Kansas State Director of Athletics John Currie announced today that legendary head football coach Bill Snyder has agreed to a new multi-year contract, securing the services of the 2011 and 2012 national and Big 12 coach of the year through the 2017 season.
The new contract, which has an automatic rollover provision after the completion of each season mirroring the agreement signed in 2009, increases Snyder’s compensation to $2.75 million for the 2013 season, while annual increases of $100,000 will bring the five-year total to $14.75 million through the 2017 season. The new deal has been approved by the K-State Athletics, Inc., Board of Directors and President Kirk Schulz.
“Coach Snyder’s daily drive, focus and energy in continuing to build the K-State football program are truly remarkable and inspirational,” said Currie. “While he is not one to focus attention on himself, President Schulz and I felt that it was important to recognize in this very significant way his tremendous leadership and commitment to continuing to lead the K-State football program.”
The architect of the “greatest turnaround in the history of college football” and a 21-5 overall record over the past two seasons, Snyder will be paid a base salary plus supplemental licensing payments totaling $2.75 million in the 2013-14 contract year, $2.85 million in 2014-15, $2.95 million in 2015-16, $3.05 million in 2016-17 and $3.15 million in 2017-18, as well as other benefits.
“Bill Snyder is one of college football’s most respected legends and a complete ambassador for K-State and Manhattan,” Schulz said. “We are so fortunate to have one of the very best coaches in college football history who also fully embraces and understands the value and mission of our university. Under his leadership our football program continues to raise the national visibility of Kansas State University which is a key component in our K-State 2025 vision of becoming a Top 50 public research university.”
Predicted to finish sixth in the Big 12 prior to the 2012 season, the Wildcats tallied an 11-2 record, including an 8-1 mark in Big 12 play to capture the school’s third conference championship and first since 2003. Snyder guided Kansas State to its seventh 11-win season, but only the second 11-win regular season (1998) in school history.
In addition to being named the 2012 Big 12 Coach of the Year by both the Associated Press and his fellow coaches, Snyder was also named the Bobby Dodd National Coach of the Year, a finalist for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year and Bear Bryant Award for the second straight season as well as being a finalist for the Bobby Bowden and Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Awards and a semifinalist for the Maxwell Coach of the Year Award. He was also the 2011 Woody Hayes National Coach of the Year and Big 12 Coach of the Year after leading the Cats to a 10-3 record and a berth in the AT&T Cotton Bowl.
A five-time national coach of the year honoree, Snyder led K-State to a school-record six wins against ranked opponents in 2012, including its conference-championship clinching victory over No. 18 Texas. Additionally, the Wildcats obtained their first-ever No. 1 ranking in the BCS standings earlier this year.
“My entire family and I have been so very grateful for the genuine, caring and loyal support K-Staters have provided our coaches, staff, families and young people on a yearly basis,” Snyder said. “And, as I have stated so often we came to Kansas State because of the people, stayed because of the people and returned because of the people, and that remains unchanged. We have continued to make daily improvement as a football program, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue and will do so as long as I feel that I am having a positive impact on our university, community and football program and the young men that are involved. I appreciate so very much the leadership of President Schulz and John Currie, in addition to all past administrators and staff, and their commitment to our football program.”
Snyder’s leadership also carries over into the classroom as the Wildcats have consistently ranked among the Big 12 leaders in football graduation rate, while the program’s APR scores have remained well above the NCAA’s .930 standard mark, including its most current .969 rate for 2011-12.
Student-athletes under Snyder have also made graduating from K-State a priority as a remarkable 17 members from the 2012 squad already had degrees in hand while participating in the2013 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. A total of 11 student-athletes under Snyder have also earned Academic All-America distinction including 2011 National Scholar Athlete and Campbell Trophy Finalist Tysyn Hartman, who is also currently a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Named the 32nd head football coach at K-State on November 30, 1988, and again as the 34th on November 24, 2008, Snyder has amassed a 170-85-1 (.669) record during his tenure with the Wildcats, including a 97-65-1 (.598) mark in Big 8/12 games and a 34-16 overall record since his return in 2009.
His 170 victories are the seventh-most among active FBS coaches and are more than triple the man in second place on K-State’s all-time coaching victories list.
K-State Athletics is enjoying an unprecedented combination of athletic, academic and administrative accomplishments as the Cats strive towards their vision of a model intercollegiate athletics program. Ongoing athletic facility improvements in excess of $100 million include the new $75 million West Stadium Center at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, slated to open August 31, 2013.
— KSU Sports Information —