Bill Snyder named a consultant for ESU search
By The Emporia Gazette (Contact)
Thursday, November 23, 2006
In an effort to help rebuild the ESU football program, Athletic Director Kent Weiser will confer with the king of college football turnarounds himself.
Former Kansas State coach Bill Snyder — known as the architect of the “greatest turnaround in the history of college football” at Kansas State — has been named as a consultant for ESU’s new football coach search committee.
“I am especially pleased Coach Snyder has agreed to help us with this,” Weiser said in a release. “His experience and expertise will prove invaluable as we proceed with hiring our next football coach.”
Snyder will assist in identifying and evaluating potential candidates for the job.
Others on the committee include: Carmen Leeds, ESU Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations; Shane Shively, Associate Athletic Director for External Operations; John Rich, ESU Faculty Athletics representative; Russ Jenkins, ESU Foundation Board of Trustees member; and Jeff Longbine, Emporia businessman.
Snyder retired in November 2005 after coaching 17 seasons at K-State. He compiled a 136-68-1 record with the Wildcats, including a 75-53-1 mark in conference games.
His 136 coaching wins are more than three times that of any other coach in K-State history. The Wildcats had just 134 victories in the previous 52 years before Snyder took the helm, surpassing that mark in just 17 seasons.
Weiser said there is no timetable for the conclusion of the search, saying the process would move as quickly as possible while still taking the necessary time to evaluate candidates.
Former ESU coach Dave Wiemers resigned from the position last Thursday, making the announcement after meeting with his team. He finished with a 35-32 record in his six seasons as head coach for the Hornets.
ESU finished the year with a 3-8 mark, losing its final seven games. It was the Hornets’ third consecutive losing season.