Kansas State expected to name Blake Seiler as defensive coordinator
Following the sudden retirement of defensive coordinator Tom Hayes, Kansas State is going to promote linebackers coach Blake Seiler to the coordinator position, according to GoPowercat.
Seiler is a former defensive end for Kansas State under head coach Bill Snyder, and just finished his ninth season on the K-State staff and his fifth as a full-time assistant coach. Seiler spent the first four seasons coaching the defensive ends and then made the move to linebackers before this past season, while also adding the title of assistant defensive coordinator.
It’s the second coordinator position Snyder has had to fill this offseason and it’s another internal promotion. This hire comes just weeks after naming Andre Coleman his offensive coordinator, replacing Dana Dimel, who took the head coaching position at UTEP.
The top priority for Seiler? Help a Kansas State 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.
At first thought, an internal candidate didn’t seem to make a ton of sense, but that’s the Snyder way, so it shouldn’t be a total shocker. Additionally, it’s possible that the uncertainty surrounding how long Snyder will work could scare off some candidates.
Either way, it’s by far, the biggest break of Seiler’s career, who’s in his early 30’s and graduated Kansas State in 2007.
