Yes, Bill Snyder Is College Football’s Classiest Coach
By Dave Thoman
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
If you haven’t seen it already – either on our facebook post yesterday or elsewhere on the internet – there was a letter released Monday you really need to check out. It’s from Bill Snyder, addressed to Texas Tech tight end Jace Amaro.
Amaro had one helluvan impressive game against K-State. His nine catches only went for 67 yards, but he missed a decent portion of the game with a shoulder injury and was in and out of the game all night. Amaro is probably the Big 12’s best tight end and is among the top three in the nation. He leads Texas Tech with 1,157 yards on 92 receptions this year, and had at least eight catches in every contest since the team’s first game until being knocked out of Tech’s loss to Baylor.
That game on Saturday, in which Amaro suffered a head injury, promped Snyder’s letter. This is what he wrote to Amaro:
"You’ve had a great year Jace. Admire how hard you play and the innate toughness you display to help your team. Hope you weren’t hurt badly on Saturday. Wishing you and your teammates continued success, good fortune & health.Warm RegardsCoach Snyder"
The grandfather of the Big 12, this is the second letter he is known to have penned this season. The first came after K-State fell to FCS North Dakota State to open the season on a touchdown run by quarterback Brock Jensen with under 30 seconds to play. While Charlie Weis would have spent the next 48 hours alternately blaming the loss on the officiating and his players, Snyder didn’t. He told the media that there was a lot of work to be done, went home, and wrote a letter to Jensen congratulating him on his play. He then set forth developing a plan to make the team better and get K-State to a bowl game (something else Weis definitely wouldn’t have done). Here’s the letter he sent Jensen:
"Congratulations Brock. I was truly impressed with you & your teammates. You played so very well, virtually error free & with such poise. I wish you a great year & hope you achieve all you desire. Please share my thoughts w/ your teammates.Warm regards,Bill Snyder"
When you look around and see some of the classless acts around the NCAA (think Bobby Petrino, Lane Kiffin, and former Big 12 role models Mike Leach and Mark Mangino), it’s refreshing to say not only are the Wildcats headed to another bowl game, but they do so led by the most admirable coach in the game.