Names to watch as Kansas State begins searching for a new men’s basketball coach
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- K-State will likely wait until late March and prioritize head coaches in search.
- SLU’s Josh Schertz, Belmont’s Casey Alexander, Utah State’s Jerrod Calhoun lead interest.
- Names like Chris Beard, Chris Jans, Steve Forbes and other coaches also appear.
It didn’t take long for Kansas State to hire its last high-profile coach, but that doesn’t mean the Wildcats will once again work with lightning speed as they search for Jerome Tang’s replacement.
Quite the opposite.
When Chris Klieman unexpectedly retired as K-State’s head football coach in early December, the school announced Collin Klein as his successor the very next day. Athletic director Gene Taylor will take a more patient approach as he searches for a new men’s basketball coach.
Taylor waited until late last week to begin formally discussing candidates with his advisers. K-State will likely have to wait until late March to make a new hire. Taylor has said he will prioritize “head coaching experience” this time around.
If the Wildcats want to poach a sitting head coach, they will have to wait until the season ends for certain teams.
Unlike college football, it is extremely rare for a head coach to switch jobs with games remaining on the schedule.
But that doesn’t mean nothing is happening behind the scenes. Sources have said that K-State has received strong interest in its basketball job. Candidates and/or their agents began expressing their interest in the opening almost immediately after Tang was dismissed “for cause” last weekend.
As the only power-conference school with an opening, K-State is getting a head start on the competition during this hiring cycle.
Here are a few names that insiders have said to keep an eye on:
Josh Schertz (Saint Louis): He is sure to be one of the hottest names on the coaching carousel this year. The Saint Louis basketball coach has guided the Billikens to a 25-2 record this season. He also won 66 games at Indiana State and 337 games at Division II Lincoln Memorial. He would be viewed as a home-run hire.
Jerrod Calhoun (Utah State): K-State officials have quietly celebrated a four-game winning streak by Cincinnati, because the Bearcats would likely also have interest in Calhoun if they make a coaching change. Calhoun was born in Ohio and spent seven seasons coaching at Youngstown State before he got his big break at Utah State. He guided the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament last season. They are 23-4 this year.
Casey Alexander (Belmont): The Bruins clinched a regular-season championship in the Missouri Valley over the weekend. Alexander has guided them to a 25-4 record. He has won 74% of his games over seven seasons at Belmont. Before that, he found sustained success at Lipscomb. He fits the mold of a proven head coach. That is what Taylor is looking for.
Eric Olen (New Mexico): The Lobos are 21-6 in Olen’s first season. Before that, he helped UC 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.
That is by no means a complete list. But those four names have generated early buzz.
A handful of other coaches also appear to be on K-State’s radar.
Industry sources have said that Chris Beard (Ole Miss), Chris Jans (Mississippi State) and Steve Forbes (Wake Forest) could be interested in making a move during this hiring cycle.
Beard is the most prominent name on that list, as he took Texas Tech to the national championship game in 2019. But he was also fired for cause at Texas. His Ole Miss team this season is also one of the worst teams in the SEC. The Rebels have lost nine in a row and have an overall record of 11-16.
Jans has been an NCAA Tournament regular at Mississippi State, and he has coaching experience at Wichita State as an assistant. But his teams have never posted a winning record in SEC play. K-State beating Mississippi State 98-77 this season isn’t a good look for him. He was also fired for cause at Bowling Green in 2015.
Forbes has coaching ties to the Midwest and spent time at Wichita State as an assistant. He has won 105 games over six seasons at Wake Forest, but his teams have never reached the NCAA Tournament.
Chris Mack (Charleston), Chris Holtmann (DePaul), Bryan Hodgson (USF), Travis Steele (Miami of Ohio), Alan Huss (Creighton assistant) and Ben Jacobson (Northern Iowa) have also been mentioned for the K-State opening.
Brad Underwood is the dream candidate, but he doesn’t seem likely to leave Illinois at this time.
It may also be worth noting that former K-State players have been pushing for Shane Southwell to get a look on social media. The former K-State player and assistant coach is currently working as an assistant at Northwestern.
Brad Korn is another name with K-State ties who could gain traction over the next few weeks. He served as an assistant coach under Bruce Weber before he left to become the head coach at SEMO. His team is currently is 18-11.
Last, but certainly not least, one former NBA star has expressed interest in coaching for the Wildcats.
Shortly after the job came open, Metta World Peace (formerly Ron Artest) said coaching at K-State “is very interesting for me” on X.
This story was originally published February 23, 2026 at 11:00 AM with the headline "Names to watch as Kansas State begins searching for a new men’s basketball coach."