Collin Klein prioritizes K-State football fundraising & NIL

Money has always been an important factor in college football, but it feels paramount for any team that has aspirations of winning a conference championship in the near future.

Much was made about the price tag of Ohio State’s roster after the Buckeyes won a national championship last season. Even more has been made about the cash that Texas Tech infused into its program on the way to the College Football Playoff this season. It won’t be long before another big spender emerges.

With that in mind, perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that new Kansas State football coach Collin Klein found the time to attend a Chamber of Commerce party last week in Manhattan.

A meet-and-greet with local business owners was understandably on his to-do list, because boosting the financial outlook for K-State football is one of his top priorities … right up there with recruiting and the transfer portal.

“Even in the short time I have been here, we have made some really, really good strides,” Klein said when asked about K-State football finances. “I think everything is moving in the right direction.”

The changing landscape of college football demands that every team has money to spend.

A decade ago, it was important for teams to have elite facilities and coaches. Now, it is pivotal that schools have $20 million to share with student-athletes. The best football teams have access to roughly 75% of that number, but they also have even more waiting in reserve to sweeten the pot for players with NIL deals.

Klein spent the past two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M. Money was never an object there and the Aggies recruited a roster that was talented enough to win 11 games during the regular season. Klein will continue calling plays for the Aggies in the CFP. When his time in College Station is over, he wants to enjoy similar resources in Manhattan.

He laid out his vision during a Q&A for the K-State Athletics website.

“Right now, it is bringing us up to speed with our competition,” Klein said in the interview. “From a roster management standpoint, there are steps and strides we need to take to be able to compete in today’s recruiting landscape. Some of that is financial, some of that is procedure and operation. That’s one of the biggest things.

“We’ve been blessed with amazing facilities and amazing infrastructure. Now we’ve got to catch up to the market from a staffing standpoint and make sure we have the resources required to put together the entirety of a staff that’s competitive in this league and across the country for where we want to go. Those are the two biggest things we need to catch up on.”

Klein is motivated to help make all of that happen. So much so that he has already met with key donors and business owners in the Manhattan area.

Former K-State football coaches Bill Snyder and Chris Klieman didn’t have to be quite so aggressive during their eras with the Wildcats. Things are different for Klein, and he knows it.