Iowa State Cyclones football: Offensive line coach Chris Klenakis leaves program

Iowa State football head coach Paul Rhoads announced that offensive line coach Chris Klenakis is leaving the team.

Sep 15, 2012; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks offensive line coach Chris Klenakis coaches during a game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Alabama defeated Arkansas 52-0. Mandatory Credit: Beth Hall-USA TODAY Sports

From The Des Moines Register:

"“Chris Klenakis has indeed left football program,” Rhoads said.That’s all Rhoads would say on the matter. He did not comment on Internet reports that Klenakis is headed to Louisville."

Lousiville Cardinals blog Card Chronicle shoots out a tweet from Football Scoop that Klenakis has indeed joined Bobby Petrino, who was hired by Louisville on Wednesday as the new football head coach. Also, an interesting note: Klenakis interviewed for the offensive coordinator job at Iowa State but didn’t get it.

"Prior to coming to Louisville, Klenakis had been the offensive line coach at Iowa State and had interviewed for the offensive coordinator position there as well, but did not get it. Many fans expected former Petrino assistant Mike Summers to return and be the offensive line coach again, but, prior to Petrino getting the Louisville job, Summers accepted the offensive line coach position at Florida. Klenakis had previously been the offensive line coach at Arkansas."

Klenakis has ties to the 2011 Arkansas football team; he was the offensive line coach there while Petrino was headed into his fourth season as head coach.

That means that four coaches on the offensive side of the ball have left Iowa State. Offensive coordinator Courney Messingham and running backs coach Kenith Pope were fired right after the football season ended while tight ends coach Bill Bleil became the offensive coordinator at Rhode Island.