NCAA Basketball rewind: Most impactful coaching hires after 2012 season

By Joey Loose | Jun 22, 2021

PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 19: Head coach Kevin Ollie of the Connecticut Huskies yells to his team against the Temple Owls during the second half at the Liacouras Center on February 19, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Connecticut won 64-63. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images) /

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NCAA Basketball Bruce Weber Kansas State Wildcats (Photo by Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images) /

8. Bruce Weber (Kansas State)

Kansas State has been great for stretches of time and has struggled for stretches of time. Frank Martin helped usher in one of those stretches of success, but he departed for South Carolina and more familiar waters, leaving the Wildcats hunting for a new head coach. Looking for someone to maintain that greatness, they turned towards a coach with a surprising level of experience.

Bruce Weber began his coaching career more than three decades ago as an assistant under Gene Keady, spending nearly two decades on his staffs at Western Kentucky and Purdue. He then took Southern Illinois to the Sweet Sixteen in his first head coaching job. Next, Weber took a talented Illinois squad to the national title game in 2005 before petering out over the next seven years with the Illini.

Weber’s years in Kansas State have seen success, even if not at the same level as Martin. He’s actually tied for a pair of Big 12 regular-season titles and has led the Wildcats to five NCAA Tournaments. The highlight of those trips came in 2018 when Kansas State marched to the Elite Eight as a 9-seed, a very unexpected run. Weber remains with the Wildcats, though his career may be coming towards an end very soon.

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