It's a homecoming affair for Kansas State this season.
The latest to return to the university's staff is Joe Bob Clements, Oklahoma State's co-defensive coordinator for the past three seasons. Multiple sources have confirmed, and Clements changed his profile to the Wildcats logo on Wednesday night.
Clements played defensive end for the Wildcats from 1994-98 and was a member of five bowl teams during that stretch. He served as a graduate assistant for a few years after that (1999-2000, 2001-02), then coached the defensive ends for three seasons. Clements made stops at San Diego State and Kansas before returning to the university in 2009. He stayed with the university until 2013, when he moved to Oklahoma State. Clement has been with the Cowboys since, shifting in various defensive coaching roles.
Now, a familiar face returns home. The university hasn't officially announced his new position, but Clements will likely aid Buddy Wyatt on the defensive line.
KANSAS STATE'S MIKE SCHMIDT EXCITED TO COACH OFFENSIVE LINE
Kansas State's 2025 season was a rollercoaster for a multitude of reasons.
One of the biggest was the lack of cohesion upfront. The offensive line was one of the worst in the conference to begin the season. Despite keeping quarterback Avery Johnson off the ground most of the year, they failed to create holes in the run game. The rushing attack was dead last in the Big 12 in the first half of the year, something Wildcats fans are not accustomed to.
Luckily, help is on the way. Kansas State coach Collin Klein hired Mike Schmidt as the new offensive line coach in an effort to revamp the unit. For the former San Diego State assistant, it was a relatively easy decision.
"Coach [Klein] reached out to me and asked if I had interest, and it was gonna take an opportunity like this one to get me back out there," Schmidt said in his Tuesday press conference. "That transition has been very smooth. It's everything I expected. I made the decision professionally based on a couple of things. The rich tradition here at Kansas State was very important to me. The importance of football at this university and in this state. The great player development has been offered here."
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