Collin Klein Collin Klein ( born September 19 , 1989 ) is an American football quarterback . He appeared as a wide receiver for Kansas State during the 2009 season , and made his first career start at quarterback in a win against the Texas Longhorns during the 2010 season . Personal life . Klein was born on September 19 , 1989 , to Doug and Kelly Klein . He played football for Loveland High School in Colorado and set school records for completion percentage and all - purpose yards . His younger brother , Kyle , is a wide receiver for Kansas State . His grandfather is a barber in Estes Park , Colorado . When Klein was in kindergarten , he became interested in learning to play the piano , and began taking lessons the next year . He would later learn how to play both the mandolin and the violin . College career . Redshirted in 2008 , Klein would play either at wide receiver or on special teams for the entire 2009 season , catching six passes for 38 yards and one touchdown . He returned to the quarterback position in 2010 , earning spot duty early in the year before making his first career start against the Texas Longhorns , a game which the Wildcats won 39 - 14 and in which Klein rushed for 127 yards and two touchdowns , despite completing only two of four attempted passes . Klein was one of two quarterbacks in the Big 12 with at least two hundred - yard rushing games in the season . Klein would become the Wildcats ' first - string quarterback at the beginning of the 2011 season , taking over from a graduating Carson Coffman . In the team ' s spring game , he passed for 358 yards and five touchdowns . Klein led Kansas State to victories over their first seven opponents of the season — the Wildcats ' first 7 - 0 start since the year 1999 — including four consecutive games in which Kansas State was considered an underdog . On September 24 , 2011 , Klein led his team to a 28 - 24 win against a Miami Hurricanes team coming off a win against the defending Sugar Bowl champion Ohio State Buckeyes . The next week , Klein passed for 146 yards in Kansas State ' s 36 - 35 upset of the Baylor Bears , a team then ranked fifteenth in the nation by the Associated Press . That game would mark the first time since 2004 that a Wildcat quarterback rushed and passed for over a hundred yards in the same game . Following a 7 - 1 start , Klein would set career highs for passing yardage in consecutive weeks , first with 231 yards in a narrow 52 - 45 loss against third - ranked Oklahoma State , then with 281 yards in a dramatic four - overtime victory at Bill Snyder Family Stadium against Texas A & M . Klein also rushed for a career - high five touchdowns in the 53 - 50 win . He was an Honorable Mention All - American selection by " Sports Illustrated " , and earned First Team All - Big 12 honors as an all - purpose player from the Associated Press , ESPN . com , " Kansas City Star " , " Fort Worth Star - Telegram " and the " San Antonio Express - News " . He earned an All - Big 12 honorable mention from the league ' s coaches , and was a Second Team Academic All - Big 12 selection . His 27 rushing touchdowns during the 2011 season would equal two national records — most rushing touchdowns in a season by a Big 12 player , and most rushing touchdowns in a season by a quarterback in the Football Bowl Subdivision . These records had previously been set by Ricky Williams and Ricky Dobbs , respectively . He also broke a 42 year - old school record for rushing touchdowns in a season , previously held by Mack Herron , who ran for 20 in 1969 . Klein led the Big 12 with 317 rushing attempts , 67 more than the next highest player and the most in team history . Klein led the Big 12 and ranked third nationally with 162 points scored — a mark which was first among quarterbacks . In the 2012 Cotton Bowl Classic , he threw for 173 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 42 yards and a touchdown . The Wildcats would start off the 2012 season 10 - 0 , with Klein having made obvious improvements to his passing game during the offseason . On September 22 , 2012 , Kansas State would upset the sixth - ranked Oklahoma Sooners in Norman , 24 - 19 — the first time in Bob Stoops ' s tenure as head coach that the Sooners lost to a ranked team at home . He went on the lead the team to a 11 - 1 record and K - State ' s first conference championship since 2003 . They played the Oregon Ducks in the 2013 Fiesta Bowl , but lost 35 - 17 . Klein completed 17 of 32 passes for 151 yards with one touchdown pass , and ran for another , but also threw two interceptions . Due to his outstanding 2012 college football season , he has been selected as a finalist for the Heisman Trophy . He later played in the 2013 East - West Shrine Game , but struggled , completing 5 of 13 passes for 43 yards and an interception . Professional career . 2013 NFL Draft . Klein was asked to work out with the tight ends at the NFL Scouting Combine , despite saying that he wants to remain a quarterback . Houston Texans . On April 27 , 2013 , Klein was invited to the Texans ' rookie minicamp as a rookie tryout . Klein was not offered a contract at the conclusion of the rookie minicamp .