🏈 The college football landscape was rattled early Wednesday morning with news that Texas A&M Offensive Coordinator Collin Klein would be departing College Station to become the next head coach at his alma mater, Kansas State. The announcement, which broke on the critical juncture of Early National Signing Day, delivered a significant emotional blow to the Aggie faithful, but the shockwave was quickly softened by a crucial follow-up development: Klein will remain with the team to coach through their inaugural College Football Playoff run.
The departure is entirely understandable. Klein is a Kansas State legend, a former star quarterback who was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2012, finishing third in the race behind Texas A&M’s own Johnny Manziel and Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o. Returning to Manhattan to take the reins of a storied program as a head coach is often the ultimate goal for a former college star. However, the timing—after a stellar 11-1 regular season under head coach Mike Elko, and with a chance at a national title—was a gut punch to a fanbase finally seeing their program achieve unprecedented success.
A Crucial Bridge to the Postseason
The immediate relief came from TexAgs co-owner and executive editor Billy Liucci, who quickly reported that Klein would continue to run the Aggie offense and call plays throughout the College Football Playoff. This is an enormous victory for the Aggies, securing continuity for an offense that has been remarkably productive this season. Under Klein’s direction, the A&M offense has flourished, ranking fourth in the SEC and 16th nationally in points per game (36.3) and accumulating 454.4 total yards per game.
Klein’s two seasons in College Station, serving as the Offensive Coordinator and quarterbacks coach, have been defined by aggressive, innovative play-calling and the significant development of the offense, including the emergence of quarterback Marcel Reed. The decision to stay through the CFP allows Klein a deserved opportunity to finish what he started and gives the No. 7 ranked Aggies the best possible chance to recover from their recent, season-ending loss to their arch-rival, Texas.
A Final Shot at Glory
The Aggies are likely to host the first round of the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, a massive opportunity for the program and its fans. This postseason run now takes on an extra layer of poignancy, becoming Collin Klein’s last stand in Maroon and White.
For the players and the coaching staff, this is a chance to bounce back and demonstrate the resilience that defined their 11-1 campaign. For Klein, it’s a final opportunity to cement his legacy not just as an Aggie success story, but as a coordinator who helped deliver a shot at the program’s first national championship since 1939. His continued presence provides a crucial stability that mitigates the potential negative impact of a sudden OC vacancy on player focus and, perhaps more importantly, on the team’s incoming recruiting class during the early signing period.
While the search for Klein’s permanent replacement will begin immediately, and is sure to be one of the most coveted jobs in college football, the focus for now remains entirely on the present. The Aggies have a last chance to “finish the job” before Klein heads to Manhattan. His commitment is a final, vital play-call in his successful, albeit brief, tenure in Aggieland, ensuring the team’s national championship aspirations remain fully intact.
For more discussion on the impact of Klein’s move and the Aggies’ playoff outlook, you can watch TexAgs Live on the Collin Klein News. The linked video includes analysis from the TexAgs team, including Billy Liucci, on the departure of Collin Klein and what it means for Texas A&M’s immediate and long-term future.