I don't understand the fear that BU will depart for K-State. He has climbed a steep, boulder-strewn mountain here in five seasons and has re-established this program as a top Big Ten contender and annual March threat. He has recruiting momentum, and a cohesive, strong culture to sell. His players clearly love each other. He has senior leadership having set strong examples of work ethic and character, high standards that the underclassmen are expected, and want, to emulate. He has one of the most engaged, loyal fan bases in D-1. He has outstanding facilities, and resources at his disposal for future investment. He has a young, supportive, extremely talented AD who hired him. He cut his teeth in coaching at Western for 10 years and saw the Illini as a premier program at that time.
Bill Self was a Big 8 guy. Grew up outside OK City, Mr. Basketball OK, four-year letterman at OK State, coached at Tulsa before joining us. Kansas was a premier, long-established program that was an annual Elite 8 contender under Roy Williams. It ranks in the top three in all-time wins and winning %. Only one coach in its history (the inventor of basketball, no less) has had a losing record there, and he left 115 years ago. Nothing to build there, no adversity to overcome, a huge demand for limited supply (spots on team, seats in Allen FH), it was literally an empty throne waiting comfortably to be occupied.
IMO K-State has little to no attraction other than as BU's alma mater and his relatively brief coaching stop there under Huggy Bear and Frank Martin. It lives in the perpetual shadow of KU and likely always will. Why would he leave what he has rebuilt at Illinois for that? I'm mystified why anyone is concerned. I mean, it's not like our fans are surly, ungrateful, and detached from reality, like Maryland's, and booing him off the floor early season because he hasn't won a BT regular season title in 20 months. [EDIT: And, lol, the team who beat MD and precipitated that disgraceful display last Dec. just ran the table in NYC and beat UNC and Duke by 13 and 15 pts, respectively.]
We love the guy, he loves us, and it's not as if the coaching profession affords many such places like Champaign. Where is he more likely to win a Natty and to compete annually to get within shouting distance of one? Champaign, or Manhattan, KS? BU doesn't strike me as a guy seeking a steady paycheck and a La-Z-Boy.