dougsmock@wvgazette.com
Marshall officials have denied rumors that Mark Snyder will beannounced today as the new head football coach at MarshallUniversity. Snyder also debunked those rumors.
'That is not true,' said MU sports information director RandyBurnside. 'We have nothing planned.'
Snyder, reached during a coaching staff visit to the University ofTennessee, said, 'I have no comment because I don't know anything.'
MU athletic director Bob Marcum could not be reached for commentTuesday night.
The reports may be premature or even dead wrong, but Snyder'sinterest in the Marshall job is not. OSU coach Jim Tressel addressedthe matter Monday at a visit to the Pro Football Hall of FameLuncheon Club in Canton, Ohio.
The Canton Repository reported that Tressel said Snyder was theleading candidate for the Marshall opening. The Akron Beacon-Journalused different wording, saying that Tressel said Snyder was one ofthe leading candidates.
In any event, returning to Marshall clearly would be a dream forthe native of Ironton, Ohio, a few miles downriver from Huntington.
'Mark would be perfect for that job,' the Repository quotesTressel.
'Eleven of the last 15 years he's been on my staff. Every year Ihave the coaching staff, like the players, fill out a goal sheet, andevery year his top goal was to be the head coach at MarshallUniversity.'
Snyder was a standout defensive back at Marshall and still holdsthe Thundering Herd's single-season record of 10 interceptions. Hehelped lead the Herd to a storybook season in 1987 that began with a2-4 start, got a huge boost with an upset of Louisville and ended inthe Division I-AA championship, a 43-42 loss to Northeast Louisiana.He was named a Division I-AA All-America.
Snyder was elevated to defensive coordinator last season, hisfourth at OSU, and coached against his alma mater in a nail-biter, a24-21 Buckeyes victory. He also coached with Tressel at YoungstownState, winning three I-AA national championships in four consecutivetitle games. Those included three games against Marshall, which thePenguins won in 1991 and 1993.
He has coached all defensive positions under Tressel. Between hisYoungstown and Ohio State stints, he coached defensive ends atMinnesota for four seasons. In a three-year stretch, the Gophersaveraged 40.7 sacks.
He also has coached at Central Florida and Marshall, where helaunched his career as a student assistant in 1988.
The short list of candidates to succeed Bob Pruett, who resignedlast week after nine seasons, is thought to include Snyder, interimcoach Larry Kueck, Minnesota offensive coordinator Tony Petersen andPittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks coach Mark Whipple,
To contact staff writer Doug Smock, use e-mail or call 348-5130.
