Southwestern Grad Will Remain In MAC For Final Year

Cole Snyder’s football journey has taken him from Lakewood to Piscataway, New Jersey, and back to Amherst.

His next stop: Ypsilanti, Michigan.

Snyder announced his decision to transfer to Eastern Michigan University on Tuesday after a graduate recruiting process that included visits to Nashville, Tennessee, Houston and Syracuse, and produced offers from Vanderbilt, Rice, the Orange and Georgia State, among others.

“They did their due diligence, watched the film, reached out Friday and we had a phone call Saturday,” Snyder said of the process after he was put in touch with the Eagles coaches by former UB teammate Quian Williams. “I went out there Sunday. It happened super, super quick. A dead period started Monday so they wanted me to get out there as soon as possible.

“It felt right the whole time,” Snyder added. “I truly think it’s going to be a good opportunity for both of us.”

Snyder actually came close to playing his home games at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse until a last-minute change a month ago.

“I was pretty much set to go to Syracuse. … Kyle McCord signing there is the reason I didn’t end up there,” Snyder said of the former Ohio State signal caller heading to upstate New York. ” … I look at the whole thing as God having a plan for me and some of those places might not have ended up in my path. I’m super excited about this opportunity.”

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With the Eagles, Snyder will continue competing in the Mid-American Conference, which he did the last two seasons as the starting quarterback at the University at Buffalo.

Eastern Michigan went 6-7 overall this past season, including 4-4 in the MAC, before losing 59-10 to South Alabama in the 68 Ventures Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. It was the third straight season for EMU ending in a bowl appearance.

Senior Austin Smith led the Eagles in passing this year, going 171 of 298 for 1,775 yards and nine touchdowns against seven interceptions. He has since transferred to Austin Peay University. Remaining quarterbacks listed on the EMU roster include: senior Ike Udengwu III, juniors Cam’Ron McCoy and Jeremiah Salem, sophomore Drew Viotto and freshman Jace Stuckey. Both Udengwu and McCoy saw limited action this past year.

“Going into (the transfer portal) as a two-year starter, it’s a little bit different having game film and production. It helps a lot,” said Snyder, who will be completing a graduate certificate in finance. “I only have one year left and sometimes they are looking for guys with multiple years so they don’t have to repeat the recruiting process again at the QB position.”

The Eagles are coached by Chris Creigton, who just finished his 10th season on the sideline in Ypsilanti. According to the EMU website, during his 25-plus year head coaching career, the 54-year-old Creighton has accumulated eight conference titles and an all-time record of 185-107 (.634 winning percentage). He is the only coach in EMU history to lead the program to multiple bowl appearances. Voted a finalist for the 2016 American Football Coaches Awards’ first-ever Comeback Coach of the Year, Creighton led EMU to the program’s first winning season since 1995.

“They have a head coach that does a tremendous job. They are a well-respected team throughout the conference,” Snyder said. “It’s a winning program. He’s been there for 10 seasons and they’ve beaten multiple Power Five teams. Going there and being around the people, the facilities, the stadium, it was just a really good experience. I just had a gut feeling that it was the right place for me.”

Mike Piatkowski is the Eagles’ offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach. Piatkowski, who was a record-setting quarterback at Drake University, just completed his fourth season at EMU.

“The No. 1 thing I like about their offense is the freedom they give the quarterback at the line of scrimmage,” Snyder said. “They say the guy who has the chalk in his hand last is going to win. Me, being an extension of the OC, I have the chalk in my hand last. I really like that type of system. It’s something I’ve been looking for in my college career.”

Snyder has some familiarity with the Eagles, having played them the last two seasons with the Bulls. In September 2022, Snyder earned his first victory as the starting quarterback at UB when the Bulls beat the Eagles 50-31 in Ypsilanti. That day, Snyder went 20 of 29 for 297 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 35 yards and a pair of scores on Rynearson Stadium’s gray turf. This past season in Amherst, EMU beat Snyder’s Bulls 24-11. The 2019 Southwestern graduate was just 11 of 26 for 135 yards that day.

“I know this conference very well and have played in it for two years. I believe with our roster, the pieces, the coaching staff and myself at the helm that we can win a MAC title for sure,” Snyder said. “After that, I want to play in a bowl game. The Cotton Bowl is the top Group of Five bowl game. If all of those team goals are accomplished, the individual goals will come with it, I’m sure of that.”

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The Eagles will open their 2024 season at UMass before a Week 2 trip to Seattle, Washington, to take on the Huskies. Snyder can’t wait for the opportunity.

“I was super excited. I was rooting for them (Monday) night so they’d be the national champions,” he said. “Either way, they were the No. 2 team in the country. An opportunity to play them and put your name on the map is something special. It’s certainly a long trip, but we’ll make it worth it, that’s for sure.”

In two seasons at UB, Snyder went 474 of 833 for 5,139 yards and 31 touchdowns against 17 interceptions. He also ran for five touchdowns. Now, he’ll look to cap his collegiate career with a MAC title.

“I don’t look back and have any regrets. I feel like God has put me in every place I’m supposed to be. I just pray and hope things turn out for the best,” Snyder said. I think everything happens for a reason. I really loved my time at Rutgers and learned a ton. During my time at Buffalo, I learned a ton. I really believe in everything going on at EMU and I’m ecstatic to be a part of it.”

Cole Snyder, who spent the last two seasons as the starting quarterback at the University at Buffalo, will finish his collegiate career at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

AP photo