One of the most heavily discussed moments from Kansas State's 21-6 victory over Texas Tech last week had nothing to do with the football game.
ESPN announcer Jay Alter and analyst Mike Golic Jr. caused a stir when they relayed a few comments Bill Snyder shared with them about his K-State coaching future at a pregame production meeting. During Saturday's game telecast, the ESPN crew pointed out that Snyder's coaching plans are uncertain beyond this season and that "it's a real possibility" the Wildcats will have a new leader next year.
Then they attributed the following quote to Snyder: "If the president, the players and the fans want me out, I'll be gone."
K-State fans, lacking full context, wondered what to make of that statement. Snyder weighed in on it Tuesday at his weekly news conference, saying it was nothing new.
"I have shared that with you in here," Snyder said. "Most of you have asked at some point in time what would cause me to make the decision (to retire) and I have always said the same thing. If I was not wanted and didn't feel like I was having an impact on the lives of young people and my family wasn't interested in me continuing, I certainly wouldn't."
"I didn't say anything to them that I haven't said to you."
He has a point. Though his quote to ESPN conveyed a different tone than usual, Snyder has shared his retirement criteria for years, and no longer feeling wanted has always been on the list.
Go back to January, when he announced plans to return for this season, and he mentioned it specifically.
"As I have stated many times, as long as I remain in good health, am wanted and have a positive impact on the young people in our program, I will continue to be the head coach at Kansas State University," Snyder said then. "Those factors have not changed."
He also referenced it in August before he signed a new five-year contract.
"I could go on for quite some time," Snyder said then, "if I don't get fired and keep having an impact on the players in my program and my family is comfortable with it. I don't see any particular end in sight."
Things may have changed since then. K-State entered the year hoping to contend for a Big 12 championship and to play in at least middle-tier bowl. But this season has not gone according to plan. The Wildcats (5-6, 3-5 Big 12) need to win their final game of the regular season at Iowa State just to obtain bowl eligibility.
His uncertain future has become impossible to ignore. Major news outlets have posted columns calling for Snyder, 79, to retire. This might be his final season.
But Snyder hasn't shared any thoughts about that topic. Nor has he said whether he still feels wanted by K-State fans and players. He tries to distance himself from those topics this time of year. That means not reading critical columns.
"I haven't read any," Snyder said. "I'm sure after we lost a couple ball games there were probably a lot of them out there. During the season I don't really read the stuff."
For now, questions about Snyder's coaching future will have to wait. The Wildcats have won two in a row to remain in the bowl hunt and they hope to finish off another late-season turnaround with an upset victory over the Cyclones.
Winning that game is where his focus currently lies. So much so, that he has stopped allowing players to speak with media before games.
"They've got better things to do," Snyder said.
That approach helped K-State defeat Texas Tech last week. Time will tell if it works again in a game that could be Snyder's last.
