MANHATTAN, Kan. – Matt Wells, who served on the K-State football staff as the co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach/associate head coach in 2024 has been promoted to offensive coordinator, head coach Chris Klieman announced Monday.
“We are fortunate to have someone experienced on staff in Matt, who I have known for 12-plus years and will seamlessly transition into the offensive coordinator role,” Klieman said. “He worked closely with Conor last season and had a big part in our offensive production. His resume speaks for itself, and his relationship with and development of Avery Johnson and our other quarterbacks will help our offense continue to grow.”
Wells replaces Conor Riley as the primary play caller, who was named the Dallas Cowboys’ offensive line coach late last week.
“It is such an honor to coach here at K-State, and I am thankful to Coach Klieman for this opportunity,” Wells said. “I have grown to love this school and our players throughout this past year. I am excited for this upcoming season and looking forward to building upon this offense with our players and staff.”
Wells hit the ground running in his first season on staff, tutoring Avery Johnson to a school-record 25 touchdown passes, while his sophomore signal caller ranked fifth in school history in passing yards (2,712) and completions (217). Additionally, Johnson was one of only five players in the nation and one of three from Power 4 schools to record at least 2,700 passing yards and 600 rushing yards, while he was one of nine signal callers nationally with at least 25 passing touchdowns and seven rushing touchdowns.
Under the direction of Wells, Johnson guided an offense that finished in the top 15 nationally in four offensive categories, including rushing yards per carry (second; 6.08) and rushing yards per game (11th; 215.5). K-State also ranked in the top 10 in school history in 15 game or season categories. Among those were school record for offensive yards per play (6.57) and rushing yards per carry (6.08), while the Wildcats tied for third in passing touchdowns (25), ranked fourth in offensive yards per game (426.8), fifth in total offense yards (5,549), sixth in rushing yards (2,801), seventh in completions (222) and 10th in both passing yards (2,749) and pass attempts (383).
Wells, who boasts nine years of head coaching experience, came to Manhattan after spending the previous two seasons at Oklahoma as an advisor to the head coach/offensive analyst. Prior to that, he served as the head coach at his alma mater, Utah State, from 2013 through 2018 and at Texas Tech from 2019 to 2021. In addition to coaching quarterbacks during his 27-year coaching career, he has also spent time tutoring wide receivers and tight ends. In total, Wells has been a part of 14 bowl teams and two conference championships.
Another one of Wells’ success stories tutoring quarterbacks was Jordan Love at Utah State, who accounted for 9,003 yards of total offense in his career – including a 2018 campaign in which he threw for 3,567 yards and 32 touchdowns – before declaring for the NFL Draft following his junior season of 2019. In addition to snapping five single-season school records in 2018, Love also ranked second in school history with 8,600 career passing yards and tied for second with 60 touchdown passes. He went on to be selected 26th overall by the Green Bay Packers in the 2020 NFL Draft, becoming the first Aggie to hear his name called in the first round since 1970.
Utah State boasted one of the most dynamic offenses in the country in 2018, ranking second by averaging 47.5 points per game. The Aggies, who also ranked among the national leaders for fewest sacks allowed (fourth), total offense (11th), passing efficiency (14th) and passing offense (17th), lit up scoreboards to the tune of 618 points, snapping the Mountain West and Utah State single-season records in the process.
A native of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, Wells began his career coaching the quarterbacks, fullbacks and wide receivers at Navy from 1997 through 2001 in addition to serving as the head coach for the Midshipmen junior varsity team. He then spent five seasons back in his home state as he was the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator at Tulsa from 2002 to 2006.
Wells spent the 2007, 2008 and 2010 seasons at New Mexico as the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator. During the 2009 season, he was the passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Louisville.
Wells’ tenure at Utah State began as the quarterbacks coach and recruiting coordinator in 2011 before being promoted to offensive coordinator a year later. As offensive coordinator, Wells helped Utah State claim the 2012 WAC title, its first outright conference championship since 1936 and just its third in school history. That season, Wells directed an Aggie offense that set single-season school records for total points (454), total offense (6,108), completions (285) and total yards per game (469.8), while ranking second in points per game (34.9) and total passing yards (3,445).
Wells was instrumental in the development of quarterback Chuckie Keeton, who earned First Team All-WAC honors in 2012 after setting single-season school records for touchdown passes (27), passing yards (3,373), completion percentage (67.6%), completions (275) and total offense (3,992). Keeton also earned WAC Offensive Player of the Week honors four times that year, which marked a new single-season school record.
Wells earned his bachelor’s degree in business marketing from Utah State in 1996, graduating cum laude. He and his wife, Jen, have two daughters, Jadyn and Ella, and one son, Wyatt.
THE MATT WELLS FILE
Hometown: Sallisaw, Oklahoma
College: Utah State – Bachelor’s in Business Marketing (1996)
Family: Wife: Jen; Children: Jadyn, Ella, Wyatt
Playing Career: Utah State (Quarterback), 1992-96
COACHING CAREER TIMELINE
1997-2001, Navy (quarterbacks/fullbacks/wide receivers/junior varsity head coach)
2002-06, Tulsa (tight ends/recruiting coordinator)
2007-08, New Mexico (wide receivers/recruiting coordinator)
2009, Louisville (passing game coordinator/quarterbacks)
2010, New Mexico (wide receivers)
2011, Utah State (quarterbacks/recruiting coordinator)
2012, Utah State (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks)
2013-18, Utah State (head coach)
2019-21, Texas Tech (head coach)
2022-23, Oklahoma (advisor to head coach/offensive analyst)
2024, Kansas State (co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks/associate head coach)