Chris Klieman Accepts Job at Kansas State, Will Stay with NDSU through Playoffs

The NDSU coach is 67-6 in his five seasons with the Bison

FARGO, N.D. — NDSU football needs a new head coach for the 2019 season. The team announced Chris Klieman has accepted a job with Kansas State.

Klieman just signed on to a big pay raise. He will make $2.3 million per year for six years according to K-State. That’s up from the $300,000 he’s currently making with the Bison.

Even though he will lead the Wildcats in 2019, Klieman will remain on with the Bison as long as their playoff run allows, be it until Friday’s semifinal or January 5th for the championship game in Frisco, Texas.

Klieman said through a Kansas State athletics press release, this is an absolute dream job.

His value with North Dakota State would be tough to overstate though. He delivered five Missouri Valley Football Conference championships in five years, and is two wins away from delivering a fourth national title.

Cornerback Tre Dempsey was a part of three national championships with Klieman and one with previous Head Coach Craig Bohl. Dempsey dealt with a coaching change and saw NDSU thrive through it. He expects the same this time around.

“The bison is a group of guys. It’s a team,” Dempsey said. “We never take that role of ‘I did this. I did that’ even if it is the head coach. He got the job as head coach, and no disrespect to Klieman, he’s a great coach. but, when he leaves, that’s not going to be the end of Bison Nation and everything we believe in as Bison. We’re not going to stop winning just because we lost the head coach.”

Dempsey would be the first to admit that the coach’s value goes much deeper than wins and losses though.

Klieman has a .918 win percentage and was named 2017 Missouri Valley Coach of the Year.

There will be more news to break down in the coming days with who from Klieman’s staff will leave with him to Manhattan, Kansas as well as who is replacement will be.