5 candidates to replace Bill Snyder at Kansas State

3. Brent Venables, Clemson Defensive Coordinator

Venables has been the defensive coordinator at Clemson since 2012, and he was a candidate at Texas Tech before Matt Wells was hired there. But his ties to Kansas State are deep, as he played under Snyder and got his start in coaching there as a grad assistant (1993-1995) then linebackers coach (1996-1998). Prior to Snyder deciding to come back this year, rumors easily tied Venables to the potential opening at his alma mater

Venables is among the most well-compensated assistants in college football based on annual salary, and Clemson has reworked his contract twice in less than a year. He is under contract through 2022, with the largest total value for an assistant in the sport ($11.6 million) and retention bonuses that increase in the final three years of the deal.

But Venables would see an increase in salary as a head coach, and it’s worth wondering if he’s spurned other opportunities to be a head coach with the idea he’d take over at Kansas State whenever Snyder stepped away. That point seems to be now, and if the school is willing to wait until Clemson completes its inevitable trip to the College Football Playoff Venables could indeed be the man to succeed Snyder at Kansas State.