Kansas State University fired men’s basketball coach Jerome Tang in February for cause, a decision that raised doubts about the school’s motives. Critics questioned whether the move stemmed from his public criticism of players or an effort to avoid a buyout.
The dismissal occurred four days after a 29-point home loss to Cincinnati. Tang told reporters he felt shame for the university and stated the players did not deserve to wear the uniform. He also suggested most would not return the following season. At that point, the team held a 1-11 record in Big 12 play.
Athletic director Gene Taylor attributed the firing to Tang’s remarks and the backlash they generated from national and local sources. The university has not pursued legal action, and Tang’s attorney, Tom Mars, did not respond to requests for comment. Kansas State also remained silent on the matter.
Not everyone accepted the explanation. Jeff Hunt, whose reputation consulting firm advises colleges, called it unconvincing. He pointed out that coaches frequently use stronger language to motivate teams without facing consequences. Recent for-cause firings in college sports have involved serious misconduct, such as sexual assault or felony charges. The University of Michigan dismissed football coach Sherrone Moore over allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a staff member, while the University of Texas fired basketball coach Chris Beard following a domestic assault charge that was later dropped.
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Andrew Brandt, a sports law expert at Villanova, noted that for-cause terminations usually involve actions damaging to a university’s reputation. Hunt suggested the move appeared financially driven. He is not surprised Kansas State took the approach that it did. “If you’re the school here, and you think there’s a good basis to terminate him without having to pay the 18 or so million he’s owed if it was a without-cause termination, it just makes financial sense to try to terminate him for cause.”
Michael McEntee, a sports attorney, said the school has a good-faith argument that Tang’s comments brought embarrassment to the university. “Reading the comments and listening to the press conference they took issue with, I can understand why the university would be upset about one of their coaches making the types of comments about their own student-athletes and believing that those comments constitute a material breach of the agreement,” McEntee says.
Kansas State is bearing reputational risks that could affect its ability to attract coaches in the future.
Tang quickly secured a new role. Baylor University hired him as associate head coach shortly after his firing.