Matthew Driscoll explains the hardest part about coaching K-State as an interim
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Matthew Driscoll cites staff resilience amid job uncertainty and family pressures.
- K-State players face likely turnover; play to boost NIL or pro prospects.
- Athletic director is searching for a new coach as Driscoll praises staff.
This Kansas State basketball season would be difficult for Matthew Driscoll under any circumstances, but it has become downright frustrating for him ever since he was named interim head coach.
Taking over for a friend like Jerome Tang, who was fired nearly a month ago, has been one of the most challenging experiences of his life.
“I don’t love this,” Driscoll said after K-State lost 104-85 against Sunflower Showdown rival Kansas on Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse. “This is not what I want to do.”
Perhaps for that reason, Driscoll spent the majority of his news conference talking about his K-State coaching staff. Yes, the Wildcats (12-19, 3-15 Big 12) are nearing the end of a nightmare season. And, yes, they have only won two games since Tang was dismissed for cause. But the team has played hard in unusual circumstances.
Driscoll thinks K-State assistant coaches deserve credit for their role in that. Their time in Manhattan is coming to an end. But they have stayed focused on the season rather than what might come next.
“The people that are getting the most overlooked in this whole thing is the staff,” Driscoll said. “It’s on a daily basis. It’s extremely difficult, what they have to do and the way in which they have to do it. The sand is running out.
“Pretty soon, the keys aren’t going to work, and now you’ve got to figure out what you’re going to do with your family. Multiple of them have little ones. I’ve been there. I’ve had two little boys, and I’ve been there. But the staff has been resilient. They’ve done an incredible job making sure these guys are as much on point as they possibly could be.”
The last few weeks have been unusual for the Wildcats.
Few, if any, coaches are expected to return next season. Athletic director Gene Taylor is busy searching for a new head coach. Maybe he will hire Utah State coach Jerrod Calhoun or Belmont coach Casey Alexander. Whoever the next guy is will want to bring in his own staff.
It has to be tempting for K-State assistants to begin searching for new jobs of their own.
K-State players are in a similar spot. Most of them are also expected to play elsewhere next season. Maybe a veteran like Taj Manning or a late-surging player like Andrej Kostic will be invited back by the new coaching staff. But much turnover is expected.
Motivating them to keep playing hard hasn’t been easy, either.
“I’m trying to navigate the players and where they are,” Driscoll said. “Do guys not want to play? Do they want to play? Do they want to get in? Do they not want to get in? Do they this? Do they that?”
Driscoll said one of the few things he was sure of was his decision to bench PJ Haggerty at the end of this game after he scored 21 points.
The last thing he wanted was for Haggerty to suffer an injury so he would be unable to play in the Big 12 Tournament.
K-State coaches have motivated other players by reminding them that they are playing for NIL contracts next season. Saturday’s game was televised nationally on CBS. The better the Wildcats played, the more people would notice. Maybe most of these players won’t return next season, but they can put themselves in a position to make more money right now.
“These guys are playing for contracts,” Driscoll said. “They’re playing for contracts either next season in the NCAA, or they’re playing for contracts professionally. Our staff is trying to get a job. There are so many different things that marketability is focused on. What you do is always going to be there, because the video doesn’t lie.”
Taylor must have liked Driscoll’s message, because the K-State athletic director wrapped his arm around Driscoll after his press conference and gave him a hug.
The season will end after one more loss.
Before that happens, Driscoll hopes the K-State coaching staff gets some credit for closing out the year under less-than-desirable circumstances.
“I want to make sure that everyone knows that our staff deserves a lot of credit for what’s transpired in these last two, three weeks,” Driscoll said. “I’m grateful to be beside them.”