Kansas State Fires Jerome Tang, Who's Up Next For Wildcats Job?

Tenure that started hot ends in soured mess as the Wildcats move on from fourth-year coach

Kansas State Wildcats head coach Jerome Tang coaches against the Houston Cougars in the first half at Fertitta Center. | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

MANHATTAN, Kan.— Kansas State has fired head men’s basketball coach Jerome Tang, the school announced Sunday, ending the fourth season of his tenure amid ongoing struggles on the court and widespread criticism that followed a viral postgame rant.  

Tang, 59, was informed of the decision by university officials as the Wildcats posted a 10-15 record with a single conference victory. 

The Wildcats have languished near the bottom of Big 12 Conference standings this season. A move to fire Tang comes after a string of poor performances and heightened scrutiny from fans and media alike.  

Breaking: Jerome Tang is out at Kansas State, sources told @PeteThamel.

With the terms of his departure being worked out, there is nearly $19 million still remaining on his contract. pic.twitter.com/5LjwtI4VIG

— ESPN (@espn) February 16, 2026

Tang's contract includes an $18.675 million buyout if the school parted ways with him before April 30. That figure is the , according to USA Today. However, a source told Jeff Goodman from Field of 68 that the two sides are discussing terms of the buyout to perhaps lessen the buyout. 

Season of Decline After Early Success

Tang joined Kansas State in March 2022 after a long assistant-coach career at Baylor, where he was part of the 2021 national title staff. His first season in Manhattan culminated in an Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA Tournament.  

But results began slipping as the 2024-25 Wildcats finished 16-17 overall and 9-11 in Big 12 play. This season, the team struggled further, finishing 1-11 in conference games before the firing, and ranking outside the top 100 in efficiency metrics.  

Critics pointed to heavy roster turnover and a failure to integrate top transfers as factors in the underperformance. And despite one of the larger NIL budgets in college basketball, wins have been scarce.  

There was hope that the Wildcats could rebound this season with the additon of Memphis guard P.J. Haggerty out of the transfer portal. But things never could fully come together for a team expected to contend for an NCAA Tournament bid in 2026.

Viral Rant Intensifies Scrutiny

The decision to dismiss Tang followed national attention to his postgame news conference after a 91-62 home loss to Cincinnati earlier this week. Tang’s remarks were widely circulated on social media.

“This was embarrassing. These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform,” Tang said after the loss. “There will be very few of them in it next year. I’m embarrassed for the university, I’m embarrassed for our fans, our student section. It is just ridiculous.”  

What’s Next for Wildcats Basketball

The Wildcats have several games remaining this season, including a challenging road trip against top-ranked opponents ahead. Interim coaching responsibilities are expected to be designated immediately, with the athletic department coordinating next steps.

Kansas State will likely take a national approach to its search for a new coach. However, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see someone with connections to the program considered such as the football hiring of Collin Klein. 

One name that likely checks several of those boxes is Josh Schertz.

Schertz, who most recently led Saint Louis after building Indiana State into a Missouri Valley Conference contender, has developed a reputation as a program builder with a defined offensive system and a track record of maximizing personnel.

For a Kansas State program looking to regain consistency and traction in the Big 12, Schertz is a proven winner who could bring national relavance back to Manhattan.

Taking over after a successful predecessor can be as difficult as rebuilding from scratch. Loyola had established national credibility under Porter Moser, including a Final Four appearance and multiple NCAA Tournament bids. Valentine inherited expectations.

Rather than allowing the program to reset downward, he maintained a defensive identity, kept Loyola competitive and positioned it for continued postseason relevance.

He sustained the standard which is often harder than creating one. And he definitely didn't abandon what worked prior to him taking over the job, he just continued to produce the results required.

Steve Donahue at St. Joe's won't likely be very high on many wish lists for Kansas State fans, but he is reviving his career in Philadelphia.

Donahue has plenty of head coaching experience at Boston College, Penn Cornell and now leads Saint Joseph’s in one of the more competitive basketball conferences in the country. He's a seasoned recruiter and tactician, he fits the profile of a coach who could take another Power Four job with the right opportunity. 

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