Kansas State Wildcats Legend Michael Bishop Is Now On Opposing Side

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Former Kansas State Wildcats coach Michael Bishop is hands down one of the best players in school history. 

Not many are more beloved than him in Manhattan. He was one of the main players responsible for helping turn the Wildcats from doormats to contenders in the Big 12. 

These days, Bishop is now on the other side of the sideline. He is an assistant coach with the Houston Cougars, who are rivals of his alma mater. 

"He does an excellent job," Cougars coach Willie Fritz said earlier this month at Big 12 Media Days. "He's just a great person, great role model and mentor. He's also a real smart football coach. We're fortunate to have him around."

For K-State fans, it must be hard to see Bishop wearing anything other than purple. There was a time when Wildcats football meant losing. They were among the worst teams in the nation in the 1980s and `90s. 

That all changed during the rise of Bill Snyder and when Bishop arrived in 1997. He helped turn them into national championship contenders. He was the conference's Newcomer of the Year in his first season. He followed that by earning All-American honors the next year, all after most colleges recruited him as a defensive back. 

He had the Wildcats on the cusp on playing for a national title that season when he led them to the No. 1 ranking. The hopes were shattered with a 36-33 loss to Texas A & M in the conference title game. 

Bishop never made it in the NFL and bounced around the CFL for most of his post-college career. Still, it's great to see him impacting the game, even if it's for another program. 

The Wildcats are hoping to begin another revival under first-year coach Collin Klein, another K-State quarterback alum. Perhaps one day Bishop can join Klein, putting two Wildcats all-time greats on the same coaching staff. 

For now, Bishop is doing his best to help the Cougars, who were picked to finish tied for third with Arizona in conference the preseason media poll. This is Bishop's first college coaching experience after being successful in charge at the high school level in Texas. 

MORE K-STATE NEWS 

A pair of former teammates reunited for Kansas State basketball team

Did Kansas State and Collin Klein lose too much in offseason? 

Have we seen the best of K-State quarterback Avery Johnson? 

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Shandel Richardson is the publisher of KStateRoundtable. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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