they're competing against one another at a very high level and pushing one another. As a group, they've done a really good job. I'm proud of that. We have attacked every workout as a group with the correct mindset in trying to improve and compete every day. That's what we want to do."
Asked whether he could identify any early leaders among his group, Johnson pointed to Fair first.
"Wes Fair has done a really good job leading so far," Johnson said. "Logan Bartley is starting to take a leadership role. I challenge him a little bit. After the second or third time we were out there, I said to him, 'You can do this.' He's a younger kid, but he's been in the program, so he's started to lead a little bit. Jack Fabris has led a little bit. Sometimes with younger guys, they're just not sure if it's OK. I told those kids all it takes to be a leader is to have one follower. As long as they understand that you don't have to be a certain age or this or that, all you have to do to be a leader is have one follower.
"Buy into that concept, bring somebody with you, and let's go."
There's not much sleep in the frat house these days.
There's still work to get done.
Players Mentioned
K-State FB | Welcome back Collin Klein
Monday, December 08
K-State FB | Head Coach Collin Klein Radio Interview
Friday, December 05
K-State FB | Head Coach Collin Klein Official Introductory Event
Friday, December 05
K-State FB | Thank You Coach Klieman
Wednesday, December 03
