Kansas State football coach Chris Klieman announced his retirement Wednesday after nearly 35 years in coaching and the last seven leading the Wildcats, a run that included a Big 12 championship three years ago and a bowl trip every season but one.

Klieman was planning to announce his decision later this week, but it was quickly moved up when word began to leak. He spoke briefly during a news conference originally called to discuss national signing day, then left without taking questions, leaving his close friend and Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor to fill in the gaps.

Taylor proceeded to rip the the state of college athletics — including name, image and likeness payments to athletes, the transfer portal and other related factors — for their role in driving the 58-year-old Klieman to walk away from the game.

“If we don’t get this thing under control,” Taylor said, “more really, really good guys like Chris Klieman are going to walk away.”

Klieman did say health and family played a role in his decision. He wants to spend time with his wife, Rhonda, and their three kids.

“I spent 15 years at the last two stops and that is a rarity. It’s unique. It doesn’t happen enough anymore,” Klieman said, “and those relationship with players, impacts on people that reach far beyond this game — that’s always been my passion.”

Kansas State is expected to target Texas A&M offensive coordinator Collin Klein as his replacement, a person familiar with the plans told The Associated Press, though Taylor insisted he has yet to call the former Wildcats quarterback and assistant coach.

The Wildcats were a popular pick to challenge for a Big 12 title this season. Instead, they lost their opener to Iowa State in Ireland, got embarrassed by Army at home, and they needed to beat Colorado to finish 6-6 and qualify for a bowl.

A native of Waterloo, Iowa, Klieman was almost immediately embraced by blue-collar Kansas State fans after winning four Football Championship Subdivision titles in a five-year span at North Dakota State. They saw in him a hardworking Midwesterner not unlike themselves, whose teams would play fundamentally sound football with a reputation for physicality and toughness.

Yet in the years since Klieman was hired, the college football landscape has fundamentally changed. The transfer portal coupled with conference realignment and, perhaps most glaringly, NIL legislation dramatically altered the way teams are built, and his recruit-and-develop style has become nearly impossible to successfully sustain.

The stress seemed to boil over for Klieman after a 51-47 loss to No. 15 Utah on Nov. 22, a game the Wildcats had dominated.

He opened with a lengthy statement in which he praised the effort of his team, which has been ransacked by injuries this season, and then Klieman addressed a segment of the Kansas State fan base that had begun calling for his job amid the disappointing year.

“I’ve heard it enough that the kids have cashed in and that we need to get new leadership over here and new players, new coaches. I’m tired of it,” Klieman said. “I’ve got to be honest with you, I’m tired of it. … I’ve given everything for seven years. And I think I deserve something, a little respect.”

Klieman choked up several times during the news conference. At one point, Taylor approached Klieman and gave him a hug.

“You ain’t going anywhere, bud,” Taylor told him. “Understand that. We’ve got your back. We’ve got your back.”