The Texas Longhorns are hiring Chris Beard as their next men’s basketball head coach, with Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt confirming the move Thursday.
Beard’s buyout to go to another Big 12 school dropped to $4 million on Thursday morning, sources told ESPN, and the two sides moved quickly to come to an agreement.
Beard made the decision early Thursday, according to Hocutt. Texas has not announced the hire.
“Talked to him about 10:30 last night, made a final decision today. Something I could tell had been weighing on him [last night] and settled this morning,” Hocutt said. “Frustrating? Absolutely. Disappointing? Absolutely.”
Beard has established himself as one of the best coaches in the country during his five seasons at Texas Tech, leading the Red Raiders to a national title game appearance in 2019 and the Elite Eight in 2018. They finished 18-11 (9-8 Big 12) this season before losing to Arkansas in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
While Beard was making nearly $5 million per year at Texas Tech, going to Texas offered him a chance at one of the best jobs in the country — and one where he had a personal connection. Beard went to Texas and started his coaching career as a student assistant under Tom Penders with the Longhorns.
Before taking over at Texas Tech in 2016, Beard spent one season as the head coach at Arkansas Little Rock, leading the Trojans to 30 wins, an NCAA tournament appearance and a first-round upset win over Purdue.
Beard has taken one of the more circuitous routes to the top of the college basketball pyramid, spending time as an assistant coach at Abilene Christian and North Texas before going to Fort Scott Community College and Seminole State Junior College. After a decade as an assistant coach at Texas Tech under Bob Knight and Pat Knight, Beard coached the South Carolina Warriors of the American Basketball Association and then spent one season at McMurry University and two seasons at Angelo State.
Beard replaces Shaka Smart, who left Texas for Marquette last week after six seasons in Austin.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
