A legendary college football coach, who lifted his program from the depths of the sport, is set to announce his retirement.
Multiple reports, including from Ryan Black of themercury.com, said a news conference is set for this afternoon for the 79-year-old Snyder.
Snyder became just the 26th coach in the history of college football to reach 200 career wins and only the sixth to do so while coaching at the same school for his entire career as he hit the mark against Kansas in 2016. Snyder took over a program in 1989 that was in the midst of a 27-game winless streak and turned it into a national contender that advanced to 11-straight bowl games and tallied six 11-win seasons over a seven-year stretch.
Snyder was just the fourth person all-time to be elected to the College Football Hall of Fame as an active coach. when he was enshrined in December 2015.
The news came eight days after K-State’s 2018 finale, which saw the team give up a 17-point fourth quarter lead and ultimately fall 42-38 on the road to No. 25 Iowa State. The loss dropped the Wildcats’ record to 5-7 overall and 3-6 in the Big 12, and snapped the program’s bowl-bid streak at eight years. It’s the first time since 2009 — Snyder’s first season of his second stint as K-State’s head coach — the Wildcats won’t play in the postseason.
When he took over the program, it was in the midst of a 27-game losing streak.
Snyder’s two stints were from 1989 to 2005 and 2009 through this fall.
BREAKING: Source: K-State's Bill Snyder to announce retirement Sunday
https://t.co/IXXL89mUGR— Ryan Black (@RyanABlack) December 2, 2018
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
