View source for Bill Snyder

{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1939)}}
{{other people}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2025}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Bill Snyder
| image = Coach Bill Snyder.jpg
| caption = Snyder in 2009
| current_title = Special ambassador
| current_team = [[Kansas State Wildcats|Kansas State]]
| current_conference = [[Big 12 Conference|Big 12]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1939|10|7}}
| birth_place = [[St. Joseph, Missouri]], U.S.
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| player_years1 = 1958
| player_team1 = [[Missouri Tigers football|Missouri]]
| player_positions = [[Quarterback]], [[defensive back]]
| coach_years1 = 1962
| coach_team1 = Gallatin HS (MO) (assistant)
| coach_years2 = 1964–1965
| coach_team2 = [[Indio High School|Indio HS (CA)]] (assistant)
| coach_years3 = 1966
| coach_team3 = [[USC Trojans football|USC]] ([[Graduate assistant|GA]])
| coach_years4 = 1967–1968
| coach_team4 = Indio HS (CA)
| coach_years5 = 1969–1973
| coach_team5 = [[Foothill High School (Orange County, California)|Santa Ana Foothill HS (CA)]]
| coach_years6 = 1974–1975
| coach_team6 = [[Austin Kangaroos football|Austin]] ([[Offensive coordinator|OC]])
| coach_years7 = 1976–1978
| coach_team7 = [[North Texas Mean Green football|North Texas]] (assistant)
| coach_years8 = 1979–1988
| coach_team8 = [[Iowa Hawkeyes football|Iowa]] (OC/QB)
| coach_years9 = 1989–2005
| coach_team9 = [[Kansas State Wildcats football|Kansas State]]
| coach_years10 = 2009–2018
| coach_team10 = Kansas State
| admin_years1 = 2018–present
| admin_team1 = [[Kansas State Wildcats|Kansas State]] (special ambassador)
| player_years2 = 1959–1962
| player_team2 = [[William Jewell Cardinals football|William Jewell]]
| overall_record = 215–117–1 (college)
| bowl_record = 9–10
| tournament_record = 
| championships = 2 [[Big 12 Conference|Big 12]] (2003, 2012)<br> 4 Big 12 North Division (1998, 1999, 2000, 2003)
| awards = 3× [[Big Eight Conference]] Coach of the Year (1990, 1991, 1993)<br>4× [[Big 12 Conference football individual awards#Coach of the Year|Big 12 Coach of the Year]] (1998, 2002, 2011, 2012)<br>[[Paul "Bear" Bryant Award]] (1998)<br>[[Walter Camp Coach of the Year]] (1998)<br>[[Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year Award|AP Coach of the Year]] (1998)<br />2× [[Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award]] (1998, 2012)<br> [[Sporting News College Football Coach of the Year|Sporting News Coach of the Year]] (2011)<br> [[Woody Hayes Trophy|Woody Hayes Coach of the Year]] (2011)<br> Kansas State Hall of Fame (2008)
| coaching_records = 
| CFBHOF_year = 2015
| CFBHOF_id = 2372
}}
'''William D. Snyder'''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jewell.edu/afford/scholarships/specialized-and-partner-scholarships|title=Specialized and partner scholarships|publisher=William Jewell College|accessdate=January 16, 2022|quote=William D. Snyder, former head football coach at Kansas State University and a 1962 Jewell graduate, established this scholarship in honor of his mother...}}</ref> (born October 7, 1939) is an American retired [[college football]] coach and former player. He served as the head football coach at [[Kansas State University]] from 1989 to 2005 and again from 2009 to 2018. Snyder initially retired from the position from 2006 to 2008 before being rehired.<ref>[http://www.kstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=400&ATCLID=3622165 Snyder hiring] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202234903/http://www.kstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=400&ATCLID=3622165 |date=December 2, 2008 }}</ref> Snyder retired for the second time on December 2, 2018, and is serving as a special ambassador for the athletics department.

Snyder was inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 2015 and won several conference and national coach of the year awards. He was the head coach at Kansas State for the program's 300th, 400th, and 500th all-time wins. In recognition of his contributions to the program, Kansas State has named its home field the [[Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium]].

==Early life==
Snyder was born October 7, 1939, in [[St. Joseph, Missouri]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kstatefootball.com/coaches.shtml |title=Head Coach Bill Snyder |work=kstatefootball.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006220940/http://kstatefootball.com/coaches.shtml |archive-date=October 6, 2014}}</ref> the son of Tom, a traveling salesman, and Marionetta Snyder. His parents divorced when he was six; Snyder and his mother moved from [[Salina, Kansas]] to St. Joseph, Missouri, where they lived in a one-room, second-floor apartment, and Marionetta worked as a sales clerk in a department store<ref name="rivals.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1690090|title=Rivals.com – Bill Snyder: 75 & counting|work=rivals.com|access-date=October 23, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023214845/https://www.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1690090|archive-date=October 23, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> while Bill's father lived in [[Omaha, Nebraska]]. Snyder attended [[Lafayette High School (St. Joseph, Missouri)|Lafayette High School]] in St. Joseph, graduating in 1957.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newsok.com/k-state-coach-bill-snyders-success-rooted-in-lessons-learned-from-his-mother/article/3711456|title=K-State coach Bill Snyder's success rooted in lessons learned from his mother|work=NewsOK.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newspressnow.com/opinion/your_letters/article_189bb22a-a06c-5b4b-9ee3-1004582a9355.html|title=St. Joseph should be proud to claim Snyder|work=St. Joseph News-Press and FOX 26 KNPN}}</ref>

Snyder attended the [[University of Missouri]] for one year<ref name="rivals.com"/> before enrolling at [[William Jewell College]] in [[Liberty, Missouri]], where he earned three letters in football for the Cardinals as a defensive back and halfback. He earned a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree from William Jewell in 1963. He earned his [[Master of Arts]] degree from [[Eastern New Mexico University]] in 1965.<ref name="kstatesports.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.kstatesports.com/staff-directory/bill-snyder/154 |title=Bill Snyder Bio – kstatesports.com – The Official Athletic Site of Kansas State |work=kstatesports.com|access-date=August 9, 2020}}</ref>

==Coaching career==
Snyder had his first collegiate coaching experience in 1966, serving as a graduate assistant coach for the [[USC Trojans]]. He next worked as a head coach for several years in the California high school ranks. He then served as an assistant football coach, and also coached swimming, at Austin College in [[Sherman, Texas]], from 1974 to 1975.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kten.com/story/6787305/austin-college-to-honor-bill-snyder|title=Austin College To Honor Bill Snyder}}</ref> From 1976 to 1978, Snyder worked as an assistant coach at [[University of North Texas|North Texas State]], under [[College Football Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] coach [[Hayden Fry]].

Snyder and Fry moved together to the [[University of Iowa]] in 1979, with Snyder serving as Fry's offensive coordinator for the next 10 years. He helped Fry build Iowa from a program that had not had a winning season since 1961 into a two-time [[Big Ten Conference|Big Ten]] champion. Snyder was hired as the 32nd head coach of the Kansas State University Wildcats following the [[1988 Division 1A Football Season|1988 season]].

===Kansas State University: first tenure, 1989–2005===
When Snyder was hired at K-State for the first time on November 24, 1988, he inherited a situation that was several times worse than the one he'd found when he arrived in Iowa with Fry. Kansas State had a cumulative record of 299–510 ({{Winning percentage|299|510|}}) in 93 years of play, which was easily the most losses of any team in Division I-A at the time. The school had been to only one bowl game (the [[1982 Independence Bowl]]), had not won a conference title since 1934 and had enjoyed four winning seasons in the previous 54 years (including two in the previous 34 years). The program also had not won a game since October 26, 1986, going 0–26–1 in that time.

Prior to Snyder's first season in 1989, ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' published an article about Kansas State football entitled "Futility U," which labeled the school "America's most hapless team."<ref>{{cite journal|last=Looney |first=Douglas |title=Futility U |journal=Sports Illustrated |date=September 4, 1989 |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1989/09/04/120464/futility-u-kansas-state-winless-since-1986-has-one-claim-to-fame-it-is-americas-most-hapless-team}}</ref> In hopes of distancing K-State from its losing history, Snyder had art professor Tom Bookwalter create a new logo for the team's helmets, a stylized wildcat's head known as the "Powercat."

Snyder won only one game in his first season, beating the recently renamed [[North Texas Mean Green football|North Texas]], but it was a significant win because it was K-State's first win in three seasons. The game was especially thrilling, with a touchdown pass coming on the last play of the game.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theplayerstribune.com/bill-snyder-kansas-state-the-teacher/|title=The Teacher|date=August 30, 2017|agency=''[[The Players' Tribune]]''|author=Snyder, Bill|access-date=September 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831151615/https://www.theplayerstribune.com/bill-snyder-kansas-state-the-teacher/ |archive-date=August 31, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> In Snyder's second season, in 1990, the Wildcats improved to 5–6. The five wins posted by the team had been matched only twice in the prior 17 years at the school, in 1973 (5–6) and 1982 (6–5–1).

The 1991 season saw another breakthrough when the Wildcats finished with a winning record of 7–4 and narrowly missed a bowl bid.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1991 Kansas State Wildcats Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kansas-state/1991-schedule.html |access-date=September 18, 2025 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> It was only the second winning season at Kansas State since 1970, and the team's 4–3 conference record was only the third winning conference mark since 1934.

Two years later, Snyder led the Wildcats to the [[1993 Copper Bowl]]. It was the school's second bowl game, its first bowl win and the first of its 11 consecutive bowl appearances from 1993 to 2003—of which it won six—a streak matched by only six other teams. The 1993 season also marked the second nine-win season in school history and the team's first ranking in a final media poll.

During the [[1995 Kansas State Wildcats football team|1995 season]], Snyder led the Wildcats to the first 10-win season in school history. They also finished sixth in the AP Poll and seventh in the Coaches' Poll–their first top-ten finish in school history. This included a 41–7 thrashing of then-No. 6 [[1995 Kansas Jayhawks football team|Kansas]] in what was the only [[Kansas–Kansas State football rivalry|Governor's Cup]] between two ranked teams until the 2023 contest. That win was also Snyder's 40th victory at K-State, vaulting him past [[Mike Ahearn]] to become the winningest coach in school history.

Having never before won 11 games in a season, the Wildcats hit their stride from 1997 to 2000 with four consecutive 11-win seasons. By this time, the "Powercat" had all but replaced Kansas State's longtime mascot, "[[Willie the Wildcat (Kansas State)|Willie the Wildcat]]," whose costume was redesigned to resemble the Powercat head.

During the [[1998 Division 1A Football Season|1998 season]], Kansas State posted an undefeated 11–0 regular season and earned its first number 1 ranking in the national polls, just ten years after being named the worst program in the country by ''Sports Illustrated.'' They lost to the [[1998 Texas A&M Aggies football team|Texas A&M Aggies]] in the [[1998 Big 12 Championship Game|Big 12 Championship Game]], which has been called one of the greatest games played. The loss stopped them from reaching the National Championship and sent them to the [[1998 Alamo Bowl|Alamo Bowl]], where they lost and finished the season 11–2. In the [[2003 Kansas State Wildcats football team|2003 season]], the team won the [[2003 Big 12 Championship Game|Big 12]] championship — the school's second major conference title and their first since 1934. At the time, the 69-year gap between conference titles was the longest in Division I history. They beat #1 ranked [[2003 Oklahoma Sooners football team|Oklahoma]] in the [[2003 Big 12 Championship Game]], 35–7. Leading up to the game, many college football analysts called Oklahoma one of the best teams. With an 11–4 record in 2003, Kansas State also became the only team in the country to win 11 games in six of the previous seven years and just the second program in the history of college football to win 11 games six times in a seven-year stretch.

Following disappointing seasons in [[2004 Kansas State Wildcats football team|2004]] and [[2005 Kansas State Wildcats football team|2005]], when the Wildcats went 4–7 and 5–6, respectively, Snyder retired from Kansas State on November 15, 2005, with an overall record of 136–68–1 (.667). Not only did this make him far and away the winningest coach in Kansas State history, but his 136 wins were as many as his combined predecessors had won in the 54 years prior to his arrival.

The day after Snyder announced his retirement, K-State renamed its football stadium [[Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium]] in his and his family's honor. The school had originally wanted to rename it simply Bill Snyder Stadium, but when Snyder got word of the plans, he insisted that they name it after his family — "the people I care about most."<ref>{{cite web |title=Snyder is retiring, but K-State stadium will be in the family |newspaper=USA Today|date=November 18, 2005 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2005-11-18-whiteside_x.htm |first1=Kelly|last1=Whiteside|access-date=April 26, 2010}}</ref> [[Ron Prince]], formerly an assistant coach and offensive coordinator at the [[University of Virginia]], was named Bill Snyder's replacement on December 5, 2005.

Snyder's first tenure at Kansas State is still considered one of the most successful rebuilding projects in collegiate history. In recognition of his rebuilding work, Hall of Fame football coach [[Barry Switzer]] once stated, "He's not the coach of the year, he's not the coach of the decade, he's the coach of the century."<ref>{{cite web | title = They Said It Couldn't Be Done | publisher = ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=2604585 | access-date = February 25, 2008}}</ref>

===Kansas State University: second tenure, 2009–2018===
After being out of coaching for three years, on November 24, 2008, Bill Snyder was named for a second term as head football coach at Kansas State University, beginning in the [[2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2009 season]].<ref>[http://www.kstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3065&SPID=212&DB_OEM_ID=400&ATCLID=3622165 Snyder renamed head coach] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203015832/http://www.kstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3065&SPID=212&DB_OEM_ID=400&ATCLID=3622165 |date=December 3, 2008 }}</ref> He is one of the few coaches to coach in a stadium or arena that is named for him; as previously mentioned, the former KSU Stadium was renamed for him on the day after he announced his original retirement.

In the first season of Snyder's second tenure, the team posted a 6–6 record overall and finished tied for second in the Big 12 North division with a 4–4 conference mark. In his second season in 2010, the team had a 7–6 record and played in the inaugural [[Pinstripe Bowl]] against the Big East's Syracuse University at [[Yankee Stadium]] in New York City.
[[File:2017-0718-Big12MD-BillSnyder.jpg|thumb|right|Snyder at 2017 Big 12 Media Days]]
Snyder earned his 150th win with a season opening victory over [[2011 Eastern Kentucky Colonels football team|Eastern Kentucky]] on September 3, 2011. During the same season, Snyder became the first FBS coach to have a son ([[Sean Snyder|Sean]]) as an assistant and a grandson (Tate) playing for him at the same time.{{citation needed|date=October 2011}} Coach Snyder led the [[2011 Kansas State Wildcats football team|2011 team]] to a 10–2 record in the regular season, finishing second in the Big 12, and earned a berth in the [[2012 Cotton Bowl Classic|Cotton Bowl]]. The Cotton Bowl was K-State's first "major" bowl since the [[2004 Fiesta Bowl]]. They lost to [[2011 Arkansas Razorbacks football team|Arkansas]], 29–16. Following the season, Snyder was named [[Woody Hayes Trophy|Woody Hayes Coach of the Year]].

In the 2012 season, Snyder led the team to its first [[Big 12 Conference]] championship since [[2003 Kansas State Wildcats football team|2003]]. The 2012 team started the season 10–0 and reached the school's first #1 ranking in the [[2012 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings|BCS standings]], before falling to the Baylor Bears in week 11. K-State represented the conference in the [[2013 Fiesta Bowl]], losing to the fifth-ranked [[2012 Oregon Ducks football team|Oregon Ducks]] 35–17. Following the season, Snyder won the [[Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award]].

Snyder has held the head coaching position at Kansas State longer than any other coach. His 215 wins are not only far and away the most in KSU history (no one else has reached 40 wins), but also more than all other KSU football coaches from 1928 to present combined (189 wins). During his tenure, K-State produced 34 AP All-Americans, 47 NFL Draft picks, and 46 first-team academic All-Americans.

On January 31, 2013, it was announced that Snyder's contract was extended through the 2017 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/jeremy-fowler/21625725/kansas-states-bill-snyder-has-new-deal-until-hes-nearly-80|title=Kansas State's Bill Snyder has new deal until he's nearly 80|work=CBSSports.com}}</ref>

On August 9, 2018, it was announced that Bill Snyder had signed a 5-year extension that will run through the 2022 season, worth $3.45 million with $300,000 bonuses, and incentives with them to be determined after 2 years.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.wibw.com/content/sports/K-States-Bill-Snyder-signs-new-5-year-deal-runs-through-2022-490491751.html|title=K-State's Bill Snyder signs new 5-year deal, runs through 2022|last=Viviani|first=Nick|access-date=August 9, 2018|language=en}}</ref>

On December 2, 2018, Snyder announced his retirement from coaching college football. Snyder finished his career with Kansas State with 215 victories and two Big 12 championships.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.kmbc.com/article/reports-kansas-state-football-coach-bill-snyder-retiring/25321733|title=Kansas State football coach Bill Snyder retiring
|last=KMBC 9 News Staff|access-date=December 2, 2018|language=en}}</ref> He has accounted for over 40 percent of Kansas State's all-time wins as of 2018.

===Former assistants who became head coaches===
Eleven of Snyder's assistants have gone on to become head coaches at other Division I schools, including: [[Phil Bennett (American football)|Phil Bennett]] ([[SMU Mustangs football|SMU]]), [[Bret Bielema]] ([[Wisconsin Badgers football|Wisconsin]], [[Arkansas Razorbacks football|Arkansas]], and [[Illinois Fighting Illini football|Illinois]]), [[Jim Leavitt]] ([[South Florida Bulls football|South Florida]]), [[Mark Mangino]] ([[Kansas Jayhawks football|Kansas]]), [[Dana Dimel]] ([[Wyoming Cowboys football|Wyoming]], [[UTEP Miners football|UTEP]] and [[Houston Cougars football|Houston]]), [[Bob Stoops]] ([[Oklahoma Sooners football|Oklahoma]]), [[Mike Stoops]] ([[Arizona Wildcats football|Arizona]]), [[Carl Pelini]] ([[Florida Atlantic Owls football|Florida Atlantic]]), [[Del Miller]] ([[Missouri State Bears football|Missouri State]]), [[Nick Quartaro]] ([[Fordham Rams football|Fordham]]), [[Brent Venables]] ([[Oklahoma Sooners football|Oklahoma]]), and [[Collin Klein]] ([[Kansas State Wildcats football]])

===Awards===
[[File:Bill Snyder Family Stadium WSC entry.JPG|thumb|Snyder's statue outside [[Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium|Bill Snyder Family Stadium]]]]
On January 9, 2015, Snyder was announced as an inductee into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]]. Snyder is only the fourth active coach to receive this honor; under current Hall of Fame rules, active coaches are eligible for induction once they turn 75.

In 1998, Snyder was recognized as the National Coach of the Year by the [[Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year Award|Associated Press]] and the [[Walter Camp Football Foundation]] and was awarded the [[Bear Bryant Award]] and the [[Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award]]. In 2011, Snyder was named the [[Woody Hayes Trophy|Woody Hayes Coach of the Year]] and the [[Sporting News College Football Coach of the Year|''Sporting News'' National Coach of the Year]].<ref>{{cite web | title = Kansas State's Bill Snyder named Sporting News' coach of the year | publisher = Sporting News | url = http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2011-12-13/kansas-states-bill-snyder-named-sporting-news-coach-of-the-year | access-date = January 11, 2012}}</ref> In 2012, Snyder won the [[Bobby Dodd]] Coach of the Year Award for the second time in his career. Additionally, [[ESPN]] selected Snyder as its national coach of the year in [[1991 NCAA Division I-A football season|1991]], and [[CNN]] selected him as its national coach of the year in [[1995 Division 1A Football Season|1995]]. He was also a finalist for the Bear Bryant Award in 1993, 1995, 2011 and 2012; a finalist for the ''Sporting News'' National Coach of the Year Award in 1995 and 1998; a finalist for the [[AFCA Coach of the Year|AFCA National Coach of the Year Award]] in 1993 and 1998; a finalist for the [[Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award]] in 2011 and 2012; a finalist for the [[Bobby Bowden National Collegiate Coach of the Year Award]] in 2012; and a finalist for the [[Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year]] award in 1993, 1995, 1998, 2011 and 2012.

In the conference, coach Snyder was selected [[Big Eight Conference]] Coach of the Year by the [[Associated Press]] three times (1990, 1991 and 1993). Snyder was also named Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year four times: in 1998 (AP, coaches), 2002 (coaches), 2011 (AP, coaches) and 2012 (AP, coaches).

In 2003, Snyder was named to the board of trustees of the [[American Football Coaches Association]] (AFCA). In 2006, Snyder was enshrined in the [[Kansas Sports Hall of Fame]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://kshof.org/inductees/inductees-a-z/2-kansas-sports-hall-of-fame/inductees/244-snyder-bill.html|publisher=[[Kansas Sports Hall of Fame]]|title=Snyder, Bill (Inducted 2006) |access-date=February 12, 2016}}</ref> and the [[Missouri Sports Hall of Fame]].

==Personal life==
In addition to his work as the football coach, Snyder was active in raising funds for the library at Kansas State University. He also currently serves on the Staley School Advancement Council, honorary chairman of the K-State ''Changing Lives Campaign'', and is past president of the Friends of the Libraries organization at K-State.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.k-state.edu/leadership|title=Staley School of Leadership Studies – Kansas State University|website=www.k-state.edu}}</ref> The Staley School of Leadership Studies has also started the Bill Snyder Leadership Fellows in honor of Coach Snyder himself. In the window of retirement, Snyder invested his time in a Kansas State Department of Education endeavor called Kansas Mentors, becoming the chair.

Snyder and his wife Sharon have five children: [[Sean Snyder|Sean]], Ross, Shannon, Meredith, and Whitney. They also have eight grandchildren.<ref name="kstatesports.com"/>

==Head coaching record==
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = both }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name         = [[Kansas State Wildcats football|Kansas State Wildcats]]
 | conf         = [[Big Eight Conference]]
 | startyear    = 1989
 | endyear      = 1995
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[1989 NCAA Division I-A football season|1989]]
 | name         = [[1989 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 1–10
 | conference   = 0–7
 | confstanding = 8th
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[1990 NCAA Division I-A football season|1990]]
 | name         = [[1990 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 5–6
 | conference   = 2–5
 | confstanding = 6th
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[1991 NCAA Division I-A football season|1991]]
 | name         = [[1991 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 7–4
 | conference   = 4–3
 | confstanding = 4th
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[1992 NCAA Division I-A football season|1992]]
 | name         = [[1992 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 5–6
 | conference   = 2–5
 | confstanding = T–6th
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[1993 NCAA Division I-A football season|1993]]
 | name         = [[1993 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 9–2–1
 | conference   = 4–2–1
 | confstanding = 3rd
 | bowlname     = [[1993 Copper Bowl|Copper]]
 | bowloutcome  = W
 | ranking      = 18
 | ranking2     = 20
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[1994 NCAA Division I-A football season|1994]]
 | name         = [[1994 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 9–3
 | conference   = 5–2
 | confstanding = 3rd
 | bowlname     = [[1994 Aloha Bowl|Aloha]]
 | bowloutcome  = L
 | ranking      = 16
 | ranking2     = 19
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[1995 NCAA Division I-A football season|1995]]
 | name         = [[1995 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 10–2
 | conference   = 5–2
 | confstanding = T–2nd
 | bowlname     = [[1995 Holiday Bowl|Holiday]]
 | bowloutcome  = W
 | ranking      = 6
 | ranking2     = 7
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name         = [[Kansas State Wildcats football|Kansas State Wildcats]]
 | conf         = [[Big 12 Conference]]
 | startyear    = 1996
 | endyear      = 2005
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[1996 NCAA Division I-A football season|1996]]
 | name         = [[1996 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 9–3
 | conference   = 6–2
 | confstanding = 3rd <small>(North)</small>
 | bowlname     = [[1997 Cotton Bowl Classic|Cotton]]
 | bowloutcome  = L
 | ranking      = 17
 | ranking2     = 17
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[1997 NCAA Division I-A football season|1997]]
 | name         = [[1997 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 11–1
 | conference   = 7–1
 | confstanding = 2nd <small>(North)</small>
 | bowlname     = [[1997 Fiesta Bowl (December)|Fiesta]]
 | bowloutcome  = W
 | bcsbowl      = yes
 | ranking      = 7
 | ranking2     = 8
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = division
 | year         = [[1998 NCAA Division I-A football season|1998]]
 | name         = [[1998 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 11–2
 | conference   = 8–0
 | confstanding = 1st <small>(North)</small>
 | bowlname     = [[1998 Alamo Bowl|Alamo]]
 | bowloutcome  = L
 | ranking      = 9
 | ranking2     = 10
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = division
 | year         = [[1999 NCAA Division I-A football season|1999]]
 | name         = [[1999 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 11–1
 | conference   = 7–1
 | confstanding = T–1st <small>(North)</small>
 | bowlname     = [[1999 Holiday Bowl|Holiday]]
 | bowloutcome  = W
 | ranking      = 6
 | ranking2     = 6
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = division
 | year         = [[2000 NCAA Division I-A football season|2000]]
 | name         = [[2000 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 11–3
 | conference   = 6–2
 | confstanding = T–1st <small>(North)</small>
 | bowlname     = [[2001 Cotton Bowl Classic|Cotton]]
 | bowloutcome  = W
 | ranking      = 8
 | ranking2     = 9
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[2001 NCAA Division I-A football season|2001]]
 | name         = [[2001 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 6–6
 | conference   = 3–5
 | confstanding = 4th <small>(North)</small>
 | bowlname     = [[2001 Insight.com Bowl|Insight.com]]
 | bowloutcome  = L
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[2002 NCAA Division I-A football season|2002]]
 | name         = [[2002 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 11–2
 | conference   = 6–2
 | confstanding = 2nd <small>(North)</small>
 | bowlname     = [[2002 Holiday Bowl|Holiday]]
 | bowloutcome  = W
 | ranking      = 6
 | ranking2     = 7
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[2003 NCAA Division I-A football season|2003]]
 | name         = [[2003 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 11–4
 | conference   = 6–2
 | confstanding = 1st <small>(North)</small>
 | bowlname     = [[2004 Fiesta Bowl|Fiesta]]
 | bowloutcome  = L
 | bcsbowl      = yes
 | ranking      = 13
 | ranking2     = 14
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[2004 NCAA Division I-A football season|2004]]
 | name         = [[2004 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 4–7
 | conference   = 2–6
 | confstanding = 5th <small>(North)</small>
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[2005 NCAA Division I-A football season|2005]]
 | name         = [[2005 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 5–6
 | conference   = 2–6
 | confstanding = 6th <small>(North)</small>
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name         = [[Kansas State Wildcats football|Kansas State Wildcats]]
 | conf         = [[Big 12 Conference]]
 | startyear    = 2009
 | endyear      = 2018
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2009]]
 | name         = [[2009 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 6–6
 | conference   = 4–4
 | confstanding = T–2nd <small>(North)</small>
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2010]]
 | name         = [[2010 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 7–6
 | conference   = 3–5
 | confstanding = T–3rd<small> (North) </small>
 | bowlname     = [[2010 Pinstripe Bowl|Pinstripe]]
 | bowloutcome  = L
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2011]]
 | name         = [[2011 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 10–3
 | conference   = 7–2
 | confstanding = 2nd
 | bowlname     = [[2012 Cotton Bowl Classic|Cotton]]
 | bowloutcome  = L
 | ranking      = 16
 | ranking2     = 15
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2012]]
 | name         = [[2012 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 11–2
 | conference   = 8–1
 | confstanding = T–1st
 | bowlname     = [[2013 Fiesta Bowl|Fiesta]]
 | bowloutcome  = L
 | bcsbowl      = yes
 | ranking      = 11
 | ranking2     = 12
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2013]]
 | name         = [[2013 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 8–5
 | conference   = 5–4
 | confstanding = 5th
 | bowlname     = [[2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl|Buffalo Wild Wings]]
 | bowloutcome  = W
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2014]]
 | name         = [[2014 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 9–4
 | conference   = 7–2
 | confstanding = 3rd
 | bowlname     = [[2015 Alamo Bowl|Alamo]]
 | bowloutcome  = L
 | ranking      = 18
 | ranking2     = 18
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2015]]
 | name         = [[2015 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 6–7
 | conference   = 3–6
 | confstanding = 8th
 | bowlname     = [[2016 Liberty Bowl (January)|Liberty]]
 | bowloutcome  = L
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2016]]
 | name         = [[2016 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 9–4 
 | conference   = 6–3
 | confstanding = 4th
 | bowlname     = [[2016 Texas Bowl|Texas]]
 | bowloutcome  = W
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2017]]
 | name         = [[2017 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 8–5
 | conference   = 5–4
 | confstanding = T–4th
 | bowlname     = [[2017 Cactus Bowl|Cactus]]
 | bowloutcome  = W
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2018]]
 | name         = [[2018 Kansas State Wildcats football team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 5–7
 | conference   = 3–6
 | confstanding = T–7th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Kansas State
 | overall    = 215–117–1 <!-- As of games through 11/24/18 -->
 | confrecord = 128–89–1
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
 | overall   = 215–117–1  <!-- As of games through 11/24/18 -->
 | yearstart = 1997
 | yearend   = 2012
 | poll      = two
}}

==Player accomplishments==
During the Snyder era(s), Kansas State players won the following national awards:
*[[Touchdown Club of Columbus#The Jack Tatum Trophy|Jack Tatum Trophy]] (''Nation's top defensive back'') – [[Chris Canty (defensive back)|Chris Canty]], 1996
*[[Lou Groza Award]] (''Nation's outstanding kicker'') – [[Martín Gramática]], 1997
*[[Davey O'Brien Award]] (''Nation's top quarterback'') – [[Michael Bishop (quarterback)|Michael Bishop]], 1998
*[[Jim Thorpe Award]] (''Nation's outstanding defensive back'') – [[Terence Newman]], 2002
*[[Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award]] (''Nation's outstanding senior quarterback'') – [[Collin Klein]], 2012
*[[Touchdown Club of Columbus#The Kellen Moore Award|Kellen Moore Award]] (''Nation's top quarterback'') – [[Collin Klein]], 2012
*[[Jet Award]] (''Top return specialist'') – [[Tyler Lockett]], 2014

Heisman Trophy:
*[[Michael Bishop (quarterback)|Michael Bishop]], finished second in the 1998 [[Heisman Trophy]] voting.
*[[Darren Sproles]] finished fifth in the 2003 Heisman Trophy voting.
*[[Collin Klein]] finished third in the 2012 Heisman Trophy voting

All Americans:
During the Snyder era, 37 different players have received All-American Honors, including 10 consensus first-team All-Americans.
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Sean Snyder]] (P) 1992
* [[Andre Coleman]] (KR) 1993†
* [[Jaime Mendez (American football)|Jaime Mendez]] (DB) 1993
* [[Thomas Randolph (American football)|Thomas Randolph]] (DB) 1993
* [[Chad May]] (QB) 1994
* [[Barrett Brooks]] (OL) 1995†
* Tim Colston (DL) 1995
* [[Percell Gaskins]] (LB) 1995†
* [[Chris Canty (defensive back)|Chris Canty]] (DB) 1995–1996
* [[Todd Weiner]] (OL) 1997†
* [[Martín Gramática]] (PK) 1997–1998
* [[Michael Bishop (quarterback)|Michael Bishop]] (QB) 1998
* [[Jarrod Cooper]] (DB) 1998†
* [[Jeff Kelly (linebacker)|Jeff Kelly]] (LB) 1998
* [[David Allen (American football)|David Allen]] (PR) 1998–1999
* [[Mark Simoneau]] (LB) 1998†–1999
* [[Lamar Chapman]] (DB) 1999†
* [[Aaron Lockett (gridiron football)|Aaron Lockett]] (WR/KR/PR) 2000†
* [[Quincy Morgan]] (WR) 2000
* Jamie Rheem (PK) 2000
* [[Mario Fatafehi]] (DL) 2000
* [[Terence Newman]] (DB) 2002
* [[Nick Leckey]] (OL) 2002–2003
* [[Darren Sproles]] (RB) 2003
* [[Josh Buhl]] (LB) 2003
* [[William Powell (gridiron football)|William Powell]] (KR) 2010
* [[Tyler Lockett]] (KR/WR) 2011, 2013†, 2014
* [[Collin Klein]] (QB) 2012†
* [[Arthur Brown (American football)|Arthur Brown]] (LB) 2012
* [[Ryan Mueller]] (DL) 2013†
* Ty Zimmerman (DB) 2013†
* [[Morgan Burns]] (KR), 2015
* [[Jordan Willis (American football)|Jordan Willis]] (DE), 2016†
†-2nd team All-American
{{div col end}}

==Coaching tree==
Played under:
* [[Dan Devine]], [[Missouri Tigers football|Missouri]]
* [[Norris Patterson]], [[William Jewell College]]

Coached under:
* [[John McKay (American football)|John McKay]], [[USC Trojans football|USC]]
* [[Larry Kramer (American football)|Larry Kramer]], [[Austin Kangaroos football|Austin]]
* [[Hayden Fry]], [[North Texas Mean Green football|North Texas]], [[Iowa Hawkeyes football|Iowa]]

Assistant coaches who became college or NFL head coaches:

{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Phil Bennett (American football)|Phil Bennett]], [[SMU Mustangs football|SMU]] (2002–2007), [[Pittsburgh Panthers football|Pittsburgh]] (2010)
* [[Bret Bielema]], [[Wisconsin Badgers football|Wisconsin]] (2007–2012), [[Arkansas Razorbacks football|Arkansas]] (2013–2017), [[Illinois Fighting Illini football|Illinois]] (2021–present)
* [[Dana Dimel]], [[Wyoming Cowboys football|Wyoming]] (1997–1999), [[Houston Cougars football|Houston]] (2000–2002), [[UTEP Miners football|UTEP]] (2018–2023)
* [[Collin Klein]], [[Kansas State Wildcats football|Kansas State]] (2025-)
* [[Jim Leavitt]], [[South Florida Bulls football|South Florida]] (1997–2009)
* [[Mark Mangino]], [[Kansas Jayhawks football|Kansas]] (2002–2009)
* [[Manny Matsakis]], [[Emporia State Hornets football|Emporia State]] (1995–1998), [[Texas State Bobcats football|Texas State]] (2003), [[Bethany Swedes|Bethany]] (2013–2014)
* [[Del Miller]], [[Missouri State Bears football|Missouri State]] (1995–1998)
* [[Carl Pelini]], [[Florida Atlantic Owls football|Florida Atlantic]] (2012–2013)
* [[Ricky Rahne]]: [[Old Dominion Monarchs football|Old Dominion]] (2020–present)
* [[Rex Ryan]]: [[New York Jets]] (2009–2014), [[Buffalo Bills]] (2015–2016)
* [[Bob Stoops]], [[Oklahoma Sooners football|Oklahoma]] (1999–2016)
* [[Mike Stoops]], [[Arizona Wildcats football|Arizona]] (2004–2011)
* [[Eric Wolford]], [[Youngstown State Penguins football|Youngstown State]] (2010–2014)
* [[Brent Venables]], [[Oklahoma Sooners football|Oklahoma]] (2022–present)
* [[Tim Beck (American football, born 1966)|Tim Beck]], [[Coastal Carolina Chanticleers football|Coastal Carolina]] (2023–2025)
{{div col end}}

==See also==
* [[List of college football career coaching wins leaders]]
* [[List of college football head coaches with non-consecutive tenure]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150813173023/http://www.kstatesports.com/sport/m-footbl/2015/roster/5589bf6be4b09d6fde8f3757 Kansas State profile]
* {{College Football HoF|2372}}

{{Navboxes
|list =
{{Kansas State Wildcats football coach navbox}}
{{Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year Award}}
{{Bear Bryant Award}}
{{Bobby Dodd Award winners}}
{{Walter Camp Coach of the Year}}
{{Sporting News College Football Coach of the Year}}
{{Paul "Bear" Bryant Award Lifetime Achievement Award}}
{{Big 12 Conference football Coach of the Year navbox}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Snyder, Bill}}
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American football cornerbacks]]
[[Category:American football quarterbacks]]
[[Category:Austin Kangaroos football coaches]]
[[Category:Iowa Hawkeyes football coaches]]
[[Category:Kansas State Wildcats football coaches]]
[[Category:Missouri Tigers football players]]
[[Category:North Texas Mean Green football coaches]]
[[Category:USC Trojans football coaches]]
[[Category:William Jewell Cardinals football players]]
[[Category:High school football coaches in California]]
[[Category:High school football coaches in Missouri]]
[[Category:College Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Eastern New Mexico University alumni]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from St. Joseph, Missouri]]
[[Category:Coaches of American football from Missouri]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Missouri]]