Less than a month after Chris Beard was charged with a third degree felony for family violence, Texas has fired its men’s basketball coach.
Beard looked like the perfect fit for a program that needed an enthusiasm infusion and NCAA Tournament success when he was hired away from Texas Tech on April 1, 2021. He was given a seven-year contract worth $35 million. Now, the Beard hiring stands as a major embarrassment that puts the Texas men’s basketball program back on Square 1 and looking for a replacement.
Once one of the hottest college coaching properties in the country after taking Tech to the 2019 NCAA Tournament championship game, Beard faces an uncertain personal and professional future.
“This has been a difficult situation that we’ve diligently been working through. Today, I informed Mr. Beard of our decision to terminate him effective immediately,” Longhorns athletic director Chris Del Conte said in a prepared statement.
Assistant Rodney Terry has been named the acting head coach for the remainder of the season.
“We thank Coach Rodney Terry for his exemplary leadership both on and off the court at a time when out team needed it most,” Del Conte said.
The Longhorns, who were ranked as high second in the nationally, are 12-2 and ranked 6th in the AP Top 25. Beard was suspended indefinitely after being arrested and charged in the early morning Dec. 12.
However, the woman who called police to report a family violence assault by Texas basketball coach Chris Beard said last month that Beard did not strangle her and she never wanted him arrested or prosecuted.
In a statement her attorney sent to The Associated Press, Randi Trew said she is “deeply saddened” by the incident and said Beard was acting in self-defense from her.
“Chris and I are deeply saddened that we have brought negative attention upon our family, friends, and the University of Texas, among others. As Chris’ fiancée and biggest supporter, I apologize for the role I played in this unfortunate event. I realize that my frustration, when breaking his glasses, initiated a physical struggle between Chris and myself,” Trew said in the statement.
Despite the huge investment in Beard, the administration decided the 49-year-old coach had to go.
A response to the firing from Beard’s attorney stated they were “shocked” that the university came to this decision.
“I want to understand why the University has changed course on its earlier stated position when the only developments since then have clearly been positive for Coach Beard and the University,” the letter from Beard’s attorney read. “Moreover, I have been very grateful that Chris Del Conte has repeatedly reported to our team that he is certain that Chris Beard did nothing wrong – and is innocent. I just do not understand the change of heart with no explanation and on such short notice, particularly in light of the University alignment and support that he is innocent.”
Beard has a career coaching record of 237-98 at McMurry, Angelo State, Little Rock, Tech and Texas. He was 29-13 with the Longhorns. In his first season in 2021-22, Texas won an NCAA Tournament game for the first since 2015.
Beard had put his stamp on the program much like he did at Tech, where he took the program further than it ever gone before jilting the university.
He implemented folksy video “Fireside Chats” and ramped up the enthusiasm from fans, especially UT students. He ramped up recruiting, both of high schools and especially the transfer portal. Beard’s relationship with the school went back to being a student manager for Tom Penders in the 1990s.
“He loves being a Longhorn,” Terry said the evening after the arrests. “A guy that wants to win more than anybody, wants to make this university proud, both from a basketball standpoint, and really trying to get this program back to the level it was years ago. There is no harder working guy that I’ve ever been around.”
