Bill Snyder is a legend in college football coaching circles. He has led the Kansas State Wildcats on to the field on and off for the past three decades. He continues to coach deep into his 70s, but he is about to be faced with a challenge tougher than any he has seen on the football field - battling throat cancer.
The diagnosis
Snyder made the announcement about his throat cancer diagnosis on Monday. During his statement, he said that he has actually been undergoing treatment for about three weeks. He was hesitant to make the announcement about his diagnosis because he had yet to inform all of the appropriate family members, but speculation around Manhattan, Kansas forced him to come out with the news himself.
Snyder does not intend to miss any significant coaching time while undergoing treatment in Kansas City, and he doesn't expect throat cancer to keep him away from spring practice next month. The school's athletic director pledged full support to Snyder as he undergoes this battle, for which his prognosis is expected to involve a positive outcome.
Coaching legend
Bill Snyder took over as the head coach of Kansas State back in 1989 and remained there until he retired in 2005. He couldn't stay away, though, and came back to help rebuild the program once again beginning in 2009. He has won two Big 12 titles with the team and won prestigious coaching awards in 1998 and 2011. He was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
Snyder has a contract that would keep him in place through this upcoming season, so between his cancer and his age, the end of his second tenure in charge of Kansas State may be coming shortly. Last season, the team went 8-4 before defeating Texas A&M in the Texas Bowl. Snyder has over 200 career wins and the stadium he coaches in bears his name.
Just recently, news came out that former Heisman Trophy finalist Collin Klein was returning to the team in a coaching capacity.
In other words, the legacy of Bill Snyder keeps kicking, something throat cancer won't easily deter.
