Kansas State Fires Jerome Tang After Disastrous Big 12 Season

Kansas State fired men's basketball coach Jerome Tang for cause on Sunday night, ending a tumultuous fourth season that saw the Wildcats collapse to the bottom of the Big 12 standings with just one conference victory.

The dismissal came after Tang's explosive public criticism of his players following a 29-point loss to Cincinnati, where he questioned whether his team deserved to wear the Kansas State uniform. The outburst proved to be the final straw for an administration that had watched the program spiral downward despite Tang's early success in Manhattan.

"Kansas State fired men's basketball coach Jerome Tang for cause," the school announced Sunday evening, signaling that the university believes it has grounds to terminate Tang without paying his full buyout.

Tang's tenure began with promise after he led the Wildcats to an Elite Eight appearance in his first season, building on the foundation left by predecessor Bruce Weber. However, the program's rapid decline became evident this season as Kansas State managed just a 1-11 record in Big 12 play, positioning them for a last-place finish in one of college basketball's premier conferences.

The breaking point came after the blowout loss to Cincinnati when Tang delivered a scathing assessment of his team's effort and character. His public rebuke of the players drew widespread criticism and appeared to fracture whatever remained of team chemistry and leadership within the program.

"They don't deserve to be here," Tang said in his post-game comments that would ultimately cost him his job. The public nature of his criticism violated fundamental coaching principles about handling player relationships and team accountability.

Kansas State's decision to fire Tang for cause suggests the university believes his conduct breached his contract terms, potentially saving millions in buyout payments. For-cause terminations in college athletics typically involve violations of university policy, NCAA rules, or contract provisions related to professional conduct.

The Wildcats now face the challenge of rebuilding a program that has experienced dramatic swings over the past several years. Tang's early success had raised expectations and demonstrated the program's potential, making this season's collapse even more disappointing for fans and administrators.

Interim leadership will need to stabilize the program while Kansas State conducts a search for Tang's permanent replacement. The timing of the dismissal, coming in mid-February during the heart of conference play, reflects the administration's belief that immediate change was necessary.

Tang's firing represents one of the most dramatic coaching casualties of the 2025-26 college basketball season. His inability to maintain the program's early momentum and his public handling of team struggles ultimately proved incompatible with Kansas State's expectations and standards.

The search for a new head coach will likely focus on candidates with experience rebuilding programs and managing the pressures of Big 12 competition. Kansas State will need to act quickly to prevent further deterioration of recruiting and team morale as they look toward next season.

For players currently on the roster, Tang's dismissal creates uncertainty about their futures while potentially opening the transfer portal as an option for those seeking fresh starts elsewhere.