Report: Texas A&M set to hire Kansas State's Collin Klein as new offensive coordinator

Texas A&M is reportedly set to hire Kansas State offensive coordinator Collin Klein to the same role under Aggies coach Mike Elko.

“Sources: Texas A&M is set to hire Kansas State offensive coordinator Collin Klein for the same role under new coach Mike Elko,” Rittenberg wrote on Twitter. “Klein has emerged as one of the top OCs in the market, and drew interest last year from Notre Dame. First reported by @LifeofFitz.”

The program hired Elko away from Duke as the team’s new head coach to replace Jimbo Fisher.

Klein spent time with Kansas State since 2017 as the team’s quarterback’s coach and eventually the offensive coordinator. He began his career at the school in 2014 as a grad assistant before going to Northern Iowa in 2016 as the QB coach.

The former Wildcats’ quarterback has nearly a decade of coaching experience and this is certainly a big step up the D-1 ranks.

When he played, Klein was a productive quarterback at the college level. In four years, he had 4,724 yards, 30 touchdowns, 15 interceptions and a 61.3% completion percentage. He added 2,485 rushing yards and 56 rushing touchdowns.

Mike Elko opens up on difficulty leaving Duke for Texas A&M

It wasn’t necessarily a clear-cut decision to leave for Elko. He was asked about how easy a move it was and gave a thoughtful answer.

“How easy? I think every decision is really easy and really hard,” Elko said. “I think if you’re true to yourself professionally, chasing this opportunity, coming to this great program, great institution, that’s easy. When you think about leaving relationships, leaving people, the strain and stress it puts on your family, it’s really hard.”

Elko spent only two years at Duke, but he had remarkable success in winning 16 games during that span. Duke finished tied for second in the ACC Coastal division in 2022.

The new Texas A&M coach will walk into a place now with enormous expectations. Championship expectations, as Texas A&M’s leadership puts it.

For Elko, the expectations are perfectly suitable. He wants to chase greatness.

“As a coach you’re always caught in this back-and-forth pull, and I’m very thankful that I’ve got a very supportive family that backs me and backs my career and the things we want to do to chase my dreams to some degree, and that’s ultimately what gets us here,” Elko said.