Bill Snyder book

[Omaha Cy]

Just came out a few weeks back. Bill gives a comprehensive career and season by season look at his time with KSU.
Fascinating to get a glimpse into all the things he was concerned with on a weekly basis. Bill addresses other job opportunities that came about during his time there. A big hurdle was handling mass exodus of assistants when Stoops became OU coach and took a lot of KSU coaches. I've only made it to the CCG win over OU. Lots of discussion on managing the mental aspect of the team through the years following success.

The KSU facilities when Snyder got there were possibly the worst in P5 conferences. Due to low attendance at games, KSU was in danger of losing their status as a D1 school. The book mentions the university looking at joining the Missouri valley conference if things didn't turn around.
A few situations were covered associated with managing a football team while family tragedies occur and staff members being diagnosed with cancer/losing a spouse/etc.

Remember how Campbell went out and walked around the ISU tailgate lots pre-game when Toledo played in Ames? When Snyder interviewed for the job he walked around the KSU campus for a few hours talking to people about Manhattan and the university. He did not divulge who he was or his reason for being there. Snyder often references KSU's loyalty to him during the early years and the abundant fan support (home & bowl games) as a major factor in why he stayed. Just sayin....

Very little mention of McCarney outside of his time as an assistant with Iowa, or ISU in general due to all the lopsided KSU wins in the 90s. KSU's largest road comeback win was vs ISU. Trailed 28-7 at half in 99.

 

[madguy30]

Exaggerating but I swear his teams would run about 5 plays on offense.

Just ran them very well and had a couple of playmakers to get the ball too.

 

[clonerules]

That QB delay purple kansas runs is infuriating..

 

[Gorm]

Due to low attendance at games, KSU was in danger of losing their status as a D1 school. The book mentions the university looking at joining the Missouri valley conference if things didn't turn around.

I've read in other books that Arkansas would have been the preferred replacement had they left. Imagine a world where Arkansas doesn't go to the SEC.

 

[Messi]

related to the book - cool documentary about Snyder building KSU football

 

[HFCS]

Just came out a few weeks back. Bill gives a comprehensive career and season by season look at his time with KSU.
Fascinating to get a glimpse into all the things he was concerned with on a weekly basis. Bill addresses other job opportunities that came about during his time there. A big hurdle was handling mass exodus of assistants when Stoops became OU coach and took a lot of KSU coaches. I've only made it to the CCG win over OU. Lots of discussion on managing the mental aspect of the team through the years following success.

The KSU facilities when Snyder got there were possibly the worst in P5 conferences. Due to low attendance at games, KSU was in danger of losing their status as a D1 school. The book mentions the university looking at joining the Missouri valley conference if things didn't turn around.
A few situations were covered associated with managing a football team while family tragedies occur and staff members being diagnosed with cancer/losing a spouse/etc.

Remember how Campbell went out and walked around the ISU tailgate lots pre-game when Toledo played in Ames? When Snyder interviewed for the job he walked around the KSU campus for a few hours talking to people about Manhattan and the university. He did not divulge who he was or his reason for being there. Snyder often references KSU's loyalty to him during the early years and the abundant fan support (home & bowl games) as a major factor in why he stayed. Just sayin....

Very little mention of McCarney outside of his time as an assistant with Iowa, or ISU in general due to all the lopsided KSU wins in the 90s. KSU's largest road comeback win was vs ISU. Trailed 28-7 at half in 99.

 

[JohnnyFive]

Does he mention what Manhattan was like in 1885?

 

[BCClone]

Does he mention what Manhattan was like in 1885?

Just a quick hit on meeting John Brown though.

 

[cycloneML]

Just came out a few weeks back. Bill gives a comprehensive career and season by season look at his time with KSU.
Fascinating to get a glimpse into all the things he was concerned with on a weekly basis. Bill addresses other job opportunities that came about during his time there. A big hurdle was handling mass exodus of assistants when Stoops became OU coach and took a lot of KSU coaches. I've only made it to the CCG win over OU. Lots of discussion on managing the mental aspect of the team through the years following success.

The KSU facilities when Snyder got there were possibly the worst in P5 conferences. Due to low attendance at games, KSU was in danger of losing their status as a D1 school. The book mentions the university looking at joining the Missouri valley conference if things didn't turn around.
A few situations were covered associated with managing a football team while family tragedies occur and staff members being diagnosed with cancer/losing a spouse/etc.

Remember how Campbell went out and walked around the ISU tailgate lots pre-game when Toledo played in Ames? When Snyder interviewed for the job he walked around the KSU campus for a few hours talking to people about Manhattan and the university. He did not divulge who he was or his reason for being there. Snyder often references KSU's loyalty to him during the early years and the abundant fan support (home & bowl games) as a major factor in why he stayed. Just sayin....

Very little mention of McCarney outside of his time as an assistant with Iowa, or ISU in general due to all the lopsided KSU wins in the 90s. KSU's largest road comeback win was vs ISU. Trailed 28-7 at half in 99.

Saved a football team, university, and city not once but twice.

 

[WhoISthis]

I've read in other books that Arkansas would have been the preferred replacement had they left. Imagine a world where Arkansas doesn't go to the SEC.

So the decay of the Big 12 started by not kicking gout KSU.

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

Hate the man for what he did to ISU as the OC at EIU and head coach at KSU, but in my mind, outside of Saban there is not a better coach in college football over the last 40 years. It was Snyder not Fry that was the genius of turning around EIU, without Snyder, Fry, is just an average coach at best. If you think otherwise, look at Fry's record at N Texas and EIU before Snyder arrived and after he left. The man was truly an offensive genius, with what he had to work with in terms of talent.

Everything I have read about Snyder is that he is a very humble and gracious person, off the field, but once the game started, he would rip your heart out and keep piling on the points.

Its OK to hate someone and still admire what they accomplished in their career, that is how I look at Snyder.

 

[Omaha Cy]

Hate the man for what he did to ISU as the OC at EIU and head coach at KSU, but in my mind, outside of Saban there is not a better coach in college football over the last 40 years. It was Snyder not Fry that was the genius of turning around EIU, without Snyder, Fry, is just an average coach at best. If you think otherwise, look at Fry's record at SMU and EIU before Snyder arrived and after he left. The man was truly an offensive genius, with what he had to work with in terms of talent.

Everything I have read about Snyder is that he is a very humble and gracious person, off the field, but once the game started, he would rip your heart out and keep piling on the points.

Its OK to hate someone and still admire what they accomplished in their career, that is how I look at Snyder.

Interesting take on Iowa. During an 8 year run with Snyder as OC (81-87), Iowa won either 8, 9, or 10 games each year. The 10 years after Snyder Iowa only had 4 seasons posting 8-10 wins and had a 3 year stretch with a 16-18 record. Easy to see the program performed better with Snyder.

Snyder said some opposing coaches took umbrage with him at times. He'd continue to run the offense with back-ups in a blowout in order to gain experience for the 2nd team players. A strategy I don't disagree with. It's one thing to pile on with the starters, but you might as well get your back up QB game reps instead of just handing off in order to be nice.

There were a few games this year where I wish Dekkers got more action. He played well against Iowa and OU, but there were opportunities vs KU, UT, and TCU where he could have gotten a lot of useful reps.

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

Interesting take on Iowa. During an 8 year run with Snyder as OC (81-87), Iowa won either 8, 9, or 10 games each year. The 10 years after Snyder Iowa only had 4 seasons posting 8-10 wins and had a 3 year stretch with a 16-18 record. Easy to see the program performed better with Snyder.

Snyder said some opposing coaches took umbrage with him at times. He'd continue to run the offense with back-ups in a blowout in order to gain experience for the 2nd team players. A strategy I don't disagree with. It's one thing to pile on with the starters, but you might as well get your back up QB game reps instead of just handing off in order to be nice.

There were a few games this year where I wish Dekkers got more action. He played well against Iowa and OU, but there were opportunities vs KU, UT, and TCU where he could have gotten a lot of useful reps.

It was at N. Texas, not SMU that Snyder first joined Fry, but the three years before Snyder joined the staff they 5-5-1. 2-7-2 and 7-4, Snyder joined in 1975 they go 7-4, 10-1, and 9-2, before they left to EIU. After Snyder left the staff at EIU after 88, they only won 8 games or more 3 times, with 5 seasons of 6 wins or less and one 7 win season.

It was Snyder not Fry that turned EIU around, Fry just too the credit.

 

[Cyched]

I've read in other books that Arkansas would have been the preferred replacement had they left. Imagine a world where Arkansas doesn't go to the SEC.

They reference that in the video @Messi posted - about 4:40 mark

 

[NoCreativity]

Here's a couple of my personal Snyder stories.

About 3 or 4 years ago we were staying at his house, my wife is a Tulane grad. At Sunday morning breakfast she jokingly asked him when he was going to play Tulane. He replies "When do you want to play them dear?". A couple years later I'm looking at the schedule and they have a home and home scheduled with them for 2022 and 2023.

I was at the Iowa State game this year up in his box. It's pretty crowded and I'm sitting at one the seats inside, he asks me if I would kindly give up my seat to one of his guests. I comply, his guest introduces himself, asks where I'm from, etc. I google him and it's former Senator Pat Robert's from Kansas.

Alot of people don't know this, but his wife Sharon grew up in Des Moines and was the Principal at an elementary school for a number of years. Most of his wife's side of the family is from Iowa and went to Iowa State.

 

[swiacy]

Snyder’s first coaching job was at a very small town in NW Missouri. His assistant was Jerry Brown who went on to a very successful career at a very small school in Iowa, Murray. Jerry is in the Iowa HS Hall of Fame & Snyder and They remained very close. Snyder grew up in St Joe, Mo. in a very humble lifestyle. I think that is why he was able to recruit so well even in his later years. He also hid a lot of recruits in the strong Kansas JC system

 

[JP4CY]

OK, did he finally admit if the Taco Bell rumor is true?

 

[iowa_wildcat]

Taco Bell is not a rumor. Ask any former KSU student that liked to hit Taco Bell around midnight and they would tell you that Bill would roll through the drive through most of the time Monday to Friday. His big Cadillac was difficult to hide.

 

[isuclone89]

Snyder’s first coaching job was at a very small town in NW Missouri. His assistant was Jerry Brown who went on to a very successful career at a very small school in Iowa, Murray. Jerry is in the Iowa HS Hall of Fame & Snyder and They remained very close. Snyder grew up in St Joe, Mo. in a very humble lifestyle. I think that is why he was able to recruit so well even in his later years. He also hid a lot of recruits in the strong Kansas JC system

Used to wrestle against Murray.

 

[Prone2Clone]

Taco Bell is not a rumor. Ask any former KSU student that liked to hit Taco Bell around midnight and they would tell you that Bill would roll through the drive through most of the time Monday to Friday. His big Cadillac was difficult to hide.

That diet didn't work out so well for Bruce.