Back in Manhattan and Reunited with Klein

By: D. Scott Fritchen

Here sits Thad Ward right after he gets his pictures taken on Tuesday afternoon. He wears a purple Powercat quarter-zip and thick black glasses, but it's the cellphone that he places upon the table that first catches the eye. The cellphone is noticeably worn. It's probably been used a million times to call a thousand coaches, parents and prospective players. It's worn, all right, from calls to his wife, Jocelyn, before games and after games and periodically throughout each day. The clear plastic protection case on Ward's cellphone? It's seen better days.

One time recently, Ward's cellphone didn't ring. Instead, it displayed a text message from K-State head coach Collin Klein.

Klein's text read: "Think Purple."

That's all Ward needed to know.

Ward, who served as K-State's wide receivers coach during the 2022 Big 12 Championship season and who's spent the last three seasons at Illinois, headed to Manhattan to be reunited with the Wildcats football program that he's loved, and to serve as associate head coach and wide receivers coach under the first-time head coach who he loves like a brother.

"I didn't believe this was going to happen, but God always works in mysterious ways, and it happened. I'm super fired up to be here, and that I have a chance to come back here with Collin," Ward says. "I'm his guy, he's my guy, and it's been that way for three years. Wherever he's going, I believe in him as a man, and I believe in his wife and family, all the above, and I'm going with him."

Ward arrived at K-State on January 2 — a few days after Illinois beat Tennessee 30-28 in the Music City Bowl. Ward served as assistant head coach at Illinois under Bret Bielema. Bielema served as K-State co-defensive coordinator in the early 2000s. Ward told Bielema that he was headed to Manhattan.

And boom… suddenly Ward was back in the Little Apple.

"I walked into the building, and a cellphone was literally placed into my hand, and Collin said, 'Let's go,' and we've been working literally until Sunday late non-stop," Ward says, "and it's been fun."

As for Klein's offense in 2026?

"Collin is going to put our players in the best position," Ward says. "On offense, Collin isn't going to slow down. He's just going to continue to build upon the plays. Collin is like a mad scientist. He won't slow down for any of us. He's just going to keep going. It fires you up.

"The guys I've been talking to, when they come here and see this offense, they just smile."

Thad Ward spoke with K-State Sports Extra's D. Scott Fritchen about his journey to rejoining Collin Klein at K-State, what he likes best about Klein's offensive approach, and how the transfer portal has helped shape a wide receiver corps that could be fast and furious in 2026.

D. SCOTT FRITCHEN: Walk me through that first communication with Collin Klein. When did you connect for the first time, what was said, and how did the communication progress toward a job opportunity as associate head coach and wide receivers coach at K-State?

THAD WARD: Truthfully, we talked after every game, very transparent, and we stayed in close contact over the last three years. At some point, we knew this time would come, but we just didn't know when. We talk all the time but the first call about this was in November, not about K-State, but obviously, he was up for every head coaching job. To be totally transparent, we've been talking since November, and really got into it right before bowl prep. Our relationship has continued the whole time. We see each other as friends first, and obviously, he's the boss, but we're friends, and we're brothers, and we have a really good time. We connected really well the last time I was here, and I really enjoy working for him.

FRITCHEN: How did that initial friendship with Collin really begin?

WARD: I didn't know him the first time I was on the coaching staff at K-State, and he didn't know me. It was just genuine love for each other. That's how we talk — "I love you." The nights that we worked together — a lot of times the offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and wide receivers coach work hand to hand — and we'd work nights on Monday working on third downs, and our chemistry in working with each other, we found that we liked some of the same things. That molded us together, and it helped us to continue our relationship. We both felt strongly about each other's work ethic and how we go about our day-to-day life, and that's probably what did it. I don't know exactly how it happened, but we just loved each other and working with each other, genuinely. I like the man that he is and really respect him.

FRITCHEN: Was there a point in time when you first thought, "Collin is going to be a head coach someday."?

WARD: No doubt. It was while I was here at K-State. Obviously, I don't know when or where it was going to happen, but I always talk about investing in people, and I talk to Collin about the same thing. I invest in people, not things. No matter what Collin was going to do, I wanted to be a part of what he was going to do. I really respect the man in him and in what he believes and the integrity he has and how he goes about doing things. At this point in my career, that's the most important thing for me, is that he has those values that I have about developing young men wholistically and also about winning a lot of games. He's a competitor, he's humble even with all the things that he's achieved, and he'd never say it. I love that about him.

FRITCHEN: How did you first find out that you might be headed this way?

WARD: Collin texted me, "Think Purple" with a purple Wildcat head emoji. But we'd been talking since November. We talked after every game. I didn't to cheer him up much this year because Texas A&M won a lot of games, but I always talked to him about what I was seeing from his offense and the quarterback and the maturation of Collin's offense. We always commented back to each other, so it was a common thing. In November, it got a little bit more serious and intense. Yeah, "Think Purple." I smile because from myself, my wife, when Dana Dimel and I worked together we always kept track of what the Wildcats were doing, period. So, obviously, I didn't believe this was going to happen, but God always works in mysterious ways, and it happened, and I'm super fired up to be here and that I have a chance to come back here with Collin. I'm his guy, he's my guy, and it's been that way for three years. Wherever he's going, I believe in him as a man, and I believe in his wife and family, all the above, and I'm going with him.

FRITCHEN: We hear about "associate head coach" and "assistant head coach" in college football. What will your role entail as associate head coach?

WARD: I will do whatever Collin asks me to do. It was different when I was assistant head coach at Illinois and it'll be different here, but there's no task too big or too small for me. Whatever Collin wants me to do, I'll do it.

FRITCHEN: What was the sense of excitement as you came through the doors of the Vanier Family Football Complex on January 2 for the first time of your second tenure on staff?

WARD: I was just excited about the nuances of our staff. I loved the energy of the staff. I mean, we've been busy since I walked in on January 2. I came off a bowl game and came right here and a cellphone was literally placed into my hand, and Collin said, "Let's go," and we've been working literally until Sunday late non-stop, and it's been fun. I'm really, really excited about the guys I get to work with, new faces and new energy. Obviously, some of the guys, it's good to work with Buddy Wyatt again and Brian Lepak again. The sky's the limit for this group. I love where we're at. I love the energy, which is big. It's big, positive energy. Everybody is just grinding. We haven't been here a long time and don't know each other a lot, but everybody is pulling in the same direction. What we've been able to do in two weeks, man, is really, really impressive. I'm going to be honest with you.

FRITCHEN: When you hear the words "transfer portal" what comes to mind first?

WARD: The name of the game is retention and acquisition. No matter what, you have to retain your players as best you can, and you have to get players that you need. Obviously, with Year 1 with this situation, you're going to have kids go into the portal, and that's normal these days, but in the next frame, we now build relationships with these kids we can retain as well and put them into a position to be successful.

FRITCHEN: What do you think about the current wide receivers on roster so far and the wide receivers you've been able to acquire at this point in time?

WARD: Super excited about the ones we have already to get a chance to coach these guys and pour into their lives one-on-one and get a chance to lead that group. The guys we've been able to bring in, I'm fired up and super excited with the connection we've built, and then we got another wide receiver today. It's just competitive battles that are fun to me. You want to win more than you lose. And we won that one today. Also, we may not be done yet, so…

FRITCHEN: How many more wide receivers are you looking at adding to the current roster?

WARD: No more than one or two. Maybe one. We'll see how things go. But I'm fired up about this group. We had a good group when I was here last time and a good senior group, an older group that we were able to bring together and let them all play as one. Right now, we have a group coming in and they are fast, and in this offense, you have to be able to run. Some of the things we're doing now are a little bit different than when I was here the first time, but just watching some of the offense, even this morning, we have to have guys that can run. So, we have to recruit to that and continue to build toward that. I think we've done that thus far with all these guys we've brought in. The name of the game is they're able to run. That's what we're going to continue to build upon in this room. Relationships are the secret sauce for players running through a wall for us. We have to pour into these guys.

FRITCHEN: We saw what Collin did as offensive coordinator at Texas A&M. What are some dynamics of the Collin Klein offense that really appeals to you and makes it really exciting?

WARD: Collin, his humbleness, he'll invite you in and allow you to be a part of it, and not say, "This is the way we do it." Obviously, there's some of that that's been done, and it's been tested for years and it's great. His ability to evolve from the language standpoint and from everything we do and from how we can make this even better, we're doing that literally right now. As soon as I leave here and go back to the office, we'll be doing that, breaking through some of the language and different things we've been able to do.

I'm just excited about being able to throw the ball down the field and having a balanced offense. One thing I always felt like when I was here last time, and then as I watched Texas A&M play, is Collin is going to put our players in the best position. On offense, Collin isn't going to slow down. He's just going to continue to build upon the plays. Collin is like a mad scientist. He won't slow down for any of us. He's just going to keep going. It fires you up. It always puts your players into position to be successful.

The guys I've been talking to, when they come here and see this offense, they just smile. That's what I'm excited to do. I'm excited to learn the new things I haven't been able to see in the offense, things that they've added, and it's good to see things that I'm familiar with. I'm fired up about all of it as well.

FRITCHEN: K-State has Avery Johnson, pieces at wide receiver, pieces at tight end, pieces at running back, and pieces at offensive line. What kind of treat could K-State fans be in for in 2026?

WARD: They're going to in for a big treat. We're going to score as many points as possible, be an explosive offense, be dynamic in the running game and in the passing game, and they should expect for our guys to play hard and relentless. That's something we did the last time I was here. We can be even better at that. K-State fans should expect big things. I mean, there's no other way but to expect that. We're expecting to win right now. We're not waiting around.

FRITCHEN: When you think of K-State football, where it is today, what immediately comes to mind?

WARD: Blue-collar, hard-nosed, and physical in all three phases. I also think we have edge. We play with edge, with two chips on our shoulders — not one. That's what it means to me. I have a better understanding of it now. I can name off when we were in 2022 playing in the Big 12 Championship Game and guys were going down with injuries, and we had guys who weren't first or second team guys, but we had guys on the field with edge. Games out here, they played with edge, and we had a tough, gritty group, and it'll be the same now, and we want to improve upon that going forward. That's the K-State way.

FRITCHEN: You served as K-State wide receivers coach in 2022, went to Illinois to coach running backs in 2023, then served as Illinois assistant head coach and running backs coach in 2024 and 2025. What did you learn most on a professional level over that time between 2022 and 2025?

WARD: Oh my gosh, just so much, man. Coach Bret Bielema, one of the best coaches in football, he went to the New England Patriots and worked with Bill Belichick and that helped him. Every day in our staff meeting was a master class of how to be a head coach. He teaches the game, and I learned so much Football 101, situational football. I learned so much from him from that standpoint. Another thing I learned is messaging, which is critical. I thought I was good at it before, but I'm a lot better now at messaging with your players and how to tie it all together from fundamentals to messaging to how you attack practice and attack the game. I learned so much from Coach B, who's a phenomenal coach, and someone who poured into me, and hopefully it helps us continue to grow here as a room and as a team. Coach B talks about this place a lot. He built his bones from Coach Snyder and talks about him a lot and how he learned from him and Hayden Fry and Coach Barry Alvarez at Wisconsin. Those are his three guys.

FRITCHEN: You look back over your career, which started as a graduate assistant in 2002, to where you are now, how have all the many experiences along the way helped shape you into the coach you are today?

WARD: I'll say this, it's helped me. I always knew I wanted to work with young people but didn't know in what capacity. It's helped me to be able to communicate better. I love developing men and teaching the game, which is probably my favorite thing. I love teaching and giving our guys football intelligence, and I still believe that discipline, and giving a guy structure, and holding them to it is important. I really feel like I've learned so much over my career. I'm blessed to be where I am and where I come from. I've learned so much from so many great coaches and great people — Coach Chris Klieman, Coach B, Collin — that I can take and carry to the players and pour into them. It's a blessing. I look at it all the time, and I'm like, man, I came from Tallahassee, Florida, and now I'm associate head coach at Kansas State University.

FRITCHEN: Final question. From that boy growing up in Tallahassee, Florida, to where you sit today, what has Thad Ward learned most about himself during his journey?

WARD: That's a great question. What I've learned most is, man, when I walk into the building, I'm going to work hard, do my job, be here for these kids and our staff, and put the team first. Those are the things that resonate and allow you to be successful when you come into your job every single day and make sure that the main thing is the main thing. What I got into the profession for is still the main reason why I do it. Obviously, being a competitor and winning and doing my job is a part of it, but I still love to develop young men first.

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