When Texas hosts Ole Miss at the Moody Center this Saturday, it’s more than just another game on the schedule. It’s a collision of past and present - a matchup that brings Chris Beard back to Austin, now wearing Ole Miss colors, and offers the Longhorns a chance to turn the page on a turbulent chapter in program history.
Beard, of course, was once seen as the architect of Texas basketball’s return to national relevance. Hired in 2021 with sky-high expectations, he delivered early - guiding the Longhorns to their first NCAA Tournament win in nearly a decade and assembling one of the most talented rosters in the country heading into the 2022-23 season. That group had Final Four potential, and the buzz around the program was real.
But everything changed in December 2022, when Beard was arrested on a domestic violence charge. Texas moved swiftly, parting ways with him midseason. The team didn’t fold - interim coach Rodney Terry stepped in and admirably led the Longhorns to the Elite Eight - but the momentum that had been building came to a screeching halt.
That Elite Eight squad? It was largely Beard’s creation, pieced together through the transfer portal with a blend of veteran savvy and high-end talent.
But as those players graduated or moved on, Terry was left with the challenge of rebuilding - and the results never quite matched the promise. Two straight seasons of barely making the NCAA Tournament bubble followed, and eventually, the program made another change.
Enter Sean Miller. The former Arizona and Xavier coach took the reins with a clear mandate: rebuild Texas basketball into a consistent national contender.
It hasn’t been smooth sailing in Year 1, but there are signs of progress. The Longhorns are battling on the bubble again, yes, but they’re playing with more cohesion and showing flashes of the identity Miller is trying to instill.
Saturday’s game isn’t just another chance to impress the selection committee - it’s a litmus test. A win over Ole Miss, and over Beard, would be symbolic.
Not just because of the history, but because it would signal that Texas is starting to move forward. That the rebuild is real.
That the program is no longer defined by what might have been.
Make no mistake - Beard’s impact on Texas basketball is undeniable. He brought energy, talent, and a clear vision during his brief tenure. But the off-court incident that led to his firing left a scar, one the program has been trying to heal ever since.
Now, nearly two years later, the Longhorns have a chance to write a new chapter - not by rewriting the past, but by beating it. Miller, like Beard, knows how to build something special. And while his first season has had its share of growing pains, a win on Saturday would be more than just a résumé booster.
It would be a statement. That Texas basketball is ready to move forward.
That the foundation is being laid. And that the Longhorns are starting to find their way back - this time, on their own terms.