Report: Former Texas HC Chris Beard Emerges as Top Candidate for Ole Miss CBB Job

Former Texas and Texas Tech men's basketball coach Chris Beard is reportedly the lead candidate for Ole Miss' head coaching vacancy.

Pete Thamel and Jeff Borzello of ESPN reported Ole Miss brass is doing its "due diligence" on Beard, who was fired by Texas in January after being arrested and charged with "assault on a member of a family or household by impeding breath circulation."

Beard's fiancee, Randi Trew, initially accused the coach of choking, biting and hitting her during a December argument but later released a statement denying she ever made those assertions to police and taking blame for initiating a "physical struggle."

Charges against Beard were dropped last month because of insufficient evidence.

He said in a statement:

"I am pleased with the announcement that the charges against me have been dismissed. While I always had faith and confidence in the truth and this outcome, it has been extremely challenging to wait patiently and not publicly respond. I'm sorry and deeply remorseful to my family, friends, all my players and staff both most recent and past, and everyone at my alma mater The University of Texas."

Beard was in his second season at Texas and led the Longhorns to a 7-1 record in 2022-23 before his dismissal. He previously spent five years at Texas Tech, reaching the Elite Eight in 2018 and the Final Four in 2019.

Ole Miss fired Kermit Davis on Feb. 24, less than two weeks after charges were dismissed against Beard. Davis went 74-79 in five seasons with the Rebels, making the NCAA tournament in 2019 but failing to top 16 wins in each of the next four years.

Beard has been tied to the Ole Miss job almost from the second it opened. The Rebels' basketball program has made the NCAA tournament just nine times in its existence and has been a top-four seed only twice.

The athletic department will hope Beard's likely arrival means the same type of turnaround Ole Miss' football program has seen under Lane Kiffin, who has led the Rebels to three straight bowl appearances.