A Sunday night college basketball firing makes news, as a Division I program with a 1-11 conference record fires its head coach. Jerome Tang was axed as the Kansas State Wildcats head coach on Sunday, February 15th, but the writing’s been on the wall for a program deep in a tailspin, from a for-cause termination that implies how sideways things went behind the scenes, to a second straight losing season, with his viral postgame eruption only speeding up the inevitable.
Kansas State Men’s College Basketball Coach Jerome Tang Fired Sunday
Kansas State athletics director Gene Taylor confirmed the move Sunday night, saying the decision was effective immediately and that a national coaching search would begin right away. Taylor didn’t mince words, calling out “recent public comments and conduct” as factors that no longer aligned with the university’s standards for supporting student-athletes. An interim head coach will be announced in the near future.
Jerome Tang’s Viral Rant Sealed His Fate
The “for cause” language is the part that really stings here. Per ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the basis for the firing centers on contract language referencing any activity that brings “public disrepute, embarrassment, ridicule” to the university.
That clause became impossible to ignore after Tang’s Wednesday night meltdown following an ugly 91-62 home loss to Cincinnati, when he told reporters his players “do not deserve to wear this uniform” and that he was “embarrassed for the university”. The Wildcats then played Saturday’s loss at No. 3 Houston with nameless jerseys — no player names on the backs — which only poured more gasoline on the fire.
Kansas State: From Elite Eight to Last Place in Three Years
That’s the part that makes this whole thing sting for K-State fans. Tang led the Wildcats to the Elite Eight in his first season in 2022-23, winning 26 games — the program’s most since 2013. It’s been nothing but downhill since.
Kansas State missed the NCAA tournament in year two, went 16-17 last season, and bottomed out at 10-15 overall this year, sitting tied for dead last in the Big 12 at 1-11 in conference play. Some fans in the Bramlage Coliseum student section were literally wearing bags over their heads during the Cincinnati blowout. That’s about as rock-bottom as it gets.
What the “For Cause” Firing Means for Tang’s $19 Million
Here’s the financial kicker. Tang signed a contract extension through 2029-30 back in 2023, with nearly $19 million still on the deal. By firing him “for cause,” Kansas State is betting it can avoid paying out that massive buyout. Prior to taking the K-State job in 2022, Tang spent nearly 20 years as Scott Drew’s assistant at Baylor, so this was his first and only head coaching gig.
College Coach Rips His Team, Strips Names Off Jerseys, Gets Fired