Baylor Coach Scott Drew Emotional After K-State Fired Jerome Tang

Drew and Tang spent 19 years coaching together at Baylor before Tang took the Kansas State job.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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Baylor basketball coach Scott Drew was an "emotional wreck" after watching his longtime friend and former assistant Jerome Tang get fired as the head coach of Kansas State. Drew and Tang spent 19 years coaching together at Baylor before Tang took the Kansas State job in 2021. Drew said he felt like he was in an episode of "The Twilight Zone" having to coach against his "family" after Tang was dismissed midway through a disastrous season for the Wildcats.

Why it matters

The dismissal of Jerome Tang, who had been a close friend and assistant coach to Scott Drew for nearly two decades, highlights the personal and emotional toll that coaching changes can have, especially when they involve people who have worked closely together for many years.

The details

Kansas State University fired head coach Jerome Tang on Sunday, citing "embarrassment to the university" after Tang made controversial comments at a press conference. Tang had previously spent 19 years as an assistant coach at Baylor under Scott Drew, helping the Bears become a national power. With Tang's firing, Baylor assistant Matthew Driscoll was named the interim head coach at K-State. Drew said he was devastated by the news and wanted to be there to support Tang as a friend, giving him a hug. Despite the Wildcats' 90-74 win over Baylor, Drew said he had been an "emotional wreck" over the situation.

  • On Sunday, Kansas State University fired head coach Jerome Tang.
  • On Tuesday, Baylor played Kansas State in a game that Drew described as being in a "Twilight Zone."

The players

Scott Drew

The head basketball coach at Baylor University, who spent 19 years coaching alongside Jerome Tang as his assistant at Baylor.

Jerome Tang

The former head basketball coach at Kansas State University, who was fired on Sunday after making controversial comments. He previously spent 19 years as an assistant coach at Baylor under Scott Drew.

Matthew Driscoll

The interim head basketball coach at Kansas State University, after the firing of Jerome Tang. Driscoll also previously worked as an assistant coach under Scott Drew at Baylor.

Gene Taylor

The athletic director at Kansas State University who made the decision to fire Jerome Tang.

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What they’re saying

“This whole year has been really strange. And I think this 'Twilight Zone' capped it off for me. I'm glad we get a day off tomorrow. I need it, because I've been an emotional wreck.”

— Scott Drew, Baylor Basketball Coach (kansas.com)

“We spent 19 years together. In the world, you have 50% of people who get divorced, and I bet their average time together isn't 19 years. He's family. We won championships together. It's been emotional for me and our staff, program, because I think everyone can relate.”

— Scott Drew, Baylor Basketball Coach (kansas.com)

“Coach Tang never stays down long, because he's such a positive and optimistic person. I think he had opportunities to leave (K-State) and he stayed because he really loves the people here. He loves the school. I know when I lose, the worst thing I do is let people down. That's hard on me, and it's hard on him.”

— Scott Drew, Baylor Basketball Coach (kansas.com)

What’s next

The Kansas State athletic department has not announced a timeline for hiring a permanent head coach to replace the fired Jerome Tang.

The takeaway

The dismissal of a long-time friend and coaching colleague can take an immense emotional toll, even on successful coaches like Scott Drew. This situation highlights the personal bonds and loyalties that can develop over years of working together, and the difficulty of having to coach against someone you consider family.