The 3 Takes: Collin Klein’s Week Seven Presser

K-State Finally Finds Its Resilience 

For weeks, Klein hammered home the point that the Wildcats had to do a better job of fighting through the adversity that comes with Big 12 football. But against Kansas, that aspiration turned into reality. Klein praised “the resiliency and the ability to continue to battle and play with passion, fire and energy no matter if things were going well or things were going bad.” 

The Wildcats overcame an early turnover and a kickoff-return touchdown allowed, showing the resilience Klein had been looking for. 

Red-Zone Execution Remains a Major Problem 

Kansas State scored touchdowns on only three of its eight red-zone trips on Saturday, which Klein said is far from good enough. He acknowledged that players and coaches have been ‘pressing’ near the goal line, which he says can’t happen. 

When asked about the message to his group regarding the red zone, Klein said, “We don’t have to do anything spectacular. You’ve done a lot of good work to get down there, so let’s do your job, focus on your deal, let’s clean up a couple of things here and there.” He added, “We’ll be just fine.” 

Avoiding a Post-Jayhawk Letdown 

Klein acknowledged that an emotional rivalry win can naturally make a team want to relax. He said that his team must fight that tendency “tooth and nail” and approach Arizona State as a “one-week season.” That focus will be needed against the Sun Devils, as Klein identified defensive lineman Jalen Thompson as a disruptive player who will require a strong protection plan.