Big 12 Basketball: Ranking the 10 head coaches for 2019-20 season

By Joey Loose | Oct 5, 2019

LUBBOCK, TX - FEBRUARY 23: Jarrett Culver #23 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders drives to the basket against Quentin Grimes #5 of the Kansas Jayhawks during the second half of the game on February 23, 2019 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech defeated Kansas 91-62. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /

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SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 22: Head coach Bruce Weber of the Kansas State Wildcats reacts against the UC Irvine Anteaters in the first half during the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 22, 2019 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images) /

6. Bruce Weber (Kansas State)

Kansas State is another one of these programs with plenty of postseason success, yet missing a national championship. While living in Kansas’s shadow, the Wildcats have still had success, though most of it came in the 1980’s or prior. In recent seasons, Weber has done a solid job in Manhattan, getting this team pretty close to a Final Four a year and a half ago.

Weber learned the ropes under the great Gene Keady, spending nearly two decades coaching under him at Western Kentucky and Purdue. He accepted the head coaching job at Southern Illinois, leading the Salukis to the Sweet Sixteen in 2002 and making them one of the MVC’s best programs. Great success at Illinois followed, including that 2005 run to the national championship game. He couldn’t sustain this success, dismissed by the Illini in 2012.

Weber wasn’t unemployed for long, as Kansas State introduced him to replace Frank Martin in 2012. He’s led the Wildcats to five NCAA Tournaments in his first seven years, including a strange run to the Elite Eight as a 9-seed back in 2018. Last season fell apart with Dean Wade’s injury, though this team did tie for the Big 12 regular-season championship, his second with the school.

A step back is highly anticipated for the Wildcats as they replace most of their top talent. Weber has been berated for most of his success coming with Bill Self’s players at Illinois, but he’s held his own ground these last few years at Kansas State. The man has won nearly 500 games and turned Kansas State into a conference leader these last few years. Like we said, don’t expect Kansas State near the top of the standings this coming season, but you never know what the future has in store for Weber’s Wildcats.

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