Even with PJ Haggerty and Abdi Bashir Jr. leaving Kansas State, this seemed like the most obvious prediction of them all.
Matthew Driscoll, who served as the associate-turned-interim coach for the Wildcats last season, will head to North Carolina (NC) State University. He will join Justin Gainey's staff and serve on a squad that finished seventh in the Atlantic Coast in 2026.
Driscoll was brought into Kansas State to aid his former partner-in-crime, Jerome Tang. Tang and Driscoll worked together at Baylor from 2003 to 2009, helping turn around a miserable program into a regular postseason contender. Tang was fired toward the end of the season for "cause" for his public rant after losing to Cincinnati. Pair this with a trend of underwhelming seasons, athletic director Gene Taylor parted ways with the veteran coach, moving Driscoll to the interim position.
Driscoll was 2-5 as the head coach, giving the Wildcats slight optimism as they ended the season. But by then, it was too late, and Kansas State ended its hyped year with one of the biggest disappointments in the last few years. As Driscoll exited, he described the emotions of the rollercoaster season, being thrown into a role he didn't ask for in a situation he likely didn't agree with.
"I can’t use another word than absolutely miserable," Driscoll said in his final postgame interview. "Every day, ulcers, not sleeping, not feeling good. I have an issue that I’ve had my whole life, and when I reached out to our psychologist, he said that’s just the way I'm wired. 'All you’re about is making sure things are organized, and things are right. So if somebody gives me a task, my dad says that your last name is on everything, so don’t ever screw up our last name."
Here are the other coaching moves around the Wildcats recently:
Phil Cunningham, Assistant Coach
Cunningham holds an 84–139 record as a head coach for his tenure at Troy and his temporary stop at Louisiana-Monroe. He made the Tournament with the Trojans in 2017 after a 22-15 campaign. Cunningham has spent most of his career as an assistant coach, primarily with Mississippi State and Western Kentucky.
John Cooper, Assistant Coach
Much like Cunningham, Cooper has served as the head coach of Tennessee State and Miami (OH), but has primarily been an assistant throughout his veteran career. He's worked at institutions like Oregon, Auburn, and SMU.
Sean Rutigliano, General Manager
The former Colby coach worked under Alexander for several years, and will now join his former confidant again in Manhattan, KS. Rutigliano served as an assistant/associate coach under Alexander for six years at Belmont and for four seasons when the two were at Lipscomb.
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