Conor Riley is widely known as one of the best offensive line coaches in college football, and after Collin Klein opted to leave Manhattan for Texas A&M, he stepped right into play-calling duties for the Wildcats and kept things rolling.
However, it appears that Chris Klieman will have to find two offensive coordinators in two offseason cycles, as Conor Riley doesn’t appear to be sticking around for 2025.
According to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the Dallas Cowboys have tapped Riley as their next offensive line coach, where he’ll work under new head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
This is a monsterous loss for Kansas State, as Riley has essentially served as Klieman’s right hand man dating back to their time together at North Dakota State.
In his first season as an offensive coordinator, Riley led the Wildcats’ offense to an average of 31 points per game (44th nationally), but also maintained the second-best rushing offense in the Big 12 (215 yards per game).
There’s no leads on where Kansas State will turn for its playcalling duties in 2025, but with Riley out, finding a replacement is the top priority for Klieman and his staff.
