Big 12 Conference Realignment Creates Excitement, More Work For Coaches Like K-State's Chris Klieman
One of the things that brings a different level excitement for this college football season is conference realignment that has created intriguing matchups.
It has also caused coaches to work harder during the summer to learn their new conference opponents.
Kansas State has four new conference opponents in the Big 12 in BYU, Colorado, Cincinnati and Arizona State. BYU and Cincinnati competed in the league year but didn’t play K-State.
Also, K-State plays Big 12 newcomer Arizona in the third week but it will count as a nonconference game.
“Yeah, it definitely gave us a lot more work in the summer,” Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said Tuesday at Big 12 Media Days. “The month of June is already busy enough with recruiting and camps, and now we don't have the database like you'd have with a Tech or a Baylor or a TCU.
“We've got five new schools, or even BYU and Cincinnati have been in our league, but we didn't play them last year, so we don't have much data on them. Then we've got the two Arizona schools and Colorado.”
Klieman doesn’t mind the extra work because of the excitement new opponents is creating.
“I think the fan base of all the schools are going to be excited because they're going to see really good football, and they're going to see some different teams that they haven't seen throughout the year,” Klieman said.
“I think it's excitement, though, for the fans, for both schools, as far as whether it's us going to Provo and seeing a great environment, because I've been there and I know it's a phenomenal environment, to us going to Boulder and seeing a great environment, or those other schools potentially coming to our place and seeing a great environment in Manhattan.”
David Boyce is a contributing writer to K-State On SI. He can be reached at davidboyce95@gmail.com.
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DAVID BOYCE