Bill Snyder wants his son, Sean Snyder, to succeed him as Kansas State head coach. What if Bill Snyder doesn't get what he wants?
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Snyder reportedly vetoed K-State's plan to hire then-Colorado defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt last year as a coach-in-waiting who would take over the program in 2018. And while the Wildcats granted Snyder's veto, the administration could realize it was a dangerous precedent and reverse course, opting for someone other than Sean Snyder, the current defensive coordinator, to become the head coach when Snyder does retire.
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If they don't want the younger Snyder, who might Kansas State target to replace the legendary head coach? Here are five options.
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Jerry Kill
Current Position: Offensive Coordinator – Rutgers
Now that Kill is back on the sidelines (or in the booth really), any smidgen of success will prompt head coaching offers — if he's not getting them already.
The Kansas native is still just 56 years old, knows the state extremely well (most importantly the JUCO recruiting circles) and has terrific relationships with Snyder and the university. He was an associate athletics director at K-State in 2016 before taking the Rutgers job.
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Brent Venables
Current Position: Offensive Coordinator – Clemson
Jerry Kill is the feel-good choice but Brent Venables might be a better choice, however unrealistic it may be given the Clemson defensive coordinator is reportedly in love with Clemson and his job and has shown zero interest in going elsewhere.
The 46-year-old native of Salina, Kan., played for Bill Snyder at K-State (1991-92) and spent the first six years of his coaching career in Manhattan. Venables is the best defensive coordinator in the nation and understands the culture of Kansas State football.
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Bryan Harsin
Current Position: Head Coach – Boise State
Bryan Harsin's situation feels exactly the same as his predecessor Chris Petersen: Very comfortable in a job he loves (at his alma mater, unlike Petersen) and has no desire to leave, but may consider an opportunity eventually if it's a perfect fit.
It's not clear if Kansas State would be that perfect fit for the 41-year-old but it's ceratinly an intriguing one.
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Chris Ash
Current Position: Head Coach – Rutgers
If Chris Ash's Rutgers rebuild continues trending in the right direction, he'll soon be inundated with offers.
The 43-year-old second-year Scarlet Knights' head coach has no strong ties to Kansas State but is an Iowa native and spent most of his first 15 years in coaching in the midwest.
He's young, level-headed and a terrific talent evaluator and developer.
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Kevin Sumlin
Current Position: Head Coach – Texas A&M
This is the wild card.
Kevin Sumlin is part of Bill Snyder's extended coaching tree and the two faced each other a few times when Sumlin was a Big 12 coordinator.
Who knows what his uneventful Texas A&M tenure has done to his coaching stock elsewhere but there should be decent programs lining up to hire the once-highly-sought-after head coach.
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NEXT: 5 Under the Radar College Football Coaching Hot Seats
