Chris Beard
For most Texas fans, this would be the best hire Chris Del Conte could make to turn around the basketball program. Chris Beard, a University of Texas alumnus and former graduate assistant, is currently at Texas Tech. In just five seasons in Lubbock, Beard has led the Red Raiders to the Elite Eight and the national championship.
First and foremost, hiring Beard would stop him from beating Texas consistently. Texas Tech has won seven out of the last 10 games against the Longhorns, including a season sweep this year. Overall against the Big 12, Beard is 49-40 with a share of the regular season title in 2018-2019.
According to Brian Davis, Beard’s buyout is around $5 million. Will big-money donors at Texas be willing to pay it? I think we all know the answer to that question. The more important question is, does Beard even want to leave a good thing he has going in Lubbock? With Texas Tech now out of the NCAA Tournament, a move may develop sooner rather than later.