Chris Klieman faced the daunting task of succeeding legendary college football coach Bill Snyder. While Klieman may never fully fill Snyder’s enormous shoes, he’s making significant strides.
As Klieman heads into his sixth season with the Wildcats in 2024, he continues to work hard to build on Snyder’s legacy at Kansas State. With a 31-year coaching career, including 12 years as a head coach, Klieman has a wealth of experience.
So, how did Klieman end up at Kansas State? Let’s explore his coaching journey.
Playing Career
Klieman attended the University of Northern Iowa from 1986 to 1990, playing as a defensive back. Although an NFL career wasn’t in the cards, he transitioned smoothly into coaching.
Early Coaching Career
After graduating, Klieman began his coaching career as a Graduate Assistant at Northern Iowa from 1991 to 1992. He then spent a year as a defensive backs coach at UNI. Klieman moved to Western Illinois as their defensive backs coach from 1994 to 1996. He later served as a Graduate Assistant at Kansas in 1997 and a defensive backs coach at Missouri State in 1999.
Following these roles, Klieman became the defensive coordinator at Loras College, eventually becoming the head coach for a season in 2005. He then returned to Northern Iowa, serving as a defensive backs coach and later as defensive coordinator from 2008.
North Dakota State University
In 2011, Klieman joined North Dakota State University as the defensive backs coach. He was soon promoted to defensive coordinator. In 2014, he became the head coach, leading the team to four Division I FCS Championships and five Missouri Valley Football Conference titles in five years.
Klieman’s success at North Dakota State caught Kansas State’s attention, leading to his hiring after Snyder retired. In his five seasons at Kansas State, Klieman has won a Big 12 title and consistently kept the team competitive. Now, he aims to continue building on this success.
