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In this Oct. 12, 2013, file photo, Kansas State coach Bill Snyder takes off his headset to check on an injured player during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Baylor in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner, File)

AUBURN, Alabama -- Auburn coach Gus Malzahn's respect for Bill Snyder goes back further than this season.



In fact, the respect is mutual heading into the nationally-ranked showdown between Auburn and Kansas State on Thursday.



It turns out the Kansas State coach attempted to hire Malzahn away from Tulsa in 2009, the same year Malzahn chose Auburn as his next coaching destination as offensive coordinator.



"If I remember correctly I attempted to hire him one time when I came back, and he was not interested," Snyder told AL.com Friday. "But I've had a great deal of respect for him. We don't really know each other other than having talked, but I think he's a very, very talented coach. I wouldn't have been interested if he wasn't. Obviously he's proven, not only the quality of his coaching, but the quality of his character and I think he's awfully good for coaching and I think he's good for young people."



Snyder recalls attempting to hire Malzahn as a position coach after turning around Tulsa's offense, which led the nation with nearly 8,000 yards in 2008. Malzahn instead left the Golden Hurricane for the Plains, where he was named offensive coordinator and won a national title with quarterback Cam Newton in 2010.



Malzahn said Thursday he spoke to Snyder on the phone "a couple of times" and "once or twice" in person, but he did not mention the prospect of a job offer. "He's always been great," the second-year Auburn coach said.



Snyder, 74, is in his 23rd season leading the Wildcats. He retired following the 2005 season but returned to the school in 2009. Kansas State won its first Big 12 championship since 2003 in 2012 after starting the season 10-0, and followed it up with an 8-5 record and victory against Michigan in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl last season.



"Of course, being a high school coach way back when, I had a lot of respect for him, the way he's built the program and then left and then came back and rebuilt it," Malzahn said. "I think he's one of the better coaches to ever walk the planet. You can turn on the game film and you can see why. They execute offense and defense and the special teams, and they get the most out of their players. That's really what stands out to me."

Malzahn's career went on the fast track after arriving at Auburn in 2009. He left to become Arkansas State's head coach in 2012 and returned to Auburn at the end of the season to become the Tigers' head coach. He won seven national coach of the year awards while leading the greatest turnaround in SEC history during his first season in 2013. The Tigers won the SEC title and appeared in the BCS National Championship.



No. 19 Kansas State (2-0) hosts No. 5 Auburn (2-0) Thursday at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN.









