Kansas State Football | Chris Klieman + Players ahead of 2019 FCS National Championship

Hear from Chris Klieman as he prepares for his final game at North Dakota State in the 2019 FCS National Championship game. Klieman will take over as Kansas State's new head football coach following the game. He replaces hall of fame head coach Bill Snyder after 27 seasons.

Q. I know it's not easy or can't be easy to hear that your coach is leaving for a different job. When he did break that news to you guys, how did you take it and what was your reaction to hearing things, coaching both places?

EASTON STICK: I think the first thing is he was incredibly transparent and honest about the whole thing. So when I think the initial rumor started that everyone saw, probably a week or maybe even two before he got the job, he addressed it in front of the whole team and said what he needed to say and was honest with us and continued that throughout the process.

And so honestly when we learned he was going to receive that opportunity, genuine excitement, honestly. And we were happy for him, excited for him, because it's an opportunity that we think he deserves and has absolutely earned.

So, yeah, shoot, we were disappointed to see him leave because we love him. But at the same time we were excited for him and know he's going to do great things.

GREG MENARD: I think what Easton said, the first reaction was, oh, man, this sucks, we're losing our coach. But it's a little easier as a senior knowing that I don't really have to deal with the transition, selfishly. (Laughter).

But I think what Easton said, the transparency, the whole way through Coach Klieman and Matt Larsen, all those young guys really reassured we're going to keep the program going the right direction. It helped those guys out a lot.

Kind of after it all settled down, after the first couple of minutes, the shock factor, everyone was really happy for him. It doesn't happen very often going from an FCS school to a Power 5 school. So everyone was really happy for Coach.

ROBBIE GRIMSLEY: I think a big thing, too, for the younger guys, obviously there's uncertainty when you're younger guys and you remain in the program. But just having Coach Entz stay and be hired as the head coach was huge. Excited for him. Excited for Coach. We knew he was the right man for the job, and I think everyone is kind of feeling good about that and they're happy for all the coaches, just like they said.

They feel for him and they know how great of an opportunity it was to get that and I think it was right.

Q. Kansas State athletics released a video with some players and such wishing you guys the best of luck today. It really seems like NDSU is hoping you do well on your next venture and Kansas State is on the Bison train. Does the fact that everybody seems to be getting along make this process a lot easier, and are you excited to have Bison fans follow your journey?

COACH KLIEMAN: 100 percent, 100 percent. And that's a credit to the administration at Kansas State. And the people that I know I'm going to work for there are phenomenal people. Just like it's a credit to the people here; that I think Matt Larsen and I are -- we're colleagues but we're really, really good friends.

And I'm so excited to continue my relationship with Matt because he wants me to have tremendous success moving forward and I want him to have tremendous success.

Q. You guys have a winning tradition and culture here. They have a winning tradition and culture at Kansas State. Delicate dance to merging the two?

COACH KLIEMAN: Dedication and hard work, guys buying in all the things that have happened here. You just -- success is very difficult and you have to do a great job of motivating guys, great job of caring for people and letting them know that you're going to be there for them and it's happened here and I think it can -- I know it can happen at Kansas State.