K-State hires Matt Wells as offensive coordinator, promotes Riley
Kansas State has its new offensive coordinator.
On Thursday, Bruce Feldman of The Athletic reported that Kansas State was set to hire Oklahoma analyst Matt Wells as their new co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
The school later confirmed the news via a statement.
“I have known Matt for a very long time, and he is someone who will bring a lot to the table as a member of our staff – from head coaching experience to developing some of the top quarterbacks in the game," head coach Chris Klieman said in the statement. "He will be a great addition to our offensive room and system, providing tremendous x’s and o’s experience as well as a recruiting prowess that mirrors our philosophy of identifying and developing talent.”
Before joining Oklahoma's coaching staff, Wells was the head coach at Texas Tech from 2019 to 2021.
During that time, the Red Raiders failed to make a bowl game, as Wells finished his three-year tenure with a 13-17 record in charge. In 2021, Wells was fired after just eight games.
Wells, however, was a successful head coach at Utah State, where he coached from 2013 to 2018.
The Aggies won 44 games during that time, as Wells commanded them to bowl wins during his first two seasons in charge.
In 2013, Wells led Utah State to a 7-1 record in Mountain West, placing the Aggies in the Mountain West Championship game. In 2018, Wells also finished 7-1 in conference play but missed the conference championship game because of their head-to-head record with Boise State.
Wells coached Jordan Love in his final season with Utah State. In that season, Love threw for 3,567 yards and 32 touchdowns for the Aggies. Love also ran for seven touchdowns, which was third on the team.
Wells is known for high-paced offenses that put up large point totals. In 2018, the Aggies were second in points per game, averaging 47.5 points. The Aggies were ranked 22nd in the final AP Top 25 poll that season.
The move makes sense for Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman, who says that Wells is one of his closest friends in the coaching industry.
Following Wells' firing from Texas Tech, Klieman called his dismissal a "bad deal."
"I don't know all the circumstances, but Matt's a class act and a good friend of mine in the profession," Klieman said. "Sorry to hear it, and it's a bad deal for him. It's a bad deal for the profession. But I don't know all the circumstances."
In a corresponding move, Kansas State also elevated offensive line coach Conor Riley to offensive coordinator. Riley called plays during Kansas State's win over NC State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
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