K-State begins coaching search
79-year-old Snyder announces retirement for second time
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas State has gone through the unenviable process of replacing a coaching great before, and the results were so disappointing that Bill Snyder came out of retirement to put the program back on track. Now, the Wildcats get a do-over. The 79-year-old Snyder announced Sunday he was retiring for a second time as the coach at Kansas State. The move brought an end to his Hall of Fame career and opened up the job for only the second time in the past three decades.
The first time, after Snyder retired in 2005, then-athletic director Tim Weiser hired the relatively unknown Ron Prince as head coach. The former Virginia offensive coordinator went 17-20 with one bowl appearance, but the slide of the once-proud Kansas State program was evident.
This time, it will be up to Gene Taylor to make a better choice.
He was hired as athletic director last year, and from the moment Taylor signed on, he knew one day he would be searching for a football coach. So like any good administrator, Taylor compiled a list of potential candidates that he kept at the ready — even as Snyder decided last fall to return for one more season — and he will no doubt be reaching out to those individuals soon.
“Our priority will be to identify the absolute best individual to lead our football program and we will do so in a timely yet exhaustive manner,” Taylor said in a statement Monday. “This is a program with rich tradition, a passionate fan base and a facility infrastructure that is second to none, and we want to find a successful coach who best fits and understands our culture here at K-State.
“We will attract some of the nation’s top coaches,” Taylor said, “and I look forward to introducing the K-State Nation to its next coach in the near future.”
Taylor said the search already is underway. Ventura Partners has been hired to assist with the process. And Snyder’s contract stipulates that he has “appropriate input” in hiring his successor. Here are candidates who could be in play:
Chris Klieman, head coach, North Dakota State. Taylor hired him to replace Craig Bohl at North Dakota State, where he is unbeaten this season as he seeks a fourth national title in five years.
Jim Leavitt, defensive coordinator, Oregon. Leavitt was a popular assistant under Snyder before he built South Florida’s program from scratch. But his tenure ended under intense scrutiny for his treatment of players, and he has been passed over for several head coaching jobs.
Seth Littrell, head coach, North Texas. One of the hottest young coaches in the nation, Littrell played for former Snyder assistant Bob Stoops at Oklahoma and coached alongside former Snyder assistant Mark Mangino at Kansas. He has turned the Mean Green, who will play Utah State in the New Mexico Bowl, into a perennial bowl team.
Ricky Rahne, offensive coordinator, Penn State. Snyder thought highly enough of Rahne that he kept him on staff when Prince was fired. He has no head coaching experience, but Rahne is considered among the top offensive minds in college football.
Brett Venables, defensive coordinator, Clemson. Considered the fan favorite to succeed Snyder, the Kansas native played at Kansas State before beginning his coaching career there. Venables also served as defensive coordinator at Oklahoma.
LOUISVILLE: Appalachian State’s Scott Satterfield has been tabbed to be the Cardinals’ next football coach.
A person with knowledge of the situation spoke to The Associated Press on Monday on condition of anonymity because neither the school nor Satterfield had publicly announced the decision.
MASSACHUSETTS: UMass has hired Florida State offensive coordinator Walt Bell as its new head coach.
UMass announced the hiring Monday. The 34-year-old Bell has been a fast riser in college coaching, going from a graduate assistant at Southern Mississippi to offensive coordinator at two Power Five schools before the age of 35.
NFL DRAFT: South Carolina receiver Deebo Samuel says he is skipping the Belk Bowl so he can begin preparing for the NFL draft.
… Arizona State receiver N’Keal Harry will skip the Las Vegas Bowl to prepare for the NFL draft.
… Oklahoma State running back Justice Hill will skip his senior season and enter the 2019 NFL draft. Hill will not play against Missouri in the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 31.
… Florida State defensive end Brian Burns has declared for the NFL draft.
… North Carolina State junior Kelvin Harmon is entering the NFL draft and won’t play in the Gator Bowl.
LIBERTY: Coach Turner Gill is retiring, the school announced Monday, after seven seasons over the Flames. His teams went 47-35 during his tenure and made the transition from the Football Championship Subdivision to the Football Bowl Subdivision.
In a statement, Gill says his wife was diagnosed with a heart condition in 2016 and they decided he should stay to lead the transition, but “it is now time for me to step away.”
Liberty defeated New Mexico 52-43 and split two games with New Mexico State this season.