NCAA Basketball: 3 coaches and programs that have struggled in recent years

Let me start off by saying that these NCAA Basketball coaches are well-respected Hall of Famers. They have taken multiple programs to the NCAA Tournament, including some deep runs. To have sustained success over the course of twenty years or so is an impeccable feat and something not many people can say they’ve done. It’s totally valid that coaches with proven track records can get a pass, but it’s a what can you do for me lately type of business.

Times are wonky, rules are different, and the landscape of basketball is completely different from what it was when these men started. However, in the last couple of seasons or so, teams and coaches who you usually see competing for conference championships, as well as making a run in the big dance, aren’t doing as such.

None of these coaches I’m about to talk about have ever had three consecutive losing seasons. This could be totally undeserving, and I may be a harsh critic, but from watching this sport for all of my life, it just seems pretty bizarre to see these coaches not having the success they once had.

Kansas State Wildcats

Bruce Weber has been doing the darn thing for over four decades. Three coaching spots in four decades. It is simply remarkable. He had success at the mid-major level with Southern Illinois, made a Final Four with Illinois, and has taken the Wildcats to five NCAA tournaments. Heck, he made the Elite Eight just four years ago.

However, the past two seasons have been as paltry as any major program in the country. Kansas State is a combined 16-38 in that span and is basically leveled with Iowa State as the embarrassment of the Big 12. I could have easily talked about the Cyclones and Steve Prohm on this list too, but he doesn’t have the resume Weber does.

The Wildcats lost a ton of talent like Barry Brown Jr., Kamau Stokes, and Dean Wade going off to play professionally. Cartier Diarra also transferred out of the program before ultimately opting out of this season. Kansas State is one of the youngest teams in the country and they’re definitely retooling, but when you lose to a Division II team by double digits, times aren’t good. That D2 team is also 9-9, so it’s not like they lost to world-beaters either.

With the Big 12 being a great conference, if not the best conference this season, you would probably think that the team that resides in Manhattan would be in the thick of things. Currently on a twelve-game losing streak, K-State and Bruce Weber have seen better days.