Matthew Driscoll Takes the Reins at Kansas State: What to Know About the Wildcats’ Interim Head Coach
There’s a new voice leading the Kansas State men’s basketball program - and it’s one that already holds weight in the locker room.
Matthew Driscoll, previously the Wildcats’ associate head coach, has been elevated to interim head coach following the dismissal of Jerome Tang over the weekend. Driscoll’s first game at the helm comes Tuesday night in a Big 12 showdown at home against Baylor - a program with deep personal ties for him.
With six regular-season games left and the Big 12 Tournament looming, Driscoll now has the keys to the Wildcats’ season. And while the transition is sudden, this isn’t unfamiliar territory for him.
Let’s break down what fans should know about the man now calling the shots in Manhattan.
1. Driscoll Brings Head Coaching Experience - and Plenty of It
This isn’t Driscoll’s first time running a program. Before joining the Kansas State staff last offseason, he spent 16 years as the head coach at North Florida. During that tenure, he racked up 248 wins, guided the Ospreys to three conference titles, and led them to a pair of postseason appearances.
That kind of longevity at one school speaks volumes. Driscoll built a foundation at North Florida, developed a reputation for strong offensive schemes, and proved he could lead a program through the ups and downs of a long season. So while the Big 12 is a different kind of beast, Driscoll isn’t walking into the fire unprepared.
When he left North Florida to join Tang’s staff, Driscoll made it clear that the decision wasn’t about titles - it was about purpose. He saw an opportunity to help build something special at K-State, and he embraced it with what he called “a servant’s mentality.”
Now, he’s in the head chair again - and this time, it’s on one of college basketball’s biggest stages.
2. Facing Baylor Is Personal - and Familiar
Driscoll’s debut as interim head coach couldn’t come with a more fitting opponent. Baylor isn’t just another Big 12 rival - it’s a program where Driscoll once helped lay the foundation.
From 2003 to 2009, Driscoll served as an assistant under Scott Drew at Baylor. That same stretch included time working alongside Jerome Tang, who later brought Driscoll to Kansas State. The relationships forged during those years run deep, and the familiarity with Baylor’s system - and its head coach - adds an extra layer of intrigue to Tuesday’s matchup.
There’s no doubt that Driscoll will be locked in for this one. He knows the Bears’ culture, he knows their tendencies, and he understands the chess match ahead. For a coach stepping into a high-pressure situation, there’s value in facing a team you’ve helped build from the inside.
3. The Offense Has Been Driscoll’s Domain All Along
Even before the coaching change, Driscoll had a significant voice in the huddle - especially when it came to offense. He’s essentially served as the team’s offensive coordinator, drawing up plays, managing tempo, and encouraging a modern, perimeter-oriented approach.
This season, K-State came out of the gates firing. The Wildcats were lighting up the scoreboard in non-conference play, regularly pushing 90 points and even cracking the century mark. That success was built on a foundation of spacing, tempo, and three-point shooting - all trademarks of Driscoll’s offensive philosophy.
But Big 12 play has been a different story. Injuries and elite defenses have slowed K-State’s scoring punch, and the Wildcats have struggled lately to even reach the 70-point mark. Still, the core identity remains: this team wants to shoot the three, and they’re doing it at a respectable clip - 36.4% from deep and 52.6% inside the arc.
Driscoll’s challenge now is to rediscover that early-season rhythm and unlock the offensive potential that made K-State dangerous in November and December. With a few tweaks and a healthy roster, the Wildcats could find their groove again just in time for the postseason push.
What’s Next for the Wildcats?
The road ahead won’t be easy. The Big 12 is a gauntlet, and the margin for error is razor-thin.
But Driscoll steps into this role with experience, familiarity, and a clear offensive identity. He’s not just a stopgap - he’s a coach who’s been here before, and one who’s already earned the trust of the players around him.
Tuesday night against Baylor marks the beginning of a new chapter for Kansas State basketball. And with Driscoll on the sideline, the Wildcats aren’t starting from scratch - they’re building on a foundation that’s already in place.