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Pictured are members of the 1971 Snyder coaching staff. The season was the last before moving to Class 4A in 1972. The coaches names were not listed in the yearbook. -
Pictured is Frankie Grimmett, who played on the 1967 Snyder football team and earned a scholarship to TCU. -
Snyder quarterback Kelly Ragland (11) runs against Big Spring in 1975. -
Snyder’s Bill Wilson (88), Joe Hale (57), Steward Sims (93), Bobby Schrader (25) and Barry Welch (72) chase a Big Spring runner during a game played in 1970. -
Pictured are the names of Snyder players who were selected to the various all-district and all-region football teams in 1971.
The Snyder football program began earning more statewide recognition by tying 1968 Class 3A state champion Lubbock Estacado in 1969 and its move to Class 4A in 1972.
Snyder had four winning seasons from 1967-76, qualifying for the playoffs in 1969 and 1974. The Tigers lost a rematch against Estacado 38-3 in the zone playoff game in 1969 and to Brownwood 42-0 in the bi-district game in 1974.
Winning was important, but Frankie Grimmett remembered how important it was to players that they earned a red cross (piece of red tape) from head coach Ace Amos for making a big play. The Tigers were 4-6 in 1967, but Grimmett will never forget earning a red cross during a practice.
“It was big deal to get the red cross,” Grimmett said. “A friend of mine caught a pass and I went to go down and blocked a guy. Coach Amos was running down the field screaming and said, ‘get the red tape. He will get a red cross.’ I tried harder through the years because of that. It made a big difference in my career.”
Grimmett received a scholarship to play at TCU and credited the influence of Snyder players Leslie Brown and David Holt, who also played college football for the Horned Frogs.
“I have been lifelong friends with David,” Grimmett said. “We had a lot of good teachers and they deserve credit for my success. I believe Leslie was one of the best athletes to play for Snyder. He was good in all sports. Leslie was a senior at TCU when I was a freshman. He taught me to work harder than the other guy.”
In addition to Amos, Grimmett credited coaches Horrace Bostick, Bob O’Day, Tommy Echols, Bill Hartsville, Ned Underwood, Roy Carter and Wayne Tyrone for his success on and off the football field.
David McGinnis said he benefited from his years at Snyder and coached 32 years in the National Football League. McGinnis is working this year as the radio color analyst for the Tennessee Titans Radio Network.
McGinnis remembered playing at Travis Junior High School before joining teammates and rivals from Snyder’s other junior high school, Lamar, at Snyder High School. He said the annual junior high school games with Lamar were unforgettable.
“High school football was everything in Snyder,” McGinnis said. “Speedy Moffett was my backfield and defensive back coach. I played quarterback, running back and defensive back. It was a great experience growing up around Tiger football and I loved the experience. It helped me to get a scholarship at TCU.”
McGinnis played on the team that tied defending state champion Lubbock Estacado.
Estacado returned 25 lettermen in 1969. According to The Tiger’s Lair, Snyder was a 50-point underdog for the Sept. 20, 1969 against the Matadors. The Tigers battled Estacado to a 7-7 tie and according to The Tiger’s Lair, sent shockwaves throughout Texas.
“I remember all of the guys that I played with at Snyder,” McGinnis said. “Most of the players played other sports. It was a lot of fun. I remember the Estacado game. They had great athletes. I remembered breaking free once and the nose guard caught me from behind. I remember a big game against (San Angelo) Lake View and all of the games with Sweetwater. Friday nights in West Texas can’t be beat.”
McGinnis played at TCU and said Holt and Brown had an influence on his decision.
“I was younger and they played before I got to high school,” McGinnis said. “They had a big hand in me going to TCU.”
McGinnis coached at TCU, Missouri, Indiana State and Kansas State before going to the NFL. He coached linebackers for the Chicago Bears in 1986 and later became head coach at Arizona. McGinnis also coached at Tennessee and St. Louis.
“My success came from my great opportunities while at Snyder,” McGinnis. “The NFL would not have happened without Snyder. I have been blessed and owe a lot to Snyder.”
Snyder defeated Lubbock Dunbar, the No. 8 ranked team in the state in 1969, 13-10. Willis Harrison scored on a 47-yard run and returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown. The Tigers later lost to Colorado City 20-14 that season.
Winning six of the next seven games, Snyder qualified for the playoffs. Three wins were shutouts: Brownfield (47-0), Littlefield (55-0) and Lake View (28-0).
Butch Buchanan and Bill Branson passed for 250 yards and two touchdowns against Brownfield. Fullback Steve Price gained most of Snyder’s 320 rushing yards with help from the offensive line of Rocky Land, Mike Line, Delbert Hurst, Glen January and Lewis Loyd.
Against Lakeview, Eddie Ray McClain ran for 167 yards and two touchdowns before leaving in the fourth quarter. Harrison had three interceptions in the game.
Snyder’s final season in Class 3A came in 1971 when the Tigers posted a 5-4-2 record. Two of the four losses came to Estacado and Dunbar.
Snyder returned to Class 3A in 2002 and after the UIL added a Class 6A, returned to Class 4A in 2012.
Here are the scores from Snyder High School football games played from the 1967 through the 1976 seasons with season records.
1967 (4-6)
Andrews 28, Snyder 0
Big Spring 7, Snyder 3
Stamford 26, Snyder 0
Snyder 9, Lamesa 0
Snyder 34, Levelland 19
Snyder 7, Littlefield 6
Lubbock Dunbar 14, Snyder 7
Brownfield 23, Snyder 0
Sweetwater 24, Snyder 3
Snyder 33, San Angelo Lake View 14
1968 (3-7)
Brownfield 22, Snyder 0
Lubbock Dunbar 21, Snyder 0
Slaton 21, Snyder 20
Colorado City 43, Snyder 31
Snyder 22, Littlefield 21
Lubbock Estacado 54, Snyder 0
Snyder 23, Levelland 21
Lamesa 19, Snyder 9
Sweetwater 48, Snyder 0
Snyder 48, San Angelo Lake View 0
1969 (6-4-1)
Lamesa 7, Snyder 6
Snyder 7, Lubbock Estacado 7
Snyder 13, Lubbock Dunbar 10
Colorado City 20, Snyder 14
Snyder 28, San Angelo Lake View 0
Snyder 49, Levelland 0
Snyder 55, Littlefield 0
Snyder 9, Slaton 0
Snyder 47, Brownfield 0
Sweetwater 21, Snyder 13
Lubbock Estacado 38, Snyder 3 (zone playoffs)
1970 (3-7)
Andrews 20, Snyder 0
Big Spring 46, Big Spring 7
Snyder 28, Stamford 14
Lubbock Dunbar 20, Snyder 6
Snyder 47, Colorado City 28
Lamesa 9, Snyder 3
Lubbock Estacado 20, Snyder 0
Brownfield 6, Snyder 3
Sweetwater 7, Snyder 0
Snyder 26, San Angelo Lake View 20
1971 (5-4-2)
Andrews 27, Snyder 20
Big Spring 27, Snyder 0
Snyder 24, Stamford 24
Snyder 24, Colorado City 24
Lubbock Dunbar 22, Snyder 14
Snyder 41, Colorado City 16
Snyder 27, Lamesa 10
Lubbock Estacado 26, Snyder 15
Snyder 21, Brownfield 7
Snyder 32, Sweetwater 13
Snyder 33, San Angelo Lake View 7
1972 (2-8)
Snyder 3, Lubbock Dunbar 0
Midland Lee 16, Snyder 0
Lamesa 27, Snyder 6
Snyder 21, Big Spring 10
Hereford 18, Snyder 6
Andrews 13, Snyder 9
Lubbock 19, Snyder 12
Lubbock Coronado 10, Snyder 0
Lubbock Monterey 28, Snyder 0
Plainview 15, Snyder 0
1973 (6-3-1)
Snyder 21, Lubbock Dunbar 3
Snyder 27, Midland Lee 15
Snyder 28, Big Spring 25
Snyder 21, Andrews 7
Lamesa 35, Snyder 0
Lubbock 13, Snyder 12
Snyder 16, Lubbock Coronado 16
Lubbock Monterey 16, Snyder 0
Snyder 28, Hereford 7
Snyder 28, Plainview 13
1974 (9-2)
Snyder 21, Monahans 6
Midland Lee 19, Snyder 12
Snyder 27, Andrews 14
Snyder 25, Big Spring 6
Snyder 20, Lamesa 0
Snyder 14, Lubbock Estacado 6
Snyder 30, Lubbock Dunbar 7
Snyder 24, Brownfield 3
Snyder 41, Sweetwater 12
Snyder 16, San Angelo Lake View 0
Brownwood 42, Snyder 0 (bi-district playoffs)
1975 (6-4)
Monahans 29, Snyder 0
Midland Lee 7, Snyder 3
Snyder 61, Andrews 20
Snyder 21, Big Spring 17
Snyder 20, Lamesa 8
Lubbock Estacado 17, Snyder 16
Snyder 1, Lubbock Dunbar 0
Snyder 36, Brownfield 6
Snyder 42, Sweetwater 7
San Angelo Lake View 21, Snyder 19
1976 (7-3)
Snyder 20, Lubbock Estacado 0
Snyder 14, Monahans 7
Andrews 20, Snyder 11
Snyder 14, Borger 6
Snyder 14, Big Spring 13
Lamesa 9, Snyder 6
Snyder 14, Lubbock Dunbar 6
Snyder 14, Brownfield 0
Snyder 23, Sweetwater 14
San Angelo Lake View 27, Snyder 0