Bobby Burton
“I think we are rocking,” a university official texted me yesterday following the hiring of new basketball coach Chris Beard. “It’s telling Longhorn nation we are serious.”
The official, who was a key part of the hiring process, is one member of a group determined to make the University the best it can be in every sport.
The hope is that Beard “brings the excitement” of basketball back to the 40 Acres. And that hope can not be understated.
Even during a Big 12 basketball tournament championship season, Texas coach Shaka Smart and his teams failed to generate the excitement or fan fervor of teams from the early Rick Barnes era or even Tom Penders’ teams in the 90s. Smart’s poor record in the NCAA tourney certainly didn’t help either.
Beard, who led the Red Raiders to a national championship game appearance in just his second season at Tech, was a beloved figure in Lubbock. The fact that University of Texas officials opted to poach - or even attempt to poach - a coach of his magnitude from an in-state and intra-conference foe is telling of the importance UT officials are placing on the hiring of key athletic personnel.
It’s a move UT officials also made with the hiring of current athletic director Chris Del Conte. Del Conte previously served as AD at TCU helping the Horned Frogs gain admittance to the Big 12 and upgrading their facilities and coaches along the way.
So Beard is a perfect example of the university as a whole - not just the university’s athletic department - taking sports seriously. And when all of the powers that be, those not only in the athletic department but also those inside the Tower and those sitting on the board of regents, pull together for the sports programs, Texas has its best chance to reach the university’s full potential.
With Beard’s hiring, we are witnessing three distinct university groups working together as one. If this continues, I only foresee great things happening for UT athletics well into the future.
Sounds and looks much better.
Along with “you know what his weakness is, use it against him and beat him and make him better”
this requires players that are on the same level, real compe ion. This is what I worry about the most. You practice against a certain level of player, then you get on the field and meet an NFL caliber opponent and how do you react? If you were getting beat you go back to the sideline talk to people and work out someway to compete on their level. you must get the job done somehow . Every day every game.
Texas offers 2022 LB Robby Snelling (Reno, NV)
https://247sports.com/Player/Robby-Snelling-46099892/
Texas offers 2023 OL TJ Shanahan out of Orlando, FL.
https://247sports.com/player/tj-shanahan-46101254/
Suchomel the other day was the first to mention that Zac Swanson was more than likely headed to Texas.
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