Bill Snyder plans to remain Kansas State head coach despite throat cancer diagnosis

On Monday morning, Kansas State announced that head coach Bill Snyder has been diagnosed with throat cancer. The news came just a couple of days after a report said Snyder was hospitalized for treatment of a “serious” but undisclosed medical condition. With the release of his diagnosis, Snyder added that he plans to to remain fully committed to his head coaching duties, and that he even expects to be on the sidelines in March for the Wildcats’ spring football practices.

”I have been diagnosed with throat cancer and have been receiving outpatient treatment at the KU Medical Center for about three weeks and am getting along very well.”

“The doctors and staffs at both KU Med and M.D. Anderson (in Houston, Texas) have been great; working so very well together to finalize the overall treatment plan which is being conducted in Kansas City. Both ‘teams’ have projected a positive outcome and have worked out a schedule that allows me to be in Kansas City for my regular treatments and still be back in the office on a regular basis through the first week of March. Sean, along with our coaching and support staffs, remain highly productive in carrying out their responsibilities keeping us on track.”

Snyder, who has been in Manhattan for the last 25 seasons, has reached 11 wins seven times. He got Kansas State to 18 bowl games, including this past year’s. He’s won 202 games in Manhattan, where no other coach ever won more than 33 or lasted more than eight years. He’s a five-time national coach of the year and one of four active coaches ever to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. A full regurgitation of Snyder’s resume would be exhausting, but if you’re into that, here’s one Kansas State put together before the 2016 season.

The school added that Snyder’s doctors say that his progress is “excellent.”

“Coach Snyder’s health is of the utmost importance, and he has our full support during this time,” Athletic Director John Currie said. “We will provide all of the necessary accommodations he and his family need to ensure a smooth treatment process. He will remain our head coach during this treatment period, and we look forward to seeing him on the field this spring and in pursuit of career win No. 203 on September 2.”

The last of those highlights was a Texas Bowl win against Texas A&M this winter, which ended with Snyder’s players dumping a cooler of confetti on him. He was good-natured about it.

Snyder has crafted the program in his image, and that image hasn’t changed much over the years. By and large, it’s worked well. It brought all those bowl wins in the 1990s and, now, seven appearances in a row in the 2010s.

Let’s hope Snyder’s treatment continues to go well, and we get to see him on the sidelines once again this fall.