It’s not every day you wake up to the news of a head coach getting fired after pulling off one of the biggest Cinderella stories of last season. Yes, Kevin Keatts is no longer the coach of NC State. “Basketball is a year-to-year thing,” he had said after the loss to Miami that kept his team out of the ACC tournament this season. And here we are, a year after delivering an ACC tournament title, and he finds himself without a job.

NC State struggled this season, finishing with a 12-19 overall record and a 5-15 mark in the ACC. They missed the ACC Tournament after losing three of their last four games to end the regular season. This led the decision-makers to part ways with Keatts, sparking a reaction that was probably expected.

“I want to thank Coach Keatts for his contributions to NC State and for always representing the university with class,” said director Boo Corrigan, confirming the departure.“He will always have a special place in Wolfpack history for what his 2023-24 squad accomplished. We appreciate the passion he brought to this role and wish him and his family the best in the future.”

This obviously didn’t sit well with the fans, who took to social media to voice their frustrations. They demanded justice for Coach Keatts, and the uproar among the fans was real. Let’s take a look at some of the quotes.

Fans fume over Kevin Keatts getting fired

One fan, clearly frustrated after the news broke, demanded justice for Kevin Keatts, saying, “Made the Final Four, school didn’t give him the proper NIL to retain players, players left, and he was late into the portal without adequate resources, leading to the team struggling this season and he got fired. Justice for Kevin Keatts.” another fan also said, “Head coach Kevin Keatts, who guided N.C. State on a magical run to the ACC Tournament crown and a journey to the Final Four a term ago, has been fired, the school announced. I know the Wolfpack struggled this season, but I don’t get this decision. Sending my best to Coach Keatts.”

While the frustration is understandable, some of the facts shared by fans need to be corrected. Prior to the Cinderella run NC State made last year, Keatts was on the verge of being fired. Why? They had lost their final four games in the regular season before heading into the ACC tournament and had a 9-11 ACC conference record.

The money wasn’t an issue to retain players. Players like DJ Horne, DJ Burns, and Casey Morsell graduated, and Mohammed Diarra decided to pursue basketball professionally. The Wolfpack couldn’t really do anything about that. Keatts handpicked the entire roster this postseason and also brought in Dontrez Styles, one of the highest NIL-paid athletes in the ACC. But, of course, things didn’t work out for Coach Keatts.

That said, another fan argued, saying, “Kevin Keatts btw had a winning record and just took NC State to the Final Four last year, kind of crazy he was fired.” In his 8 seasons in charge, Keatts guided the Wolfpack to 3 NCAA tournaments and might have had one more if not for COVID. He finished his time in Raleigh with an overall record of 151-113 and a 69-84 mark in ACC play. This shows there were valid arguments for him staying, but he simply wasn’t given enough time.

To wrap it up, a fan expressed the excitement they felt last season but admitted the program needed changes, saying, “Kevin Keatts gave me the opportunity to experience, celebrate, and feel things I never have done before as an N.C. State fan. Program needed plenty of change, but I will always be grateful, KKIAW.”

Winning five games in five days at the ACC tournament, securing an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, and then taking down Texas Tech, Oakland, Duke, and Marquette to reach the Final Four after 40 years is unforgettable. NC State fans will always cherish what Coach Keatts did for the program. But at the same time, they understand that the minimum for a program like NC State is a place in the ACC tournament. Something which Keatts couldn’t deliver this season.

The Wolfpack ranked in the top 50 in adjusted offensive efficiency in five of Keatts’ first seven seasons and were never outside the top 65. But things weren’t the same this year. They fell to 156th nationally, according to KenPom. While offensive struggles were a first for Keatts, his teams had always struggled defensively. NC State had finished in the top 50 for defensive efficiency just once under his leadership. This likely pointed to the need for a change.

It remains to be seen where NC State goes from here, but one thing is for sure– a change was definitely needed. NC State have made their move now. It remains to be seen how they do from here on and what the future holds for coach Keatts who has confirmed he will be heading into the portal himself. Stay tuned for more updates.