Kansas State football coach Chris Klieman quickly fills strength and conditioning vacancy
Kansas State football coach Chris Klieman has lost a valuable member of his staff, but he wasted no time filling the position.
When Southern California named K-State strength and conditioning director Trumain Carroll its director of football performance Wednesday, Klieman immediately elevated his top assistant to the post.
Ray Thomas, who helped Carroll lead the Wildcats’ strength and conditioning to new heights over the past four years, will now oversee the program as the new director.
“We are pleased to elevate Ray to lead our strength and conditioning program,” Klieman said in a statement. “Our players and coaches have the utmost respect for him, and his style and leadership will fit in seamlessly with our program as we enter the summer training months and into the season.”
Losing Carroll was still a hit for the program as he was widely respected in the profession and credited by K-State coaches and players alike for raising the bar in the Wildcats’ conditioning efforts during his four years.
Under Carroll, the Wildcats enjoyed a successful extended winter conditioning program that saw the players collectively gain 700 pounds of muscle without losing any speed. A total of 33 players were clocked at better than 21 miles per hour, six over 22 mph, and four ā VJ Payne, Dylan Edwards, Donovan McIntosh, and Avery Johnson, at 23.
Thomas, who joined the staff in 2021 and was promoted to associate strength and conditioning coach before the 2023 season, was also part of that offseason effort.
“I am blessed and thankful for the opportunity this new role presents,” said Thomas, who before arriving at K-State spent the 2018 season at Colorado State, 2019 at Arkansas, and 2020 at South Florida. “I look forward to helping continue to lead these young men with Coach Klieman’s vision in mind.
