Collin Klein receives good news from Kansas State football breakout RB

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MANHATTAN — Kansas State football running back Joe Jackson confirmed that he will suit up for the Wildcats and Collin Klein in 2026.

The late-season breakout star confirmed his return in a video podcast posted by Manhattan real estate broker Derek Richards on Dec. 11.

Jackson said he was “excited” when he heard that Klein had been named the Wildcats’ next coach. He noted that Klein helped recruit him to Kansas State before he left to become the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M.

“Once I got the chance to talk to him, I told him that I was excited to finish what we started,” Jackson said. “I’m really excited to get to work with him, win some games and compete for a national championship.”

Jackson exploded over the last two games of the season for the Wildcats, which included a 293-yard performance at Utah on Nov. 22, which broke Darren Sproles’ K-State single-game rushing record. He ran for 435 yards and six touchdowns over the last two weeks combined.

The running back started most of the season for the Wildcats, due to Dylan Edwards’ early-season injury and eventual departure. He finished the year rushing for 911 yards and eight touchdowns, while averaging 5.4 yards per attempt.

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: Joe Jackson returning to Kansas State football, Collin Klein in 2026

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