Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder is stepping into retirement, again. After a report from The Mercury in Manhattan, Kansas State has officially announced Snyder’s retirement.
“Coach Snyder has had an immeasurable impact on our football program, Kansas State University, the Manhattan community and the entire state of Kansas, and it has been an honor and a privilege to get to know and work with him the past two years,” said Athletics Director Gene Taylor. “He and his family have touched the lives of so many people, from student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans, and he is truly one of the greatest coaches and leaders in college football history. His impact on college football is unmatched and legacy is one that will last a lifetime.”
Snyder began his lengthy coaching career in 1962 as an assistant at Gallatin High School in Missouri. His first job in college came in 1966 as a graduate assistant at USC. After holding a couple of high school jobs in California, Snyder returned to the college game for good in 1974 as an offensive coordinator for Austin College. After two years, Snyder became an assistant coach at North Texas from 1976 through 1978. From there, it was on to Iowa to be the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach in 1979. After a decade with the Hawkeyes, Snyder received his first college head coaching job at Kansas State in 1989. After initially retiring from the Wildcats in 2005, Snyder returned to take on the job in 2009 following the dismissal of Ron Prince.
Snyder will officially retire with an all-time record of 215-117-1, which includes a record of 128-89-1 with Kansas State’s football program between two stints from 1996 through 2005 and 2009 through 2018. Kansas State finished a season ranked in the top 25 a total of 13 times under Snyder with a couple of national title contenders mixed in that collection. Kansas State won two Big 12 championships under Snyder, in 2003 and 2012, and a total of four Big 12 North Division titles. Snyder was a three-time Big Eight Coach of the Year prior to the formation of the Big 12, and he won four additional Big 12 coach of the year honors as well as a handful of national coach of the year honors over the years. Snyder was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
Kansas State offered Snyder a contract extension through the 2022 season prior to the start of the 2018 season. Snyder would have been 82 years old at the end of the contract had he remained the head coach. At the time, Snyder made it clear he intended to remain the head coach as long as his health allowed for him to continue coaching. There has been no indication of any health concerns, but given how Kansas State failed to reach a bowl game this season, it could have just been a matter of timing to make decisions that will be for the best at Kansas State moving forward.