MANHATTAN, Kan. – On-field preparations for the 2019 Kansas State football season – the first under head coach Chris Klieman – begin on Wednesday afternoon as the Wildcats conduct the first of 15 spring practices.
The Wildcats will practice Wednesday afternoon and Thursday evening this week prior to a week off due to spring break. K-State hits the field again on Monday, April 18, and Friday April 22 before practicing Monday, Wednesday and Friday the week of March 25, and Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday the final two weeks, which culminates with the K-State Football Spring Showcase on April 13.
Kansas State returns 42 letterwinners from last year’s squad, including 19 players that started at least five games during the 2018 season. Of the returning starters, 10 reside on defense and seven are on offensive, while the Wildcats’ primary place kicker and punter are from last season are also back.
Klieman, a four-time national championship head coach, holds a 72-13 career record, which includes a 69-6 (.920) mark at North Dakota State. He won national titles in four of his five seasons leading the Bison, including the 2018 season when NDSU went 15-0 to become just the fifth team in FCS history to go undefeated and untied en route to a national championship. Klieman’s fourth national championship in 2018 tied him with Jim Tressel (Youngstown State) for the most in FCS history.
The Wildcat offensive coaching staff is led by coordinator Courtney Messingham, who spent the last two seasons at North Dakota State but is no stranger to the Big 12 having worked at Iowa State from 2009 to 2013. Scottie Hazelton serves as the defensive coordinator after spending the last two years at Wyoming in the same role. Hazelton’s stops prior to Wyoming were the Jacksonville Jaguars (2014-16), Nevada (2013) and USC (2012).
The K-State Football Spring Showcase on April 13 will be held at 1 p.m., inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Complete details for the event will be announced at a later date. Tickets can be purchased for only $5 through the K-State Athletics Ticket office online at www.k-statesports.com/tickets, by phone at 1-800-221-CATS or at the main ticket office inside Bramlage Coliseum. Those who order or renew their season tickets by the second incentive deadline on Monday, April 1, will receive two free general admission mobile tickets per account for the event.
Season tickets are on sale now for the 2019 season and start as low as $150 for the seven-game home slate that features Big 12 opponents Baylor, TCU, Oklahoma, West Virginia and Iowa State. The priority deadline for season tickets is Friday, April 12.
RYAN LACKEY
Director of Football and Golf Communications | K-State Athletics