Kansas State football tabs Marcel Yates as new cornerbacks coach

MANHATTAN — Kansas State football coach Collin Klein worked quickly to fill the void that was left by Marcus Woodson.

Marcel Yates has been hired as Kansas State’s new cornerbacks coach, the school announced on Tuesday, March 24. Yates was most recently the secondary coach and passing game coordinator at Texas Tech from 2022-24.

“Marcel brings a lot of experience developing players at a high level,” Klein said in a release. “He was a character and integrity fit, and I am very excited to have him join our staff. He is a great relationship builder and teammate.”

Yates replaces Woodson, who departed Kansas State’s staff to return home to Ole Miss and serve a role on Pete Golding’s defensive staff.

During Yates’ time in Lubbock, six players from his position group earned All-Big 12 accolades. He’s had 11 defensive backs chosen in the NFL Draft during his career.

Yates has also made coaching stops at Montana State, Boise State, Texas A&M, Arizona, California and Oregon. He held defensive coordinator labels at Texas A&M, Boise State and Arizona in a coaching career that started in 2001. He played at Boise State from 1996-99. He assisted the New Orleans Saints’ coaching staff during the 2025 preseason.

Yates coached alongside K-State assistant head coach Tim DeRuyter at Texas Tech, California and Oregon.

“I am grateful to join the staff at Kansas State and be a part of a program with so much history and success,” Yates said. “I am excited to work with Coach Klein and the staff of great coaches he has assembled.”

Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_, contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at wwheeler@usatodayco.com

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: K-State football hires Marcel Yates as cornerbacks coach