The national media is constantly buzzing about John Wall and John Calapari. They are considered the leading candidates for player and coach of the year. It is difficult to argue with the notion that John Wall may be the best player in the country. He has accomplished more than enough to keep his Kentucky team a contender for a national championship this season.

Coach of the year, however, should be Kansas State’s Frank Martin or Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim, at least at this point in the season. Frank Martin was perceived just two years ago as only a recruiter, kept around to ensure that Michael Beasley came to K-State. He has silenced all the disbelievers this season as Kansas State is 24-5 and ranked No.5 in the country.

Opening the season, the Kentucky Wildcats were nabbed as a top-five team. They have been considered a contender all year.

Kansas State came into the season unranked, capturing only 40 votes combined in both polls. Most people did not figure Kansas State would be a legitimate contender this year. But here they are, with just one game left, in prime position to take a high seed into the NCAA tournament. Most bracketology experts have K-State on their board as either a #2 seed, but some, like ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi, have the Wildcats in as a #1 seed.

The Kansas State Wildcats are 24-5 and are having one of their best seasons in school history. In terms of ranking alone, the Wildcats have not been ranked in the top five since the 1962 season. Even with all of their success this year, the Wildcats are still somewhat under the radar.

Although you may point out that there are many coaches that have reached a comparable feat, but no team in the top five has come all the way from being ranked at No. 39 in the pre-season poll to eclipse the top five.

Kansas State has no bad losses this year, their worst coming early in the season against a Mississippi team which ranks 57 in the latest RPI standings. In addition, the Big 12 is the toughest conference in America according to RPI ratings. Two of the Wildcats’ five losses are against the Kansas Jayhawks, the number one team in the RPI standings.

Kansas coach Bill Self is adamant in his nomination of Frank Martin as the Big 12 and national coach of the year. If Martin does not capture the national award, he should at least be heavily considered. Syracuse’s Jim Boehim, Cornell’s Steve Donahue, and Wisconsin’s Bo Ryan should also be candidates. But none of these coaches accomplished what Martin has accomplished this season, aside from Boeheim who has seen his team rise from No. 31 in the AP poll all the way to No.1 in the most recent rankings. Comparatively, Frank Martin’s Wildcats have moved up from No. 39 to No. 5.

Boeheim and Martin should most certainly be the frontrunners for the national award this year. Both have done amazing jobs at their respective schools. It would not be a surprise for either team to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament this year.