November 16, 2005
K-State: Who will replace Snyder?
Despite the national recognition that Bill Snyder has brought to the Kansas State football program, Manhattan, Kansas isn't exactly, well, Manhattan. Recruiting players is hard enough - recruiting a top level coach to K-State might be a much tougher road. But with Snyder's retirement, somebody's got to wear the headset.
Here's a few names to toss around as possible replacements - give us your choice & why in the comments.
TCU Head Coach Gary Patterson - K-State alum who coached under Snyder. He's taken a small, private school that's played conference hopscotch and won championships in C-USA and the Mountain West. In five years at TCU, Patterson is 42-18 with three 10+ win seasons. Patterson's teams play tough defense and use whatever weapons they have to carve together an option/spread offense. You gotta wonder what Patterson - who has put the Frogs in the BCS standings year after year - could do with Big XII talent.
Oklahoma DC Brent Venable - Another K-State alum & former Wildcats coach. He's got a good thing at OU, but he's got Stoops support if he wants to leave. Knows the Big XII and has some recruiting skills in the Midwest. Venable lacks head coaching experience and has only been the OU DC since the departure of Mike Stoops. If K-State wants a first time coach, Venable's the man.
UTEP Head Coach Mike Price - The ongoing rise & fall & rise story of Mike Price rolls on. A national Coach of the Year at Washington State, Price has had success at a school in the middle of a major conference. At UTEP, Price has doubled the attendance at home games and took a two-win team to eight wins & a bowl in his first season. This season, the Miners are 8-1 and look headed to the C-USA championship game. With a $245,000 buyout at UTEP and a $450,000 annual deal, Price is a big time coach available on the cheap.
USF Head Coach Jim Leavitt - Another former K-State assistant, Leavitt has built a successful program from scratch were they said it couldn't be done. Sound familiar? Leavitt was the seventh fastest coach to 50 wins ever, doing it in 75 games with mid-major (or less) talent. While some have written him off as nothing more than a mid-major coach (yeah, that was me saying that), Leavitt has lead the Bulls to the big time - contenders for the Big East title and a BCS bowl.
Texas DC Gene Chizick - The 2004 Broyles Award Winner for the nation's top assistant, Chizick first lead Auburn's defense to an undefeated season, and now he's trying to take Texas there. Chizick is a sure fire head coach in the making and has some skins on the wall. He would be a very interesting choice - one of the top assistant coaches in the country, bar none.
Sleepers: SMU's Phil Bennet, Notre Dame's MIchael Haywood, FSU's Mickey Andrews, Nebraska's John Blake, North Texas's Darrell Dickey
And you've also got your Dennis Ericksons, your RIck Neuheisels, etc, etc. Thougts??
Comments:
posted on November 16, 2005 11:34 AM — 128.186.40.172 — link — abuse?Mike Boone said:
Mike Price would have to take a long hard look at this job, because it would mean a return to big-time college football. He does seem pretty happy at UTEP for now though. I think he probably will stay at UTEP and wait for a better offer, since one will come his way sooner or later. He is a competitive guy, he'll get his shot before too long.
Andy said:
posted on November 16, 2005 3:16 PM — 24.208.120.159 — link — abuse?
Leavitt is my dad's favorite. I personally don't know who mine is. I'm between Venables, Leavitt, and Patterson. I'm not at all worried about KSU's ability to bring in a quality coach. All three of those coaches would likely have interest, Patterson verbally saying he would take the call if Weiser called him. Leavitt also has expressed interest. He has KSU connections, and the job would be much better paying. Venables, well, not much to say there, KSU ties, assistant at one of the most successful teams in the country the past 5 years. I could go further, but any of those three coaches would be great in my eyes.
Jeff H said:
posted on November 16, 2005 4:42 PM — 64.126.24.12 — link — abuse?
Patterson:
He is currently at a school that has for the second time in three years won 10 (or more) regular season games, without a real sniff at a BCS--or even a Big Money--Bowl. That gets frustrating. Win 10 games at KSU, and you're at least in consideration. Add to that, the average head coach for a men's team at KSU makes about $150K more a year than the average head coach for a men's team at TCU. Snyder, by the end, was making more than a million a year.Leavitt:
Now that he has built USF into a BCS member team, he isn't in the same position as Patterson. But. He is also (according to what I read today) something like the 4th lowest paid head coach in a BCS member conference, the 7th lowest paid head coach in the Big East. He has stated in the past that Kansas State is one of the few schools he would even listen to if approached (this came out after Snyder gave him a recommendation for the Alabama position if he wanted it).Venables:
Kansas born and bred, his only knock is lack of HC experience (and some vestigal hard feelings among some fans about 1998, but that has gotten less each year).I would be happy with any of these three.
Gene Larew said:
posted on November 17, 2005 8:08 AM — 24.253.211.201 — link — abuse?
Patterson and Leavitt will use this opporutunity to get more money from their employers.
TCU is a wealthy school, they have far more money than KState ever dreamed of raising. And if TCU had beaten SMU this year they would be more than sniffing a BCS bowl. The affiliation with the MWC will help them in that regard.
Leavitt is sitting on top of a potential monster program. He will not only use this as leverage for a higher salary but he will use it for better facilities. He would be foolish to leave that fertile recruiting area he's in now.
Bottom line, KSU is a tough place to recruit. There's reasons they were the worst D1 program in the history of college football before Snyder got there. Kansas produces few quality players. Kansas City is recruited by everybody, both regionally and nationally.
Snyder depended on the Kansas JC programs to supply him with what were previously known as Prop 48 players. But the NCAA tightened entrance requirements on JC players three years ago and you can see that on the field at KSU. There's also a lot more competition for those Kansas JC players.
And the KSU fan base is small. They dont' sell out a 50,000 seat stadium. Fund raising is difficult.
Any established proven head coach is not going to make that move, especially just for the love of KSU. Venables would make the move because KSU could triple his salary and that would be the only reason he would go. He would be taking on an exceptional challenge ......all the while having the old man Snyder looking over his shoulder. He would earn that big money, no doubt about it. Its a tough job.
Del said:
posted on November 18, 2005 3:58 PM — 148.177.9.134 — link — abuse?
Hey,They all look great except one... Please, Oh God Please,, Not Darrell Dickey. I watch him and his dad mess the cats up in the 80's. Please no loosers...
The younger crowd does not remember when Darrell was the QB. No brown bag was thick enough to were over our heads at the games.Kera Riedel said:
posted on November 19, 2005 2:20 PM — 63.172.154.118 — link — abuse?
When I had heard that Coach Synder was retireing I didnt know what to think at that very moment. It came to me a rather shocker then anything at that moment. Coach will be missed by many people and also be never forgotton and never be thought of anything less then a great coach that brought a team out of the darkness of loseing.
James Soendker said:
posted on November 19, 2005 7:15 PM — 70.189.112.226 — link — abuse?
I would like to start of by saying thanks to Mr. Snyder, and the Snyder family. There sacrifice has been great, and what Bill has done for the PRIDE of Kansas State, is a miracle. In a state that was dominately a "Hawk" state, is now purple through and through! This goes way beyond the success of a football program. Following such a man, will not be easy, but I believe that Mr. Venable will be a great choice. He is native to Ks, Salina specificly, and an alumni of Kansas State. As stated in this article, the only thing he lacs is head coaching experience. His leadership skills, have been proven at OU, and his ability to build a solid defense, a now tradion at KSU. He has the experience with big games, and learned from another great coach, Mr. Stoops. Who I may say learned from Mr. Snyder.
Thomas said:
posted on November 22, 2005 7:56 PM — 71.99.54.141 — link — abuse?
Leavitt ain't stupid nor money hungry. Just wants to win. Look at the picture:
USF: Prime recruiting area, easy path to BCS
KSU: Worsening recruiting situation, Big XII north not easy, then an impossible champioship game.
Good luck with Venables.
Todd S. said:
posted on November 29, 2005 8:01 PM — 67.23.136.155 — link — abuse?
Has anyone considered Norm Chow, OC with the NFL Titans. He has wanted a head coaching position for years, he would make the jump back. What about Steve Mariucci now that he was fired in Detroit, he excels in the college game. Pat Hiil from Fresno State can coach, leave your egos behind with the crap about him coming in to Manhattan and handing to us. Kansas State should be actively recruiting these guys. As for the other possibilities. Venables, no head coaching experience, Patterson just re upped his deal, Price has no morals and baggage, Leavitt has too good a situation, Phil Bennett hasn't shown he can win (but he is at SMU), Chizick either won't leave or take a bigger opportunity like Ole Miss.
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Gene Larew said:
posted on November 16, 2005 9:09 AM — 24.253.211.201 — link — abuse?Patterson has a better job now.
Leavitt does also, he turned down Alabama, why would he go to KSU?
Price has moral baggage, that doesn't fit the moral duality of KSU fans. If I had to describe the KSU fan base with one word, it would be hypocrites. They are the worst.
Chizick is not proven and has no KSU connection. They are hoping to find a coach that will stay with them forever, yeah ... I know , they're dreaming , but I'm sure thats in the strategy. They realize they could be a stepping stone job.
Phil Bennett, possibly , but he's not had enough success at SMU.
John Blake ... you've gotta be kidding .. right ?? He's not a head coach.
Venables is there best candidate.