March Madness carries a whole new meaning for Texas fans this year.
After the Longhorns shockingly fell to No. 14 Abilene Christian in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament, Texas head coach Shaka Smart’s future in Austin was uncertain.
A little over a week later, Smart chose to leave for Marquette. It was an amicable split for both sides, but it left a major vacancy to fill for Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte.
Several names were being thrown around, including Brooklyn Nets assistant Royal Ivey, but the one candidate that was commonly at the top of the wish list was Texas Tech’s Chris Beard.
Many assumed that Beard was content at Texas Tech after recently leading the Red Raiders to the Elite Eight and a national title game. However, you couldn’t help but wonder if Beard was interested in returning to his alma mater.
After a seemingly quiet week from both Texas and Texas Tech, Del Conte officially made the move on April 1. Beard’s buyout for moving to another Big 12 program dropped from $5 million to $4 million.
After news surfaced that Beard would become the next head basketball coach at Texas, it sent social media into a frenzy. While some were ecstatic, others never saw it coming. A few even begged him to stay in Lubbock.
Take a look at the rumblings surrounding Beard’s decision on the next page.