Is it time for Longhorns basketball, Chris Del Conte to move on from coach Rodney Terry?

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Back in 2021, Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte thought he’d found the perfect choice to revive the Longhorns basketball program. Chris Beard had just taken Texas Tech (of all programs) to the national title game. Plus he was a Texas graduate. But things didn’t turn out as planned for Del Conte, Beard or Texas fans.

After leading the Horns to a 22–12 record in the 2021-22 season and a first round NCAA tournament win, Beard’s career at Texas came crashing down eight games into the 2022-23 season. Texas started the season 7-1 with wins over top ten teams Gonzaga and Creighton when Beard was arrested on a third-degree felony charge of assault against a family member for strangulation.

Beard’s fiancée Randi Trew told police the UT coach had “choked me, bit me, bruises all over my leg, throwing me around, and going nuts,” consistent with bite marks on her arm and cuts on her face and leg. Beard was suspended and even though Trew mostly recanted her story, Beard was fired. The charges against Beard were dropped, but his time at Texas was over. He would be named the coach at Ole Miss a couple months later.

Texas would turn to Beard assistant Rodney Terry as interim coach for the rest of the season. Terry had been the head coach at Fresno State, where he had moderate success, and UTEP. The Miners lost 14 out of their last 23 games in the 2019–20 season and he would leave to become a Beard assistant at Texas.

Rodney Terry speaks with University of Texas Athletic Director Chris Del Conte at the Moody Center in Austin.

As Texas’ interim coach, Terry would lead the Horns to a 15-7 record the rest of the way, winning the Big 12 tournament and advancing to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament. Terry was then named permanent head coach after the season was over.

And this is where we are today. By all indications, Del Conte and the Texas leadership group were set to hold a nationwide search and find a replacement for Beard that would make a national splash. Much the way the…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/time-longhorns-basketball-chris-del-214202640.html

Author : Longhorns Wire

Publish date : 2025-02-12 21:42:00

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