Mark Snyder Hired by Florida State

Another Michigan State coach has made his way down south to Tallahassee. Current Spartans’ linebackers coach and special teams coordinator Mark Snyder has reportedly accepted a position on Florida State head coach Willie Taggart’s staff.

Snyder’s football career started as a defensive back for Marshall University from 1985-88. From there he went on to coach linebackers at UCF and Youngstown State. He made a stop in Minnesota as the defensive ends coach until 2001, when Jim Tressel hired him as the Ohio State linebackers coach.

Snyder picked up a national championship ring in 2002 and finally left in 2004 when Marshall, his alma mater, offered him the head coaching job. His stint was mildly successful, but Snyder eventually resigned and went to be the defensive coordinator for South Florida from 2010-11.

Texas A&M hired him for the same position from 2012-14. Snyder was fired after a poor start and was eventually hired by Mark Dantonio in East Lansing in 2015.

His latest stint as defensive coordinator was disappointing, but Snyder makes a lot of sense as a positional coach. His defenses always had plenty of talent that turned into draft picks (A.J. Hawk, Myles Garrett, Damontre Moore to name a few).

Putting him as the defensive ends coach allows him to completely focus on player development. It certainly helps that he maintains some continuity with defensive coordinator Harlon Barnett coaching above him.

With Snyder’s hiring, just two spots remain on the Florida State staff.