Goal No. 6: SELF-DISCIPLINE. Do it right; don't accept less.

#6 Tate Snyder Redshirt Sophomore 5-11 | 223 Manhattan, Kan. Bio

Position: Linebacker Previous College: None Projection: Third-String Status: On Scholarship

William Tate Snyder (b. Nov. 19, 1991) might, in light of recent defections and recruiting whiffs, be a living symbol of all that is wrong with the current coaching staff's recruiting strategy and what it means for K-State's football future.

Look, I didn't necessarily have a problem with giving him a scholarship when he was added in the 2010 class. I'm not stupid — I understand that the man in charge makes the rules, as well as the exceptions to the rules.

But the simple fact remains that Rivals.com listed Snyder as, at best, a Division I-caliber player, rated him as a two-star prospect and showed him with just one collegiate offer — us. That last bit is the most damning, I think.

One or two of those kinds of kids won't kill us, but increasingly, it seems to be all we're recruiting. Maybe Bill Snyder can win football games in the Big 12 with that kind of roster, but I highly doubt his successor will be able to.

I've defended Tate's scholarship for two summers in a row now, but he has yet to contribute anything to the team.

Yes, he's been perpetually injured, but the burden of proof is now on him to show that this was more than just preferential nepotism in action. Go out there and at least make a few tackles on special teams, son.