K-State’s Collin Klein emerges as potential candidate for Notre Dame offensive coordinator

Collin Klein has only been a full-time offensive coordinator for one season, but he is already turning heads in the coaching industry.

Kansas State’s play-caller has emerged as a potential candidate for one of the most prominent assistant coaching positions in all of college football. Notre Dame has reached out to Klein to express interest in him potentially replacing Tommy Rees as offensive coordinator with the Fighting Irish, according to two sources.

The sources said Notre Dame and Klein have talked “multiple times” about the job opening and there is mutual interest between them.

For now, the intensity of those conversations is unknown. But Football Scoop, a web site that covers coaching hires, may have provided some clarity on Thursday night. It reported that Klein is one of three top candidates for the job along with Colorado coordinator Sean Lewis and Utah coordinator Andy Ludwig.

The site also reported that Klein formally interviewed for the job in South Bend, Indiana, on Wednesday before flying home to Manhattan on Thursday.

Toledo head coach Jason Candle, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers play-caller Byron Leftwich, Akron head coach Joe Moorehead and Cincinnati coordinator Gino Guidugli have also been linked to the job.

Notre Dame is in the market for a new offensive coordinator after Alabama poached Rees from its staff earlier this month.

It makes sense that other programs would have interest in hiring Klein. He is an up-and-coming coordinator, and he proved it last season while helping the Wildcats win 10 games and a Big 12 championship.

Under his guidance, K-State averaged 418.8 yards and 32.3 points per game last season.

Before he took over as coordinator, Klein coached quarterbacks at K-State under both Chris Klieman and Bill Snyder. As a player, he guided the Wildcats to a Big 12 championship in 2012 as the team’s starting quarterback and he was a Heisman finalist as a senior.

Klein is currently making $600,000 a year as K-State’s offensive coordinator. He is under contract with the Wildcats until February 28, 2024. If he chooses to leave for another job before then, he must provide athletic director Gene Taylor with written notice 10 days before his last day of employment and pay a buyout of $100,000, according to a copy of his contract.

It will be interesting to see what happens if Notre Dame offers Klein the position. Klein has been loyal to his alma mater as both a player and a coach. His wife played basketball for the university and his family loves it in Manhattan. Klein has spoken many times about how lucky he is to work in a place where he feels comfortable.

But Notre Dame could more than double his salary and provide him with an exciting new place to spread his coaching wings.