Chris Beard is the new head basketball coach at Ole Miss after scandal and dismissal at Texas

Mar 13, 2023 - 5:36 PM

On Monday, Ole Miss announced Chris Beard would be hired as the next head basketball coach after firing Kermit Davis during its latest season.

Beard was previously the coach at Texas where he had strong success but off the court allegations of domestic violence in December 2022 with his fiancé led to his termination. Just last month the charges against Beard were dropped.

That’s going to be the first couple paragraphs just about every pundit, blog, and broadcaster says about the Ole Miss and Beard hiring. There will certainly be a lot of criticism levied against Ole Miss, Keith Carter and also the SEC. Then there will be the social media outrage and disgust, and like many stories like this, the news cycle will move on to something else in 48 hours.

Undoubtedly, Keith Carter and Ole Miss had to have answers ready for why it decided to overlook the recent transgressions of Beard. Yes, the charges were dropped, so maybe that is enough. It clearly was for Carter, and until the introductory press conference, that’s all we know.

But ultimately, this is a move where the Rebels are getting a top ten coach, the 2019 National Coach of the Year, and an individual who has won at every place he has been. It’s about 237 wins and 98 losses at places as tiny as Arkansas-Little Rock and Division II Angelo State but also as big as Texas Tech and Texas.

With the transfer portal opening, Ole Miss has had Amaree Abram, James White and Jaemyn Brakefield already announce they would enter the portal. Beard will have a lot of pats on the back the next two days from those very supportive of Ole Miss, but the reality of the Rebels roster is going to come into a clear picture very quickly.

Beard is a guy on his second and maybe last chance in college basketball to prove to be a winner on and off the court. All eyes across the sport will be on Oxford next season.