Kansas State’s search for a new men’s basketball coach isn’t expected to last much longer.
In an exclusive interview, K-State athletic director Gene Taylor said the Wildcats have compiled a strong list of candidates for the job, and they are “getting close” to the finish line. Nothing is done yet, he said. But the plan is for the school to finalize a deal with a new coach at some point this week.
Parting ways with former head coach Jerome Tang last month gave Taylor a head start on the competition. He has had plenty of time to meet with candidates and evaluate the coaching landscape. Now, it’s time to identify a top target and to start negotiating a deal.
Two candidates appear to have elevated above the rest — Utah State head coach Jerrod Calhoun and Creighton assistant Alan Huss. Jerrod Calhoun is perceived to be the frontrunner The ball, as they say, might be in Calhoun’s court.
The Wildcats have strong interest in Calhoun, for obvious reasons. Calhoun is 51-13 over his two seasons at Utah State. He guided the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament last season. This season, they won the Mountain West regular-season championship and will once again be part of March Madness.
His team is the top seed at the MWC Tournament, which begins Wednesday in Las Vegas. Utah State will play UNLV or Wyoming on Thursday.
Before his time at Utah State, Calhoun also won consistently at Youngstown State and Division II Fairmont State.
An added bonus: Calhoun served as an assistant coach under Bob Huggins at both Cincinnati and West Virginia. Huggins once breathed life into K-State basketball during his lone season in Manhattan. Two of his assistants (Frank Martin and Brad Underwood) helped the Wildcats keep winning for a few years after he left. That connection is a big draw for the Wildcats.
But Calhoun won’t come cheap. Utah State is paying Calhoun $1.85 million in salary this season. His buyout is nearly $4 million, according to a copy of his contract.
K-State could also face competition for him with Pitt. Calhoun is originally from Ohio, and Pittsburgh could offer a more desirable location for him and his family.
But Jeff Capel is still the Pitt head coach, at least for a few more days. The Wildcats are working hard behind the scenes to see if they can work out a deal with Calhoun before more suitors arrive.
