Previous Wildcats head coaching candidates finding success in March Madness

Kansas State closed the chapter on the Jerome Tang era by hiring Casey Alexander as the program’s 27th head coach. Meanwhile, in the early rounds of the NCAA Tournament, Wildcats fans are getting a glimpse of what might have been, watching Utah State’s Jerrod Calhoun find success.

Previous Kansas State prospect Jerrod Calhoun advancing to second round of NCAA March Madness Tournament

Calhoun was one of three names initially considered for the Wildcats’ head coaching job, which ultimately went to Casey Alexander. The group also included Alexander himself and Saint Louis head coach Josh Schertz.

Of the three, Alexander is the only one not coaching in the NCAA Tournament following Belmont’s Missouri Valley Conference tournament loss to the Drake Bulldogs. Schertz and Calhoun, by contrast, have both advanced to the round of 32, giving fans a glimpse of what might have been.

That’s not to undersell Alexander’s impact at Kansas State. His tenure is just getting started, but if either the Billikens or Aggies make a deep March Madness run, the “what if” conversation is real – and could look very different when November rolls around.

It’s also worth noting that Schertz ultimately declined the Wildcats’ offer, removing him from the equation and leaving Alexander to take the reins. That decision adds another layer to the “what might have been” discussion for fans tracking the program’s future.

Two candidates and a pair of first-round upsets over Power Five schools

Both Schertz and Calhoun entered their respective regions as underdogs, each at a 9-seed. The Billikens took down Georgia 102-77 in a game that never felt close, while the Aggies put together a 14-1 run to top Villanova.

Numbers like that from mid-major teams, even coaches are hard to look past, especially when both were in contention to take over your program. It makes you wonder if things could have turned out differently.

But this is March – upsets, Cinderella runs, that’s what defines the tournament and makes this time of year special. Both coaches ended up in the conversation for a reason, and their success only piques some extra interest.

It shouldn’t undersell how competitive the coaching market is, either. One decision, another declined offer, and suddenly the “what might have been” debate becomes part of the story.

Calhoun could emerge as a candidate for other Big 12 coaching jobs

The Kansas State job isn’t the only Big 12 opening needing filled this offseason. Since the start of the tournament, positions at Cincinnati and Arizona State also became available. The Bearcats parted ways with Wes Miller after his fifth season, joining Arizona State’s vacancy after they moved on from longtime head coach Bobby Hurley.

If Calhoun lands one of those roles, it could set up an interesting matchup against Alexander and the Wildcats down the road. You can’t help but wonder how things might have looked had K-State gone in a different direction.

Right now, it’s all speculation, but was it the right move? Fans just have to wait and see.

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