Roundtable: Well, this sure doesn’t look great

So with the big news dropping earlier today about a potential deal with Jim Leavitt and the subsequent nixing by Kansas State Wildcats head coach Bill Snyder, some of the BotC staff got together and discussed the news and gave some input.

Things got a little crazy, but it all started with the following question:

Alright let’s kick this thing off. Bill Snyder reportedly blocked the hiring of Jim Levitt because he wants Sean to take over. How bad a look is this and what’s happens next?

Gracey T: [It] Makes him look senile as all get out and further undermines the administration trying to do better for the school. As far as what happens next? We either admit that Snyder can be involved but not the final say in the process. Or we end up with Sean and more mediocre football.

Wildcat00: It’s a bad look, and not just because Leavitt is a big name and this was a good chance to solidify the future direction of the program. The optics are bad because Snyder just demonstrated he’s bigger than anyone else at K-State. I don’t want to belabor this point too much, but football should never be the biggest thing at a University, and a football coach shouldn’t have such power over these decisions.

Luke S: When is nepotism not a bad look? We all want what is best for our kids, but Coach Snyder has always stood behind wanting what is best for K-State. Maybe he truly believes Sean is the answer. But why not let Sean be one of many candidates to compete for and win the job?

JT V: This is a terrible look for Snyder and the program, true or not. It's bad for the fans, it's a bad look for recruits (and it's an easy target for other coaches), and it's bad for the program in general.

00: Also, I want Snyder to articulate why Sean is the best person for this job? Not just “I think he’s the best because he understands my philosophy” but in terms of recruiting, Xs and Os, etc.

K!: 00, I imagine in Bill’s mind he has enumerated the reasons Sean’s he best fit.
I also concur wholeheartedly that football should never be bigger than the school and this idea that he blocked a logical and by all appearances and great succession plan just to get his kid hired falls counter to his speeches/and talk about the money and power that CFB has over colleges.

00: Rule #2: Unselfishness
[multiple “Likes]

GT: Excellent point, 00.

K!: I doubt we ever see Bill get that specific with reporters/fans regarding football strategy.

LS: Is there something in the vein of wanting to keep his fingers in the dough, in light of what happened when the Dark Prince took charge? It may be, in part, a reluctance to part with ownership in the program that he considers (not wholly unjustly) to be "his baby."

K!: Luke, I’m 99% certain that’s what he’s wanting to guard against. Especially after coming back to build it up again.

00: It’s the Barry Alvarez model, but even Alvarez didn’t want his kid to take over.

GT: Which is when we as an university realize it’s time to stop letting his power be out of hand and ruin our program.

JT: Snyder is definitely not living up to his own Goals at this point. And Snyder shouldn't be worried about RP2 happening. This is a wholly different administration, a wholly different atmosphere around the program (unless he scuttles it again....), and a wholly different CFB landscape than 12 years ago. Too many older fans still revere Snyder as God-like, and too many younger fans were ready for him to retire in 2013. I think there's a happy medium, but now is that time. This is the kind of news that can set your program back years if not handled properly. Just ask Texas.

Are we all convinced this year is the end of the line for Coach Snyder? If so, does this make that assumption more, or less, likely?

JT: I think he's done at the end of the year, but only if he can be sure Sean will get first choice at the HC spot. He might stick around another year just to stick it to the administration. Which would go against EVERYTHING Snyder espouses.

K!: The unfortunate thing here is his tenure at the end is mirroring the tenure of Wefald and other collegiate coaches who stuck around too long. It can’t be understated what Bill Snyder means to the program but at some point you have to move on and the more you meddle in the successor and with performance on field slipping from the high in 2012 it’s bad look especially because now it does seem he’s hanging on simply to get Sean the job.

00: His contract year runs through the end of January, so we’ll see. Btw, his current contract does not provide specific remuneration past Jan 31, 2018. Interesting, no?

GT: December 28th, 2016 should have been the last game he was head coach.

K!: My understanding is his contract is basically a one year renewal until he decides to retire. I also think unless he becomes severely ill he’s coaching again next season. I think we’ve passed the point of no return for Snyder and he’s literally hanging on until Sean gets the job or he dies or he’s fired which I simply cannot imagine will ever happen.

00: Yes, but there is no provision to pay him past 2018, and no addendum to that effect either.

JT: The payment has to be renegotiated this year. Unless Snyder wants to keep coaching at the exact same pay he's getting now...I think?

LS: He is an icon. He is the face of the football program, and more. Unless he hands it over without conditions, there is no graceful exit for K-State. How are going to ride #Family if we axe the patriarch?

00: If Snyder wants to dictate who the next coach should be, he should step down, take over as the AD and hire Sean.

K!: Sometimes family’s have to exercise tough love in order to keep their house in order. Though again I doubt that happens at all. It’s too late for him to become AD and follow the Alvarez model. Really once the mission was done to “calm the waters” he should have retired and let the position be filled by the AD. Now we all know he didn’t like the idea of Currie filling the job and I think his mission changed to get Sean the job.

What about the timing of all this?

LS: The timing of this is strange. Why, now, with two games left in the season? Is the cesspool boiling over so much that we couldn't keep a lid on it until the end of the season? Also, this is shaping up to be one of the worst years in a while to be in the market for a new head coach. Florida, Tennessee and probably Arkansas open? We're going to be left with leftovers.

JT: As TB brings up in his story and comments, timing is key. We're mired in another terrible season, our second in three years. Last year has momentum, but we've definitely lost it now.

LS: Yeah, but I'm trying to decipher the thought behind the timing. And I can't figure it out.

JT: They may be hoping for a 2005-like situation, where Snyder announces after the OSU game, the team beats ISU for bowl eligibility, they get there extra practice and extra time to secure the replacement. If you don't make a bowl and don't have momentum, we're stuck in 2006. If we can get that extra game, even with this staff, we can show growth and gives us way more leverage with a new coach. And we can let Snyder go out on a positive.

LS: Going to have to beat the Cyclones to make it happen, because we ain't beating Mullet Man on Saturday. And Iowa State should be dialed in. We've dealt them plenty of heartache over the years.

JT: And I'm saying I think the team will need that extra boost on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

And then we really went into left field.

So what do you think?