Kansas State parting ways with Jerome Tang midway through nightmare hoops season

Kellis Robinett, The Wichita Eagle on Feb 15, 2026

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MANHATTAN, Kan. — The Jerome Tang era has come to an abrupt end at Kansas State.

On Sunday, the Wildcats decided to part ways with Tang even though six games remain in the regular season

The move comes as a surprise, if only because of its timing. K-State athletic director Gene Taylor is not usually one to part with a coach in the middle of a season. But the end did seem near for Tang, as the losses have piled up for the Wildcats this year.

K-State (10-15, 1-11 Big 12) is currently in last place of the conference standings and off to its worst start ever in league play. It has lost six straight games. During that losing streak, the Wildcats lost three consecutive home games by at least 24 points.

Fans protested against Tang during the team’s past home game by wearing brown paper bags over their heads in the student section at Bramlage Coliseum. K-State lost that game 91-62 to Cincinnati, and Tang blasted his roster afterward, saying the players didn’t deserve to wear purple uniforms.

Tang spent nearly four seasons in charge of the K-State men’s basketball team. He had an overall record of 71-57. He was hired to replace Bruce Weber in 2022, and he found immediate success in Year 1. He led the Wildcats to 26 victories and a trip to the Elite Eight that season.

After spending the past two decades as an assistant coach at Baylor, it seemed like a star head coach was born.

The Wildcats rewarded Tang with a pair of contract extensions early in his tenure, which raised his current salary to $3.6 million. His buyout also ballooned to $18.7 million, which is what K-State will owe Tang should he be fired without cause.

But the exact details of his departure are unclear as of Sunday evening.

Tang turned out to be a one-hit wonder. K-State hasn’t reached the NCAA tournament since then.

The program has declined every year. The Wildcats won 19 games in his second year as coach and then 16 games in Year 3. This season stands with just 10 wins under his watch.

His final game as head coach was a 78-64 loss at Houston on Saturday. When it was over, he seemed optimistic about the future.

“As a team, we’ve decided that we can either be the victims or the victor,” Tang said. “We’re choosing to be the victors, and that’s the approach they have. They have a really positive mindset.”

Turns out, the Wildcats are moving on without him.

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