They said that Bill Snyder could not go home again.
He had led the Kansas State program to within arm’s reach of a national championship and in 2005 retired as the most successful head football coach in school history. KSU honored Snyder by putting his name on the stadium.
So when Snyder announced that he would return to coach at Kansas State in 2009 at the age of 70, there was some healthy skepticism.
But Snyder knew it was possible for KSU to win again. And win again the Wildcats did. After going 10-3 in 2011, Kansas State went 11-1 this season, won the Big 12 championship and came within one game of playing for the BCS national championship.
For those efforts, Snyder, 73, was announced on Monday night as the winner of the 2012 Bobby Dodd National Coach of the Year Award, presented by Chick-fil-A. Snyder becomes just the second two-time winner of the Dodd Award. Joe Paterno (1981, 2005) was the other.
“This one is special,” said Snyder, whose No. 4 Wildcats face No. 3 Oregon on Thursday night in the Fiesta Bowl. “When I won it before, I did some research on Coach Dodd. He was a man of amazing quality who had the principles and values in place and was able to convey them to young people.
“He believed that if you taught these intrinsic values, then winning and losing will take care of itself. I really believe that as well.”
Snyder has a remarkable personal story. He was raised in St. Joseph, Mo., as an only child by a single mother, Marionetta. From her, Snyder learned a work ethic and a bedrock of principles from which he would never waver.
“The foundation for my life was my mother,” said Snyder. “She worked extremely hard — 12 hours a day. She kept me in line. Things had to be done a certain way. And she taught me a set of values that I’ve used throughout my life.”
Snyder has turned those values into his “16 Goals For Success.” They are given to every incoming football player at Kansas State and form the basis for everything that is done within the program. They are so simple yet so effective when carried out:
No. 1) Commitment; 2) unselfishness; 3) unity; 4) improve; 5) be tough 6) self-discipline; 7) great effort; 8) enthusiasm; 9) eliminate mistakes; 10) never give up; 11) don’t accept losing; 12) no self-limitations; 13) expect to win; 14) consistency; 15) leadership; and 16) responsibility.
Former players have told Snyder that his goals have been passed on to their children. Business leaders have told him that the goals are prominently displayed in their offices and regularly addressed in their board meetings. And the reality is that Snyder’s best teams have been ones that bought into the goals.
“That statement wouldn’t be too far off base,” said Snyder. “We believe in a set of principles in values and try to implement them on a regular basis. When you follow the goals, it allows for daily improvement.”
The Bobby Dodd Award is unique among such honors. The nominees must be successful on the field, but they must also adhere to the award’s guiding principle:
“In recognition of a higher and more noble aspect of college coaching … a style that emphasizes something more than winning the game … a belief that the game of football should be kept in perspective with college life in general.”
The award was officially announced at halftime of the Chick-fil-A Bowl between LSU and Clemson. The award will be formally presented to Snyder later this year at a banquet on Kansas State’s campus.
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