Kansas State defensive coordinator Tom Hayes retires
Kansas State is now going to lose both coordinators this offseason. According to GoPowercat, defensive coordinator Tom Hayes is going to retire.
Hayes had spent the past six seasons as Kansas State’s defensive coordinator and had been on the staff for seven seasons, starting as the defensive backs coach in Manhattan.
Kansas State’s pass defense has been a source of frustration for fans, as the Wildcats ranked in the bottom 25 nationally for three-straight seasons in that category. This past fall, Kansas State allowed the most passing yards (310) per game in the conference. But they always made up for it with a bend-but-don’t-break style by clamping down in the red zone and forcing some timely turnovers.
Hayes had previous stops at UCLA, Oklahoma, Kansas and Stanford as part of a coaching career that spanned 40 years. The timing is tough with National Signing Day less than two weeks away.
It was announced last month that offensive coordinator Dana Dimel was leaving his post to take the head coaching job at UTEP. K-State just announced this week that his role would be filled by wide receivers coach Andre Coleman, who received a promotion, along with assistants Charlie Dickey and Collin Klein.
An internal candidate doesn’t seem all that likely in Jon Fabris (defensive ends coach), Mo Latimore (defensive line coach) or Blake Seiler (asst. defensive coordinator/linebackers coach). As for external candidates, named rumored thus far include Joe Bob Clements, Oklahoma State’s defensive line coach, where he played and coach, or even Bret Beilema, who used to be the defensive coordinator at K-State and was recently fired as Arkansas’ head coach.
