K-State hires Klieman to lead program

KANSAS CITY, MO. — Kansas State hired Chris Klieman of North Dakota State to lead its football program Monday night, passing the reins from retired Hall of Fame coach Bill Snyder to someone with three Football Championship Subdivision titles but little Big 12 experience.

Klieman was hired to lead the Bison by current Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor, and was seen as one of the front-runners for the Wildcats' job ever since Snyder announced his retirement. Taylor was the athletic director at North Dakota State from 2001-14.

Klieman agreed to a six-year contract with a base salary of $2.3 million next season, increasing by $200,000 each subsequent season. The deal includes a number of other incentives.

Taylor initially targeted North Texas coach Seth Littrell, but the former Oklahoma fullback announced last week that he would remain with the Mean Green. Attention quickly shifted to Klieman, who has the Bison in the FCS semifinals against South Dakota State on Friday night as they seek a fourth title in five seasons.

Klieman will be allowed to coach the Bison in that game. Whether he would remain with the school for the championship game should North Dakota State advance is still under discussion.

Kansas State will introduce him at a news conference Wednesday.

Klieman is only the third coach to lead the Wildcats since 1988, when Snyder was hired off Hayden Fry's staff at Iowa. Snyder turned one of the worst programs in the history of major college football into a perennial contender during his first stint in Manhattan, then returned after a three-year retirement — during which the program slid under Ron Prince — to lead the Wildcats back atop the Big 12.

"I'm so happy and thrilled to follow a legend," Klieman said in a statement. "The opportunity to follow in an icon's footsteps is something I don't take for granted and don't take lightly."