WICHITA — Collin Klein is playing the waiting game.
The former Kansas State quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist wasn’t selected in the 2013 NFL Draft, although he was invited for a tryout with the Houston Texans shortly afterward. He didn’t wind up signing a free-agent contract, but he’s hopeful of landing one when training camp opens later this month.
“I’m waiting for an invite,” Klein said on Monday as he kicked off his tour of the Collin Klein Passing Academy at Wichita West High School. “Houston has been staying in touch with me because they really did like what I did down there, so we’ll see what happens.
“I’m on my own, so I’m trying to be as self-disciplined as I can.”
Klein led Kansas State to a share of the Big 12 Conference championship, a Bowl Championship Series berth in the Fiesta Bowl against Oregon and an 11-2 record last season. The Wildcats’ unquestioned leader both on-and-off the field, the 2012 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner thrust himself and his team into the national spotlight, finishing with 2,641 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and only nine interceptions.
Better yet, Klein, a bruising 6-foot-5, 226-pound run-pass combination, matched former Navy quarterback Ricky Dobbs for the NCAA single-season record for rushing touchdowns with 27. Dobbs set his mark in 2009.
Klein worked with former NFL quarterback Jake Plummer, who played for the Arizona Cardinals and the Denver Broncos, prior to the draft and soon thereafter.
“I worked with him for three weeks, from late June until early July,” Klein said of “Jake The Snake,” who touched on the full gamut of passing. “Obviously, I worked with him before the (NFL) combine, too.
“You work on footwork. You work on the odd angles, the short angles, every day. We worked on everything.”
• Camp information — Klein is being assisted by his father, Doug, along with former Washburn quarterback Dane Simoneau, to name just a few. ... Although titled as a passing camp, it’s also a receiving camp with all positions welcome. ... The opening camp at Wichita West had two three-hour sessions: grade school kids in the morning and high school-age kids in the afternoon. ... After departing Wichita, Klein and Co. are scheduled to be in Liberal today, Garden City on Wednesday and Thursday and Manhattan on Friday. ... On Monday, July 22, Klein’s crew heads to Topeka before going to Salina on Tuesday, July 23, and wrapping up his tour on Wednesday, July 24, in Dodge City.
CAMP KLEIN
Former Kansas State QB playing waiting game, running own academy
