Oklahoma State football announced an addition to its staff on Wednesday with the hiring of Sean Snyder, who will coach kickers and punters for the Cowboys.
Snyder is the son of legendary Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder, who is credited with the biggest turnaround in college football history after taking a hapless K-State program and turning them into winners.
He spent the 2023 season with the Kansas Jayhawks, serving as a special teams coach and special assistant to Lance Leipold. Prior to that, Snyder was on staff with Illinois (2022) and USC (2020-21) as the special teams coordinator. However, the Snyder name is synonymous with Kansas State, and that’s the case for the younger Snyder, too.
“Snyder was at Kansas State for a total of nearly 30 years before moving to USC for the 2020 season, playing the role of punter from 1990-92, part-time assistant coach in 1994 and 1995, director of football operations from 1996-98, assistant athletic director for football operations in 1999 and 2000, associate athletic director in 2001 and senior associate athletic director from 2002 to 2010,” a press release from Oklahoma State reads. “He then moved into his role working with K-State’s special teams as the special teams coordinator and associate head coach from 2011-18 and as a special teams analyst in 2019.”
Adding an experienced football acumen like Snyder further elevates a staff that, going into Mike Gundy’s 20th season, has high expectations heading into Fall Camp.
“Sean brings years of experience with kickers and punters and special teams concepts,” Gundy said. “We’re really excited about what he brings to our coaching staff.”
During his time at Kansas State, Sean helped produce four Big 12 Special Teams Players of the Year and was pivotal in shaping a unit that set or tied multiple team and individual records.
As for what he’ll have to work with in 2024, the Pokes are set to return both Wes Pahl (45.1 avg) and Hudson Kaak (39.7) at punter. Alex Hale is gone after a great career in Stillwater, but Logan Ward does return and appears to be in the best position to assume place-kicking duties.
Oklahoma State will kick off the 2024 season with a tricky contest against the back-to-back FCS National Champions, South Dakota State, on Saturday, August 31. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT, with coverage provided on ESPN+.
