‘The dude is brilliant’: Former Kansas player details why Klint Kubiak is built to lead Raiders

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Before the Super Bowl ring and the Raiders introductory press conference, Klint Kubiak was a young assistant coach at Kansas.

Ryan Schadler remembers him as something more.

“One thing about Coach Kubiak was like he knows the game better than anybody that I've been around,” said Schadler, a former Kansas wide receiver who played under Kubiak for one season. “The dude is brilliant.”

Kubiak, now the Raiders’ head coach, spent just a year at Kansas, working primarily with receivers. But Schadler said the impression was immediate — and lasting.

WATCH | Former Kansas player details why Klint Kubiak is built to lead Raiders

“I remember position meetings like I can't take enough notes. He's just very detailed,” Schadler said.

That detail showed up in how Kubiak evaluated players. Schadler said every practice rep was tracked and posted.

“Production was always talked about,” he said. “You can't complain why you're not playing when the production is on every wall in his office.”

For Kubiak, performance wasn’t subjective.

“Production matters because when you produce, you win,” Schadler said.

Kubiak’s command of the game was evident early. Schadler recalled then–Kansas head coach David Beatty predicting Kubiak’s quick ascent.

“I remember specifically Coach Beatty, our head coach, saying he won't be here long because he's gonna be somewhere else because he's that good,” Schadler said.

At the time, Kubiak was still early in his coaching career. But Schadler said he already carried himself like a veteran.

“You could tell really early on that the dude knows his stuff, X's and O's,” he said.

While some observers have described Kubiak as quiet or reserved, Schadler said that perception misses an important layer.

“When your feet hit that turf, you do have to turn something on. And he definitely has that,” he said. “Not a lot flusters him. You can never be too high or too low.”

Beyond scheme and preparation, Shadler pointed to relationships. Years after leaving Kansas — and four years removed from playing under Kubiak — he reached out ahead of his pro day and a workout opportunity with the Kansas City Chiefs, his hometown team. Kubiak, then coaching in the NFL, responded and offered guidance.

“That spoke to me,” Schadler said. “I think that speaks to relationship way beyond just football.”

Now a head coach himself, Schadler keeps a binder from his season under Kubiak — filled with notes, drills and grading systems.

When he took his current job, he opened that binder first.

So what are the Raiders getting?

“A winner,” Schadler said. “And a wizard. Brilliant offensively.”

According to a former player who saw the foundation up close, Kubiak’s rise didn’t happen overnight. It was built on detail, accountability and a standard that hasn’t changed.