Kansas State rewards head coach Chris Klieman with $44M contract

Head coach Chris Klieman has been at Kansas State since 2019 and he has the Wildcats trending in a more than positive direction.

From going 8-5 and then 4-6 in 2020 and 2021 respectively to last season's 10-4 season that saw K-State beat TCU in the Big 12 Championship Game and then go toe-to-toe with Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, Kleiman has done a tremendous job in Manhattan.

And perhaps to no ones surprise, the Wildcats have rewarded Kleiman with a new deal reportedly worth $44M. 

"A source with knowledge of the contract told ESPN that the length of the deal and bump in average pay are signs of the school's desire to keep Klieman at Kansas State for the long term," Pete Thamel reported. 

"Klieman's deal through the 2030 season is four seasons longer than the current deal, which ends after the 2026 season. The average pay raise for Klieman will come out to nearly $1.5M per year, as the deal being replaced averages nearly $4M per year."

It's worth noting that Kansas State should keep rolling in 2023 and beyond. The Wildcats are returning many starters from 2022's team, including all five offensive lineman. 

Klieman and his staff also put together the 32nd best recruiting class in the nation in 2023, per 247Sports. 

At face value that may not seem truly impressive, but consider the fact that he out-recruited the likes of Baylor, Iowa State, West Virginia, Oklahoma State, and Kansas, and it seems clear that the Wildcats have a bright future in the Big 12 — especially with Texas and Oklahoma leaving.