K-State's new defensive coordinator may come from within current staff

Kansas State football coach Bill Snyder has not made a final decision on how to fill the Wildcats’ open defensive coordinator position, but he is currently leaning toward promoting from within his staff, according to two sources with knowledge of the hiring process.

Sources said the current front runner for the job is Tom Hayes, a veteran with 30 years of coaching experience who joined K-State last season as the team’s secondary coach.

Hayes helped the unit make several big plays, including 18 interceptions, but it often struggled against potent passing attacks and allowed 263.3 passing yards per game.

Hayes knows how to handle a larger workload. He has worked at both the collegiate and NFL levels, including stints as defensive coordinator with Stanford, UCLA, Oklahoma and Kansas.

“It won’t be a wow hire, but it will be a good move,” said one source. “It will stay consistent with how Kansas State has handled openings in the past. That staff came a long way and accomplished a lot this season. The chemistry won’t change.”

A K-State spokesperson said there is no timetable for Snyder to announce a new hire. University policy is not to comment on personnel procedures.

Sources said Snyder has examined several options on how to replace former defensive coordinator Chris Cosh, who left for South Florida last week, including making an outside hire.

A source said Snyder formally discussed the job with Matt Wallerstedt, a former linebacker and coach at K-State who currently serves as the defensive coordinator at Air Force, but it doesn’t appear he is prepared to leave the Falcons at this time.

An Air Force spokesperson had no comment when asked about Wallerstedt, but said he remains a member of the coaching staff there.

If Hayes, indeed, moves up to defensive coordinator, a source said two other defensive coaches will be reassigned to fill out the staff. The most likely scenario, a source said, will have Joe Bob Clements move from defensive ends to linebackers and defensive graduate assistant Blake Seiler become the defensive ends coach.