MSU Football: Big 12 Head Coach Denies Interest in Spartans' Job Opening
One of the most popular names to emerged for Michigan State Football's head coach position has publicly shut down any thought of interest in the Spartans' job opening.
In a Wednesday appearance on SirusXM Big 12 Radio, Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said he "will not be a candidate" of Michigan State's coaching search.
It's Chris Klieman's birthday today, but he might have given @KStateFB fans the best gift of all when he told @GabeIkard & @ESPNRittenberg about his interest in the Michigan State job...@CoachKli | #EMAW | #KStateFB
— College Sports on SiriusXM (@SXMCollege) September 27, 2023
Full interview: https://t.co/GYazLDWEQ0 pic.twitter.com/NeCVFpWwdS
Four games into his fifth season with the Wildcats, Klieman holds a 33-21 overall record at Kansas State. Last season, he led the Wildcats their first Big 12 championship in 10 years. Klieman has also won four FCS national championships at North Dakota State. In 11 total seasons as a college head coach, the 56-year-old has compiled an overall record of 105-34.
"You've had a few months, maybe even a year, to where people aren't throwing your name around for other college football jobs," Big 12 Today host Gabe Ikard told Klieman on the radio appearance. "That's about to end today coach, with the Michigan State opening.
"How excited are you for everyone saying you're going to be a candidate? I know you're just thrilled," Ikard continued, sarcastically.
"Yeah, exactly right," Klieman replied. "My agent told me I was there after the Missouri game and I'm like, 'Huh, it would be kind of tough to be there when we were on a plane back to Manhattan.' But, no, I think I'll be sticking in Manhattan and I will not be a candidate for that job."
Of course, as we're only four games into the 2023 season, it's not as though Klieman was going to confirm any interest he had in Michigan State, if interest existed. K-State is the defending Big 12 Champion and is off to a 1-0 start in conference play this year.
Michigan State hasn't even likely put together a candidates list yet, but perhaps begun vetting potential options. It's possible Klieman is telling the truth here, but we'd get the same exact type of answer from him if he were lying. It's only September, and the earliest MSU would announce a hire would be near the end of 2023.
In the meantime, Michigan State has elevated safeties coach Harlon Barnett to interim head coach. It has been Barnett's longtime dream to be the head coach of the Spartans, but he and MSU would likely have to go on an incredible run to end this season for him to be named the permanent guy for the job. The Spartans are 0-2 and have been outscored 72-16 in the first two games since Barnett took over in the interim.
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