Chris Klieman has fired offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Courtney Messingham and fullbacks/tight ends coach Jason Ray, Kansas State announced Friday.
Both coaches followed Klieman from North Dakota State.
In fact, Klieman and Messingham both grew up in Waterloo, Iowa, and played together at Northern Iowa in the late 1980s. The pair coached opposite sides at Missouri State in 1999, with Klieman handling the defensive backs and Messingham the wide receivers and tight ends.
The pair reunited in 2017, when Klieman brought Messingham to Fargo to serve as his offensive coordinator and running backs coach.
“We appreciate the efforts of Courtney and Jason during their time in Manhattan and wish them well in the future,” Klieman said. “These were very difficult decisions to make as both are great coaches and friends – Jason since our time at North Dakota State, and Courtney, who I have known since we were young. However, I feel like this is in the best interest of our program moving forward.”
Kansas State finished the regular season 7-5 (4-5 Big 12) in a season where starting quarterback Skylar Thompson once again battled injuries.
The Wildcats finished ninth in the Big 12 in points and yards, and seventh in yards per play.
Former Wildcat quarterback Colin Klein, now K-State's quarterbacks coach, will be the interim offensive coordinator for the bowl game while Klieman hunts for a full-time replacement.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.