K-State Co-OC, Former USU Coach Matt Wells Weighs In On Atmosphere At BYU
Sep 20, 2024, 12:28 PM
PROVO, Utah – Matt Wells is one of the key voices overseeing the Kansas State offense.
The name should ring a bell for BYU fans, as Wells is the former head coach at Utah State.
Wells, who spent six years as the headman of the Aggies (2012-2018), is now the co-offensive coordinator for the Kansas State Wildcats.
Wells’s top task on Chris Klieman’s staff is developing Kansas State’s star sophomore quarterback, Avery Johnson.
While at Utah State, Wells worked with current Green Bay Packer Jordan Love and Aggie great Chuckie Keeton.
Matt Wells previews the BYU/Kansas State matchup
Earlier this week, Wells joined Hans Olsen and Scott Garrard on “Hans & Scotty G.” on the KSL Sports Zone to preview the Saturday night Big 12 tilt against BYU and discuss his QB, Avery Johnson.
“He’s got some of the intangible components to him, his DNA, his game, that are very similar to Jordan [Love] in that, number one, they are both competitive dudes. Avery loves to be coached,” Wells said to Hans & Scotty G. “He wants to be coached. He’s hungry. And I think as long as he continues to have that desire to be great and to be coached, I think he’ll continue to improve.”
Wells moved to K-State after spending two years as an offensive analyst for the Oklahoma Sooners. In Manhatta, Wells oversees the quarterback position and is an associate head coach, while Conor Riley calls the plays for K-State’s offense.
Kansas State has jumped out to a 3-0 start and is 62nd nationally in total offense at 412 yards per game.
On Saturday night, Kansas State will face a BYU defense that is 13th in the country in total defense, with 236.3 yards allowed through non-conference play.
LETS GO‼️ #EMAW pic.twitter.com/JvDIRdU3m5
— Matt Wells (@_CoachMattWells) July 6, 2024
History against BYU football inside LaVell Edwards Stadium
Wells faced BYU six times as a head coach with the Aggies, once last year with Oklahoma, and as an assistant for Utah State and New Mexico. The former Utah State quarterback also faced BYU as a player. He knows the challenges of playing inside LaVell Edwards Stadium, and he’s made Kansas State aware as they get set for their first game in Provo since 1977.
“That’s a stadium I’ve been in quite a bit. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Kalani [Sitake] and that program. But also the fan base,” Matt Wells said to the KSL Sports Zone’s Hans & Scotty G. “This is one of the great atmospheres in all of college football. And I’ve told them that, and they know that. I’ve told Coach Klieman and our staff that.”
As a head coach, Wells was 2-1 in games in Provo. The breakthrough in 2014 was Utah State’s first win over BYU in Provo in 36 years.
“You know, LaVell Edwards Stadium –an Aggie, by the way– at night, I know it’ll be rocking. It will be loud. I’ve been in there before and I know what a tremendous advantage that is for the Cougars,” Wells said. “So you’ve got to prepare them for the crowd noise and all of the things that come with that. I know what a great environment it is.”
Wells said he will have “a lot of people there” on Saturday night to support the Wildcats.
For BYU fans that aren’t aware.
Former USU Aggie head coach Matt Wells is now the Co-OC for the Kansas State Wildcats.
He also serves as the QBs coach.
He built a plan that destroyed Arizona last week and gave QB Avery Johnson 156yds passing, 110yds rushing and 2TDs.
He’s good. pic.twitter.com/xshCk6vmeu— Hans Olsen (@975Hans) September 17, 2024
“They’ll all be wearing purple. They may have some Utah State gear underneath, but they’ll have purple on.”
BYU vs. No. 13 Kansas State
Date: Saturday, September 21
Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. (MT)
TV: ESPN
Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM)
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
