Kansas State Football: Who will replace Bill Snyder if he retires after 2018?
By John McCarty
Rumors of Bill Snyder’s future are swirling like storm clouds over the Kansas State football program. If Snyder is indeed done, who might replace him on the sidelines?
Will Bill Snyder return next season? It depends on who you talk to and perhaps when indeed you speak to them.
For weeks now, rumors have persisted legendary football coach Bill Snyder would step aside at the conclusion of what is most certainly a disappointing 2018 season. Snyder himself has done very little to quiet these rumors, failing to commit to staying past this season when given the chance by reporters.
Who are some names that could possibly find themselves on the sidelines next season in Manhattan?
Seth Litrell – North Texas Head Coach
If you have been following the rumors and reports, you would know the name Seth Litrell of North Texas belongs at the top of the list.
Litrell, born and raised in Oklahoma, would attend and play football for the University of Oklahoma as a running back. Upon graduation, he took a graduate assistant job at the University of Kansas in 2002 under Mark Mangino. His career would wind through Texas Tech (Mike Leach), Arizona (Mike Stoops) , Indiana (Kevin Wilson), North Carolina (Fedora) before being hired at North Texas in 2016 to take over a program that, in 2015, went 1-11.
In three seasons at the head of North Texas, Litrell’s record is 21-15 including a 2017 conference championship and consecutive bowl appearances. Current in 2018, the North Texas record is 7-2 and likely a third consecutive bowl game. Quite impressive for a third year coach taking over a terrible team at a program with very little history of success.
Seth Litrell has, albeit limited, head coaching experience combined with a career path that has taken him around much of Big 12 recruiting territory and exposure to different coaches and philosophies. Young and energetic, Litrell could bring both experience and energy the Wildcat program is lacking.
He’s also a good recruiter. Currently, the Mean Green 2019 recruiting class ranks 30 spots (54) higher than Kansas State’s.