Kansas State’s first loss of the season exposed a problem that’s hard to ignore: the run defense has slipped in back-to-back weeks.
The Wildcats were gashed for 271 rushing yards in last week’s 31-26 loss to Cincinnati, and both Bearcats running backs topped 100 yards. That followed a rough outing the previous week against Tulane, giving first-year coach Collin Klein a clear issue to clean up during the open weekend.
"Well, I think the Tulane game, they came out and played triple option football, which really they hadn't done out of some formations that we hadn't prepped, and it took us a second to get our feet on the ground from that standpoint," Klein said. "Saturday night [against Cincinnati] was more of we got pushed around a little bit up front inside and had bad eye discipline and some fit structures that were a problem, and probably a different problem."
The timing matters, because Kansas State returns next Saturday with Houston waiting in another Big 12 matchup. The Cougars bring their own ground threat, led by Makhi Hughes, who has 56 carries for 282 yards and two touchdowns, and Ra'Shaun Sanford II, who has 37 carries for 252 yards and two scores. Quarterback Conner Weighman adds another layer with 29 carries for 106 yards and three touchdowns.
In other Kansas State news, the school is finalizing a settlement with former basketball coach Jerome Tang. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that the Wildcats are working toward paying Tang $12 million by the end of 2027, with $18 million remaining on his contract.
In Other News...
Jerome Tang's Kansas State Split Just Got More Interesting For Baylor
Kansas States separation from Jerome Tang is moving toward a resolution, with the school and its former basketball coach nearing a $12 million settlement after his firing for cause in February. Tang had been owed more than $18 million if he had been let go without cause, so the financial gap underscores how messy the split became after a difficult season and a postgame rant helped lead to the dismissal.
For Baylor, the part that matters now is Tangs return to Waco as associate head coach. His presence adds another layer to a rivalry that already has plenty of familiarity, and the settlement chatter only makes the aftermath of Kansas States coaching change feel more consequential. The legal and financial pieces are still falling into place, but the coaching fallout has already shifted the focus to what Tangs next chapter means for the Bears. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas States Costly Jerome Tang Split Is Finally Nearing An End
Kansas States long-running dispute with Jerome Tang appears close to wrapping up, with the school and its former mens basketball coach finalizing a settlement tied to his February firing for cause. Tang, who spent four seasons in Manhattan and is now an associate head coach at Baylor, had about $18.7 million left on his contract when he was dismissed, leaving the sides to sort out a pricey separation that has lingered for months.
The agreement would pay Tang $12 million through the end of 2027, trimming the buyout figure and bringing a measure of closure to one of the more costly off-court issues facing the program. For Kansas State, the resolution should finally clear the way to move past the financial fallout of Tangs exit and keep attention on what comes next for a program still adjusting after the breakup. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Can Finally Move On From The Jerome Tang Split
Kansas States coaching search is over, but the fallout from the Jerome Tang era is still being sorted out long after the Wildcats decided to move in a different direction. Tang was let go after the 2022-23 season, and the school has spent the months since trying to close the book on a split that carried real financial weight as well as basketball implications.
The latest step is a deal that would pay Tang $12 million by the end of 2027, trimming the remaining money from his contract and allowing both sides to put the separation behind them. Tang has already resurfaced at Baylor as an assistant coach, while Kansas State has turned the program over to Casey Alexander, who now inherits the task of moving the Wildcats forward without the unresolved business hanging over the transition. [Read more 🡒]