𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 – 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐀𝐍, 𝐊𝐒 𝐈𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲, 𝐃𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐰𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐣𝐚𝐰-𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 $𝟐 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦—𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫.

𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 – 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐀𝐍, 𝐊𝐒 𝐈𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲, 𝐃𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐰𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐣𝐚𝐰-𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 $𝟐 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦—𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫.

Figuring those spots out is balanced out by pieces the Wildcats have coming back. QB Avery Johnson is primed to take a huge leap forward and has several All-Big 12–caliber players around him in the likes of wideout Jayce Brown and tailback Dylan Edwards. Any questions about the backend of the defense can be mitigated somewhat by what might be the best defensive line in the league, combined with a terrific leader at linebacker in Austin Romaine.

What’s tricky is the group won’t have much time to ease into things with a Week Zero trip to Ireland to take on Iowa State, a contest that should determine a Big 12 favorite alongside reigning champion Arizona State.

A game against Army in early September also is on the docket, and road trips to Arizona, Baylor and Utah are not sure victories either.

This might be one of Klieman’s most talented rosters and there are high hopes that elevating former Utah State and Texas Tech head coach Matt Wells into the full-time offensive coordinator position will pay even more dividends for the team.

“I’m excited because Matt’s a pro, and he’s a pro’s pro. He’s a former head coach, former offensive coordinator, that is getting a chance to be an OC again. He’s one of the brightest, smartest offensive minds in college football,” Klieman says. “Excited that he stayed with us and stayed with Avery [Johnson] because I think he knows what he’s got to lead.”