Well, it's finally happened. Kansas State is parting ways with head coach Jerome Tang, per multiple sources. The Wildcats have started 1-11 in Big 12 play this season and are on track to miss the Tournament for the third consecutive year. In a season anticipated to be one of the best in recent memory spiraled all the way back from the early-season Nebraska loss. A four-game losing streak was regarded as a temporary hiccup that could be reversed with some strong victories and revived in the Big 12 slate. They weren't. Kansas State continued to embarrass itself in every matchup, as its losses grew more lifeless and detrimental. Beyond injuries to star players, the team failed to gain any cohesion and was regularly outmatched by teams they were predicted to breeze past in the preseason. The Iowa State and Cincinnati losses were likely the nail in the coffin, given both the final results and the coach's response. Not only were they among the worst home losses in the Tang era, but his postgame interviews raised many questions from fans and media. He praised his players for their effort against the Cyclones, despite a 34-point defeat where they were dominated nearly the entire 40-minute stretch. Standing behind your players is one thing, but there seemed to be a lack of accountability or true analysis of the on-court product. It made his Cincinnati press conference even more confusing when he declared that the active players didn't care about the program and wouldn't return next season. A staunch contrast to his statements just days earlier, and very harsh public comments that drew backlash from several major outlets. "This was embarrassing," Tang said. "These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform. There will be very few of them in it next year. I'm embarrassed for the university, for our fans, and our student section. Pair these antics with the lack of on-court success for the last few seasons, and it was very difficult to see a future with Tang at the helm. Kansas State has also invested heavily in NIL money on recent stars, constantly rotating the starting cast from season to season. Tang has had limited success with high-paid players like PJ Haggerty, Coleman Hawkins, and Andrej Kostic, as well as several other big names that were supposed to translate to winning. There is still $19 million left on his contract, but the program wanted to move quickly.
