Would Kruger have any interest in his old K-State job? Let's ask him
Published: 3/27/2012 1:27 PM
Last Modified: 3/27/2012 1:27 PM
When Joe Castiglione hired Lon Kruger, I considered it a $16.6 million investment in security. Oklahoma had an established, respected coach who could be trusted to turn the program around, do so legally, and not be tempted by the prestige/money at another school.
Then Frank Martin was introduced as South Carolina's new coach Tuesday morning, and an hour later I found myself sitting across Kruger's desk asking: "So if John Currie were to call you to gauge your interest in returning to Kansas State, would you have any?"
"No," Kruger replied. "Not at all. Certainly with no disrespect to John or their program, but no. Not in any way, shape or form. We're super excited about our potential here and what lies ahead…. That's a 100-percenter."
K-State is in much better shape than OU right now. The Wildcats are playing in the NCAA tournament, even winning games in it. Their students actually attend home games, arriving early and cheering loudly. Bramlage Coliseum is full a lot more often than the Lloyd Noble Center.
Kruger knows. He's a K-Stater to his core, having been successful as both a player and coach there. The pull is still pretty strong, judging by all of the handshaking and backslapping he did with old friends when OU played in Manhattan two months ago.
Just not enough, apparently, for him to consider pursuing their basketball opening. Scratch his name from the Wildcats' wish list, assuming it was there to begin with.
But don't scratch Steve Henson's.
Kruger's former K-State point guard and longtime assistant is another candidate, if you believe Wildcat message boards. His reaction to that?
"K-State is a dream job, no question about it," Henson said Tuesday. "I'm passionate about K-State and always have been. I still follow them closely. If I can get involved in it, I'd jump at the chance."
His biggest supporter might be his head coach.
"Steve would be a terrific head coach anywhere," Kruger said. "He's got all the qualities. He's a terrific basketball mind. He's really, really good with the players. Good with people. A terrific worker. He'd be an outstanding candidate."
Henson's hurdle is his that he has not been a head coach. It might be a tough one to clear, given the need for Currie to make a splash hire after losing Martin to an inferior job.
"Sometimes an AD will say I've got to have head coaching experience. Sometimes he'll say I want the best guy with the passion to do a great job," Kruger said. "No question Steve would do that. It kind of depends on what John is looking for. But Steve would be great. He's ready.
"Sometimes the toughest thing is getting that first job. People always hold it against you to no fault of your own, no head coaching experience. Frank didn't have it either and did a pretty good job. Bill Snyder didn't have it either, and he did a pretty good job when he went there from Iowa."
"That's a decision they're going to have to make," Henson said. "I know I'm ready. I've worked at it. I think the pride and passion I would have in that program, that I do have now, that I would put into play if I were coaching there, is big. It's important that people understand what K-State basketball is all about. It has great tradition, great fans."
Yes. And Martin awoke both. It makes it awfully weird that he would be so willing to leave it for a place where coaches typically go to get fired. (For that, at least until reports something more plausible, I guess we blame the irreparable rift between Martin and Currie.)
Kruger is as appreciative of what Martin did for his alma mater as other alumni. He's gotten to know Martin over the past few years, and like him. Tuesday was a sad one for him.
"For sure," Kruger said. "Frank has kind of restored the passion and pride in that program. He's done a great job."
-- Guerin Emig
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
