Ole Miss Coach Chris Beard Sends a Message After Loss: “We Can Play Different Players”
AJ Storr’s college basketball journey has been anything but smooth. After showing flashes of promise at Wisconsin, the guard transferred to Kansas last season in hopes of building on that momentum.
But the spark never quite reignited. Now at Ole Miss, Storr finds himself in another tough spot-and this time, it’s not just about performance.
It’s about effort.
Following the Rebels’ loss to Miami, head coach Chris Beard didn’t hold back. Frustrated with what he saw on the floor, Beard made it clear: if players don’t bring the energy, he’s got no problem finding someone who will.
During postgame media availability, a reporter directed a question to Storr about how to fix a lack of effort. Before Storr could get a full sentence out, Beard jumped in with a blunt response:
**“Yes, we can. We can play different players.”
**
He wasn’t done there.
“That’s what we did in the second half, where we won the second half by seven points,” Beard added.
**“We can play different players.” **
It was a moment that said a lot without needing much elaboration. Storr, to his credit, didn’t push back.
He started to say “motivate” but quickly shifted to a quiet “yeah,” nodding along with his coach’s message. But make no mistake-Beard’s words weren’t just general frustration.
They were pointed. And Storr might very well be in the crosshairs.
Let’s look at the numbers. Storr, a starter for the Rebels, has seen his minutes dip as the competition has ramped up.
After logging 31 and 27 minutes in recent games, he was on the court for just 24 against Miami. That included a five-minute bench stint in the second half-right in the thick of the action.
He did start the second half, but immediately turned the ball over on Ole Miss’s first possession. His final stat line?
Six points on 2-of-9 shooting, with two assists, two rebounds, two steals, and three turnovers. Not exactly the kind of production you want from a player expected to be a key contributor.
And Beard’s message wasn’t just about one game. It was about accountability.
Effort. Energy.
The things that don’t always show up in a box score but absolutely show up on film-and in the win-loss column.
Storr’s trajectory since leaving Wisconsin has been a tough one. Kansas didn’t pan out, and now, early signs at Ole Miss suggest he’s still searching for that rhythm, that spark, that edge. And in a Beard-coached program, where intensity and buy-in are non-negotiables, that could mean fewer opportunities if things don’t change.
What happens next will be telling. Beard has made it clear that minutes will be earned, not guaranteed.
That message wasn’t just for Storr-it was for the entire locker room. But for a player who’s already trying to re-establish himself, the clock might be ticking a little louder.
Ole Miss has talent. But talent without effort?
That’s not going to fly under Chris Beard. And if the Rebels want to turn the corner this season, it’s going to take more than just potential.
It’s going to take players who bring it-every possession, every game.