A sense of hope from fans
When trying to get a basketball program back on track, getting a sense of hope from fans is essential. A full arena, bringing the energy week in and week out helps against the toughest opponents. Shaka Smart subtly mentioned the lack of fans at Texas during his introductory press conference at Marquette.
“I was at VCU for six years, and we had a sellout streak over 100 when I left. I learned not to take for granted that the arena was full,” said Smart.
Packing the Frank Erwin Center (soon to be Moody Center) with Beard in charge will not be a problem. He was seen as the home run hire and the guy Texas needed to have. Chris Del Conte has done an excellent job hiring coaches that Texas Exs can get behind.
Winning fixes everything, and as mentioned before, Beard knows how to do that. The Texas faithful getting behind a basketball program and filling up an arena is a scary thought for other Big 12 teams. Getting the Moody Center to be one of the best environments in the country will be the top off-the-court priority for Beard.