Kansas State coach Bill Snyder is reportedly set to announce his retirement on Sunday, ending two stints that defined a legendary tenure for the 79-year-old coach.
Snyder built the program from the bottom up from 1989 to 2005, a stretch that included six seasons with 11 wins from 1997-2003. Snyder returned in 2009 and coached another 10 years, leading the Wildcats to a 10- and 11-win season in 2011 and '12, respectively. Now, the Wildcats must find a coach to fill those shoes after Snyder's final season, which saw the Wildcats go 5-7. It's not an easy task.
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Here's a closer look at seven candidates for the job:
Chris Klieman, North Dakota State
Klieman enters the weekend with a 65-6 record at North Dakota State. He has won three FCS national championships during his tenure and is in a position to win another. Klieman, 51, would be in a great spot to move up — if that's what he chooses to do. It's also worth noting that Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor held the same position at North Dakota State, including a four-year stretch that overlapped with Klieman from 2011-2014.
Sean Snyder, Kansas State
You can't rule out Bill Snyder's son, a former punter for the Wildcats who has served as the associate coach for the program since 2011. The program has been a family affair since 1989, but the fact Snyder has no head coaching experience makes this a questionable move.
Seth Littrell, North Texas
The North Texas coach has been linked to other jobs, and with good reason. He has led the Mean Green from the bottom up to three consecutive bowl appearances, and the 40-year-old Oklahoma native has made stops as an assistant at Kansas and Texas Tech. He's a good fit.
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Ricky Rahne, Penn State
Penn State's offensive coordinator would be another great fit for the job. He coached at Kansas State from 2006-2010 as a graduate assistant, running backs coach and tight ends coach, and he's an aggressive play-caller who would help rejuvenate the offense. The other candidates might get more buzz, but Rahne might just be the best one for this job. We like the fit.
Brent Venables, Clemson
Venables played at Kansas State for two seasons in 1991-92, then coached there for six more as a graduate assistant and linebackers coach from 1993-98. He has been linked to this job for years. The Clemson defensive coordinator has turned down other job offers before, and this is the one worth waiting for. Will Venables take it?
Josh Heupel, Central Florida
The former Oklahoma quarterback has led UCF to an unbeaten record in the regular season, and his work as an offensive coordinator at Missouri and Oklahoma is well-regarded. He understands the style of play in the Big 12. Heupel, however, might be tough to pull away from the Knights after just one year.
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Jim Leavitt, Oregon
Leavitt has spent the past four seasons as a defensive coordinator at Colorado and Oregon, but he's a proven head coach, too. He had 10 winning seasons in 13 years with South Florida from 1997 to 2009. It's not a splash hire, but those are hard to come by when a program legend retires.
