The Kansas State Wildcats have been among the Big 12’s most successful teams over the past three years.
Head coach Chris Klieman’s bunch won at least nine games per season in that time, with a 2022 Big 12 Championship and Sugar Bowl appearance leading the accolades.
The 2024 season saw the Wildcats finish 9-4.
Kansas State’s 426 yards per game on offense put them in the top third of the Big 12, as co-offensive coordinators Matt Wells and Conor Riley worked together to keep the ball moving.
Last week, Riley was hired as the Dallas Cowboys’ offensive line coach. Many wondered if Wells would take over as the Wildcats’ lone offensive coordinator or if they would double up again.
Monday, we got our answer. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Wells would be named the offensive coordinator and play caller for the 2025 season.
Sources: Kansas State is promoting Matt Wells to the school’s offensive coordinator and play caller. He spent last year as the co-offensive coordinator, QB coach and associate head coach. He’s the former head coach at Texas Tech and Utah State. pic.twitter.com/3FxdElrnNt
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 10, 2025
As Thamel notes, Wells has head coaching experience on his resume.
After finishing his college career with the Utah State Aggies, where he played quarterback from 1993-96, Wells had stops at Navy, Tulane, and New Mexico. In 2011, he returned to Utah State as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
In 2013, Wells was promoted to head coach of the Aggies when Gary Andersen left for Wisconsin.
Wells was the head coach of the Aggies from 2013 to 18 and was successful during his tenure. He went 44-34 as head coach and finished first or second in the conference in four of his six seasons. He was named Moutain West Coach of the Year twice while at Utah State, in 2013 and 2018.
After the 2018 season, which saw Utah State finish 10-2, Wells accepted the head coaching job with the Texas Tech Red Raiders. He failed to capture the same success he saw with the Aggies. In three seasons with Texas Tech, Wells went 13-17.
Social media had a lot to say about Wells’ new title.
I think I prefer this tbh. Avery still has someone he knows well and the offense will be centered around him for him to succeed. Also, he developed Jordan love so I think he’s an upgrade https://t.co/dPEcaXyxuD
— Garret (@garret_severs) February 10, 2025
I think we all knew it would happen https://t.co/FuFlkSFsfU
— Jeff Burkhart (@jeff_burkhart) February 10, 2025
Good move. When you have a proven offensive mind on staff already, it’d be silly not to give him a shot https://t.co/9GGYxfMjyv
— Rocco Foust (@rjfoust0) February 10, 2025
Excellent decision 💜 https://t.co/RMNf0M3Hji
— Shane Friesen (@pastorfriesen) February 10, 2025
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