It didn’t take long at all for new Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman to have his first Power Five coaching staff raided. In fact, he didn’t even make it to spring practice with the Wildcats before having an opening come up.
According to 247Sports’ GoPowerCat.com, KSU defensive coordinator Ted Monachino is set to return to the NFL ranks and join the staff of the Chicago Bears. He was brought on board by the school officially just a few weeks ago in late December.
The return to the pro ranks is not all too surprising however as Monachino was the defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts for two years prior to spending this past season as an analyst for Barry Odom at Missouri. All told he spent a dozen years in the NFL as an assistant on the defensive side of the ball prior to his brief drop down to the college level in 2018.
It remains to be seen as to what direction Klieman will go to fill his DC spot but he does have internal options if needed. Defensive line coach Blake Seiler was the Wildcats’ coordinator under Bill Snyder last season and cornerbacks coach Van Malone served as SMU’s defensive coordinator for three years.
Either way, the clock is ticking just a bit to find a replacement for Klieman as the second signing period is just around the corner in college football at the beginning of next month.
