Kansas State Opens 2026 Camp With Collin Klein as Head Coach

What Happened

Kansas State has begun training camp ahead of the 2026 college football season, marking the first year with Collin Klein as head coach. Klein is a former Kansas State player and member of the program’s Ring of Honor. The Wildcats are also preparing to install a defense under new coordinator Jordan Peterson. Quarterback Avery Johnson’s development under Klein is another early camp focus. The available coverage does not include an official comment from Kansas State or a reported depth chart. Camp work will shape evaluations on both sides of the ball before the season begins.

Why It Matters

• Klein’s first camp sets the starting point for Kansas State’s offensive structure and Johnson’s role at quarterback.
• Jordan Peterson’s arrival gives the defense a new coordinator and a new system to install before the 2026 season.
• Early practice evaluations can shape depth-chart decisions, especially around the quarterback position and defensive personnel.

THE PATE STATE READ

Kansas State earned a clean reset by putting Klein in charge, but a new head coach and a new defensive coordinator create two installation jobs at once. The offense will be judged first through Johnson’s command and the shape of the quarterback run game. The defense has to absorb Peterson’s calls without losing its basic fits. Collin Klein’s first camp will define Kansas State’s starting point, not its finish. The first meaningful check arrives when the Wildcats open the 2026 season and those new assignments face an opponent.(Josh has not yet commented.)

What's Next

• 2026 training camp: Kansas State’s practice evaluations and depth-chart decisions, particularly at quarterback and across Peterson’s defense.
• 2026 season opener: Kansas State’s first game under Collin Klein, when the new offensive and defensive structures face live competition.