Iowa State transfer defensive end Kenard Snyder (8) in action at fall camp. Photo courtesy of Iowa State Athletics Communications.
AMES — Kenard Snyder and Zach Lovett became best friends in the seventh grade.
Their tight bond extended to the football field at Rockledge (Fla.) High School, where both blossomed into FBS-caliber linebackers.
Then Lovett left for Missouri and Snyder journeyed to Louisiana-Monroe — until the high-performing duo reunited this spring at Iowa State.
“He kept telling me,” said Snyder, who joined the Cyclones’ program one year after Lovett did. “He was like, ‘Come on, come on to the Jack (Trice Stadium).’”
Snyder listened and eventually jumped at the chance to join Eli Rasheed’s defensive line unit as an edge rusher with two seasons of eligibility remaining.
“He’s twitched up,” Rasheed said chuckling. “And what you don’t realize about Kenard is Kenard is almost 265 pounds, but what Kenard has brought us is competition. He’s made all those guys on the edge better.”
Snyder stands just six feet tall, but his strength and agility make him formidable against both the run and the pass. He compiled 5.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss as a defensive end last season — his first at the position. He’s layered on more than 15 pounds of muscle since committing to head coach Matt Campbell’s program without sacrificing any of his speed.
“I’m quick,” Snyder said. “I can get off blocks quick. I can get to the quarterback as fast as possible. I’ve got great awareness (and) play recognition, so it all just ties in.”
And Snyder’s addition to a D-line that Rasheed’s already slotted out to a near-complete three-deep bolsters the Cyclones’ defensive unit’s one recent weakness. ISU has ranked 10th or worse in the Big 12 in sacks the past two seasons since all-time sacks leader Will McDonald departed for the NFL, but Rasheed’s convinced more backfield disruption is coming soon. To wit, he said, second-year assistant coach Lee Stalker’s added the job of pass rush specialist to his list of duties — and it’s already paying off handsomely.
“I’ve been trying to hire him for years and years and years and we finally got him,” Rasheed said of Stalker, who played linebacker under Cyclones defensive coordinator Jon Heacock from 2011-12. “He’s come in and done a really good job with the fundamentals of pass rush and over the summer we’ve gotten better.”
Snyder’s done the same thing on the edge for senior Joey Petersen, juniors Trent Jones and Tyler Onyedim, and sophomore Ikenna Ezeogu, among others.
“(Ezeogu) is outstanding right now,” Rasheed said. “He’s emerging and coming along. (Petersen) has been playing really good football and now he’s developing into a little bit of a finesse rusher instead of more of a bull rusher. He’s taking that coaching. Trent Jones is challenging every guy. (He) has a very high football IQ. He can play the field, he’s played the three (technique) and he’s played the nose. He can stop the run and now he can rush the passer.”
So expect not just a stronger pass rush, but better defensive line play as a whole this season from a unit that’s been a program strength since Rasheed came to Ames on day one of the Campbell era. That — along with reuniting with Lovett — is what drew Snyder to the Cyclones’ program. He’s also set a personal sacks goal for his first season in the Big 12.
“I told (coaches) I’m going for double digits,” he said. “That’s the plan.”
Best not to doubt him, his teammates said.
“Kenard Snyder, he’s a dawg,” 6-6, 330-pound junior offensive lineman James Neal said. “Big guy. Iron sharpens iron. He’s a great addition to the team.”
