At 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, Kansas State sophomore quarterback Collin Klein resembles Auburn’s Cam Newton and Ohio State’s Terrelle Pryor in size and, to some extent, athleticism. Of late, Klein has been imitating their explosiveness on the field too.
Klein, a former Loveland High standout, tucked the ball and ran for 127 yards against Texas on Nov. 6. He topped that last weekend with 141 yards on 18 carries at Missouri.
Will he tote the ball that often against Colorado on Saturday afternoon at Folsom Field? Klein wasn’t about to give away the game strategy.
“We didn’t plan for me to have that many carries in those games,” he said. “Every game takes on its own identity. The Lord blessed me with a good set of legs. I hadn’t used them as much until the last two weeks.”
Religious, polite and diplomatic, Klein said that he has no hard feelings against CU for not recruiting him. Rated a three-star recruit and the seventh-best prospect in the state of Colorado by in 2007, Klein threw for 1,398 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior at Loveland and for 1,457 yards and 15 scores as a junior. He also combined for 1,148 rushing yards during those two seasons.
Klein looked over Air Force, Colorado State and Utah before deciding on Kansas State.
“I really don’t feel any inclination (to try to get back at CU),” Klein said, when asked if being snubbed in recruiting by Buffaloes will give him extra motivation to play well against them on Saturday. “I really feel I was put at Kansas State for a reason. It’s a good fit.”
Klein is rotating at quarterback with senior Carson Coffman, who has an advantage in experience and is regarded as the more polished passer. Coffman (6-2, 204) has started nine of 10 games this season and has thrown for 1,485 yards and nine touchdowns, against seven interceptions. Klein, who made his first start at quarterback in a 39-14 home victory over Texas, is 10-for-15 passing this season, with one touchdown and no interceptions.
Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said he may not name a starter for Saturday against Colorado until game time.
About Klein, Snyder said, “He is a very bright young man and a great person. He’s continuing to get better.”
Klein is athletic enough to have started two games at wide receiver in 2009, catching a total of six passes for 38 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown against Texas A&M. Klein’s ability to break loose in the open field is a concern of CU interim coach Brian Cabral.
“(Klein) is a guy that you have to be concerned about when he’s in there because he can be a game-breaker on any given play,” Cabral said. “He’s a Colorado kid. And CU overlooked him. We’re going to see his best. He’s going to be looking to make a statement.”
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
