Kansas State is once again searching for a new men’s basketball coach.
The process is happening sooner than most expected, given that Jerome Tang was only three years removed from an Elite Eight appearance with the Wildcats. But K-State athletic director Gene Taylor fired Tang “for cause” Sunday with six games remaining in a dreadful season.
Taylor will now shift his focus to hiring a new coach.
For now, intel is scarce on the coaching candidates he may target. After all, it was only two months ago that Taylor was still praising Tang in public settings. So he may not have a full list of names just yet. But Taylor has said he will prioritize “head coaching experience” this time around.
With that in mind, here is a list of names that could be considered for K-State’s basketball vacancy, in no particular order:
Brad Underwood (Illinois)
The odds of Brad Underwood leaving the successful basketball program that he has built at Illinois are low. He has guided the Fighting Illini to five straight NCAA Tournaments, and he has one of the best teams in the Big Ten this season.
Furthermore, his current salary at Illinois is $4.4 million, plus bonuses. And his contract features a unique non-complete clause, which states he can’t leave for another college basketball job during the term of his contract “unless certain material changes have occurred.”
But that may not stop K-State from calling. Underwood is a former K-State basketball player and assistant coach. Fans would rejoice if he returned to his alma mater. But the timing seems wrong. He would need to feel compelled to save K-State basketball in order to even consider a move to Manhattan at this point in his career.
Josh Schertz (Saint Louis)
Josh Schertz may be the hottest name on the coaching carousel this year. The Saint Louis basketball coach seems to have the exact resume that K-State is looking for in a new head man.
He has won everywhere he has worked. Schertz has guided the Billikens to a 40-16 record over the past two seasons, and they are 24-1 this year. He also won 66 games in three years at Indiana State and 337 games at Division II Lincoln Memorial.
The Wildcats may encounter lots of competition if they pursue Schertz, who reportedly makes around $2 million per year at Saint Louis. Perhaps they will have an advantage as the first power-conference school with a job opening. They would have to wait until the Billikens are done playing in March to make a formal offer to him. But he would be viewed as a home-run hire.
Jerrod Calhoun (Utah State)
Few mid-major coaches are having a better season than Jerrod Calhoun. The Utah State head coach has guided the Aggies to a 22-3 record, and they are fresh off a blowout win over Memphis on national TV.
Calhoun guided Utah State to 26 wins and the NCAA Tournament last season. Before that, he won at a consistent level at Youngstown State and Division II Fairmont State.
Other schools courted Calhoun last season, but he opted to sign a contract extension with Utah State and stay in Logan. His current salary is $1.85 million. Maybe he would feel compelled to make the jump to K-State if the Wildcats show interest.
Eric Olen (New Mexico)
Eric Olen has guided New Mexico to an 18-4 record in his first season with the Lobos.
Before that, he helped San Diego make the jump from Division II to Division I. That transition culminated with a 30-win season and an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2025. He has won 68% of his games as a head coach.
Bryan Hodgson (USF)
He only has three years of experience as a head coach, but Bryan Hodgson has won a lot of games in those three years.
Hodgson guided Arkansas State to 20 wins in his debut and then to 25 wins a year later. Both of those campaigns ended with a postseason appearance. He made the jump to USF this season, and the Bulls are 18-8 and in first place of the American standings.
As an assistant, he has experience working at Buffalo and Alabama.
Travis Steele (Miami of Ohio)
The Redhawks are having a dream season under head coach Travis Steele. They are the nation’s lone undefeated team at 25-0, and they seem poised to reach the NCAA Tournament. Miami also won 25 games and finished second in the MAC last season.
Steele got his start as a head coach at Xavier, where he won 70 games over four seasons without reaching a single NCAA Tournament. He has since found success with the Redhawks.
Mike Boynton (Michigan assistant)
Would K-State really consider a coach who got fired at Oklahoma State in 2024?
Maybe.
Boynton only made the NCAA Tournament one time during his seven seasons with the Cowboys, but his time in Stillwater was far from a disaster. Oklahoma State won 20 games in three of his seasons, and they reached the postseason all three times. He also recruited Cade Cunningham. His overall record: 119-109.
Boynton has also found success as an assistant coach at Michigan under Dusty May. The Wolverines might be the best team in the country this season. He may have earned another chance as a head coach.
Erik Pastrana (Miami assistant)
K-State fans have followed Erik Pastrana’s career ever since he was a graduate assistant for the Wildcats under Frank Martin. He went on to become an assistant coach under Brad Underwood at Stephen F. Austin. Later, he worked at Florida, Georgia and Oklahoma State. Now he is the associate head coach at Miami.
Taylor would have to ignore his own words and look past the fact that Pastrana doesn’t have any experience as a head coach.
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Kellis Robinett
The Wichita Eagle
Kellis Robinett covers Kansas State athletics for The Wichita Eagle and The Kansas City Star. A winner of more than a dozen national writing awards, he lives in Manhattan with his wife and four children.
