Former Texas Coach Returns to Austin Amid Hostile Reception
Finn's Take· TL;DR- Chris Beard faced hostile reception returning to Texas as Ole Miss coach, with fans booing and referencing domestic violence allegations that led to his 2023 firing.
- Despite dropping charges, Texas deemed Beard's behavior unacceptable; he previously led the Longhorns to NCAA Tournament success before his departure.
- Texas defeated Ole Miss 79-68, preventing Beard from achieving a significant victory against his former employer in his contentious homecoming.
A Controversial Homecoming
Former Texas basketball coach Chris Beard was treated unkindly by Longhorns fans Saturday when he returned to Austin as head coach of Ole Miss. Boos rang out around the arena when his name was announced before tipoff , marking a stark contrast to his previous tenure at the university. Crowd starting to chant 'don't hit women' at Ex Texas head coach Chris Beard , referencing the domestic violence allegations that led to his firing.
Not much made it through the metaphorical earmuffs former Texas basketball coach Chris Beard brought with him to the Moody Center. Beard's laser focus, he said, blocked out the noise . Despite the hostile reception, Beard maintained his composure, telling reporters afterward that "I thought it was a great home crowd for basketball on a Saturday in Austin, Texas. I've never really noticed anything with the crowd" .
Texas center Matas Vokietaitis scored a game-high 27 points and the Longhorns survived an ugly second half with a 14-0 run to close out the game to beat Ole Miss 79-68 in Austin on Saturday, giving the Longhorns their third straight win . The victory prevented what would have been a significant personal triumph for Beard against his former employer.
The Rise and Fall at Texas
Beard previously served as Texas' head coach from 2021-2023. He led the Longhorns to an NCAA Tournament appearance in his first season, and had Texas off to a 7-1 start and a No. 2 ranking in the AP Poll in 2022-23 . The promising trajectory came to an abrupt halt when Texas fired basketball coach Chris Beard on Thursday while he faces a felony domestic family violence charge stemming from a Dec. 12 incident involving his fiancée .
Police responded to an emergency call at Beard's house after midnight on Dec. 12 and arrested him after Beard's fiancée, Randi Trew, told officers he choked her from behind, bit her and hit her when the two got in an argument . However, Trew issued a public statement on Dec. 23 in which she denied telling police Beard choked her. She also said she never intended for him to be arrested or prosecuted .
Prosecutors are dismissing a domestic violence case against former University of Texas basketball coach Chris Beard, the Travis County District Attorney's Office said Wednesday . Despite the case being dropped, the university's vice president of legal affairs, Jim Davis, wrote in a letter to Beard's attorney, Perry Minton, that Beard engaged in "unacceptable behavior that makes him unfit to serve as head coach at our university" .
From Texas Tech to Ole Miss
Beard's journey to this contentious return began at Texas Tech, where he built his coaching reputation. Beard, 48, posted a 112-55 (49-40 Big 12) record in five seasons as Texas Tech's coach and led the Red Raiders to an appearance in the 2019 national title game. He also spent a decade as a Texas Tech assistant earlier in his career . His departure for Texas created lasting animosity among Red Raiders fans.
Chris Beard got on a plane 10 months ago to Austin, and Red Raiders fans had waited since then to let him know how they felt about him leaving for their most-hated rival . When he returned to Lubbock in 2022, Multiple security personnel surrounded Beard when he first came out on the court a few minutes before the game to a cascade of boos. Many students entered the arena by walking over a door mat with Beard's face on it .
Following Beard's firing from Texas in Jan. 2023, he was hired to succeed Kermit Davis at Ole Miss just two months later. Across two-and-a-half seasons with the program, Beard has led the Rebels to a 55-36 (20-26) record. Last season, Ole Miss made a run to the Sweet Sixteen for just the second time in program history .
The Path Forward
After taking Ole Miss (11-12, 3-7 SEC) to the Sweet 16 last season, Beard is in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years since his controversial appointment. Saturday's loss to the Longhorns was the Rebels' fourth consecutive setback and they fell to 3-12 against power conference opposition .
The reception Beard received in Austin reflects the complex emotions surrounding coaches who leave under controversial circumstances. While his legal troubles have been resolved, the court of public opinion remains divided. His ability to rebuild his career at Ole Miss will depend largely on his team's performance and his capacity to move beyond the shadows of his tumultuous departure from Texas.
For Texas, the victory represented more