Based on our experience with Frank, oscar and Tang, I've come to a thought. But I can easily be talked out of it.
I think roster and coach chemistry is almost impossible to predict, and the range is wide. We saw Frank go from Elite 8 media darlings to irrelevant. We saw oscar go from Big 12 Champions to irrelevant to Elite 8 to Big 12 Champions to irrelevant. And Tang has gone from Elite 8 media darlings to irrelevant. I don't think this is unique to K-State, I think it is just college basketball outside of 5 or so programs. In fact, the fact that we've had 3 coaches in a row be able to make Elite 8 is pretty rough ridin' wild.
So, I don't know what expectations of a college basketball coach should be. If we make the Elite 8 then go two years without making the tournament, should that be the end of any coach? Should there be one more year where it is tournament or bust? What're the expectations if we brought in a new coach for next season?
Also, how different would vibes be about basketball if K-State football had just won the Big 12? It'd probably be like a parent who is okay with their second child being a big goofball because their oldest is getting straight A's and has interest from Ivy League schools.
In regards to your elite 8 comments I think evaluating teams based on their NCAA tourney results is fools gold. Conference record/standings is a much better indicator of how good a team was that year and how we should evaluate how successful a season was IMO. Frank was clearly our GOAT of the last 3.
Frank (12 teams first 3 years, 10 the last 2) - 3, T-4, T-2, T-3, 5
oscar (10 teams) - T-1, 5, T-6, 8, 6, 4, T-1, 10, 10
Tang (10 teams then 14) - 3, T-9, TBD
Also yes, if we had just won the Big12 in FB or at least made the conference championship game Katz fans would be a lot more willing to overlook a slow start by the tang gang.