Shaka Smart and Texas appear to be parting ways

[Aaron Carrara]

Photo: Ricardo B. Brazziell via Imagn Content Services, LLC​

In six seasons as head coach of the Texas Basketball program, Shaka Smart won an NIT Championship and a recent Big 12 Tournament Championship.  He's also taken the 'Horns to the Big Dance three times in the six seasons.  All three appearances ended with first round losses to Northern Iowa, Nevada, and Abilene Christian University.  

Basketball will always play second fiddle to football at Texas, but a program that recruits well and has good coaches that develop players should make appearances in the NCAA Tournament more often than not.

It just hasn't worked that way for the Longhorns under Smart.

As first reported by CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein, it appears a transition is in place in Austin which will allow Athletic Director Chris Del Conte to hire a new basketball coach.



Stay tuned as this story develops.

 

[Hiwood]

this is like the two happiest days of owning a boat.....the day you buy it....and the day you sell it

 

[Aaron Carrara]

Some additional thoughts:

 

[Aaron Carrara]

 

[Aaron Carrara]

 

[duqu]

 

[Bear19]

He's not a poor basketball coach - Smart can recruit well and he can coach - he will likely do well at Marquette. 

He’s probably the worst coach in all of college basketball.

His overall record was crappy at each of his previous jobs. He got to the final four in a year when his team should not even have been in the tournament. Even a blind ass hog stumbles across an acorn every now and then.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

If we get either of Beard or Ivey, I will be ecstatic.

If Ivey coaches anything like he played – relentless, gutsy, assertive – then I'd love that hire. I think he'd be good at recruiting and good at developing.

Ya'll have already heard me sing the praises of Beard, would love that hire, too.

I won't be disappointed with either hire.

 

[longhorn_mig]

(Dallas Morning News reporter)

 

[Hiwood]

Has Smart even put out a thank you to the University for keeping him employed for the last 6 years....as he slithers out of town

 

[Baron]

Has UT even released a statement about Smart leaving?

 

[Drb522]

He’s probably the worst coach in all of college basketball.

His overall record was crappy at each of his previous jobs. He got to the final four in a year when his team should not even have been in the tournament. Even a blind ass hog stumbles across an acorn every now and then.

Make that two beers now

 

[PTA]

Sounds like a few Marquette players have parted ways with the team as well since the hiring.  Can't say that I blame them.

 

[Drb522]

I hope it’s not Beard myself

 

[primal defense]

I have mixed feelings if Chris Beard is hired as the next UT basketball coach.. On one hand his record at Texas Tech and in the NCAA tournament shows he's probably the best candidate out there.. I heard on a podcast that NBA people are impressed with his practices in that he's a good teacher, whose good at detail and communication with his players.
 
However, on an entertainment level, he has a boring Bobby Knight offense. I've checked and his teams are always low scoring .and they finished 163rd in points scored per game this year. I've been spoiled as a Houston Rocket fan when Rick Adelman was the coach with his up tempo offense. It's a superior offense as far a fan entertainment and the longhorns have had a problem with basketball attendance. 
 
Eric Musselman had Arkansas at 11th in the nation in points scored per game .and has an up tempo offense and Royal Ivy is working with Steve Nash who played for Adelman, so I don't know if he would use that offense or Rick Barnes' offense if hired. If UT could hire a coach from the past, I would like someone like Guy Lewis and his up tempo offense and phi slama jama. Mark Few and Gonzaga has led the nation in scoring per game the last two years and has been successful, so you can win big with a great offense.
 
Chris Beard's past success may fill up the new arena, but I would be concerned if he could keep it that way with a boring offense. I would like UT basketball to be exciting for the whole season for the fans and not just in March.

 

[Wayne]

I have mixed feelings if Chris Beard is hired as the next UT basketball coach.. On one hand his record at Texas Tech and in the NCAA tournament shows he's probably the best candidate out there.. I heard on a podcast that NBA people are impressed with his practices in that he's a good teacher, whose good at detail and communication with his players.
 
However, on an entertainment level, he has a boring Bobby Knight offense. I've checked and his teams are always low scoring .and they finished 163rd in points scored per game this year. I've been spoiled as a Houston Rocket fan when Rick Adelman was the coach with his up tempo offense. It's a superior offense as far a fan entertainment and the longhorns have had a problem with basketball attendance. 
 
Eric Musselman had Arkansas at 11th in the nation in points scored per game .and has an up tempo offense and Royal Ivy is working with Steve Nash who played for Adelman, so I don't know if he would use that offense or Rick Barnes' offense if hired. If UT could hire a coach from the past, I would like someone like Guy Lewis and his up tempo offense and phi slama jama. Mark Few and Gonzaga has led the nation in scoring per game the last two years and has been successful, so you can win big with a great offense.
 
Chris Beard's past success may fill up the new arena, but I would be concerned if he could keep it that way with a boring offense. I would like UT basketball to be exciting for the whole season for the fans and not just in March.

None of the guys you like have ever made it to a championship game. Both a the coaches you don’t like have made it to the championship game and one of them won two. 

 

[primal defense]

None of the guys you like have ever made it to a championship game. Both a the coaches you don’t like have made it to the championship game and one of them won two. 

You may want to check your reading comprehension. I used those as examples. I don't even know what kind of an offense Ivy would run.
 
I did say that I would like a offensive minded coach like Guy Lewis and he made the championship game twice. I also said that a team can win big with an offensive minded coach like Mark Few at Gonzaga who made the championship game also.
 
I understand that you want a coach who can win a NC. I don't care how many championships Bobby Knight has won I never wanted him as the basketball coach at UT. I also want a coach who can win big, however I want an exciting entertaining team. I guess I'm a greedy guy. 
 
I went to some of the games when Abe Lemons started 14-0 and ranked fifth in the nation with Lasalle Thompson and Mike Wacker until it was ruined with Wacker's injury.  Those games were some of the most exciting UT games I've gone to including football. 
 
If Beard can win big and fill the new arena then I will put up with his boring offense. There is always the chance he could be Mike Krzyzewski another Bobby Knight assistant and has an offense also. Right now it doesn't matter it's Beard's job if he wants it.
 

 

[primal defense]

 

[Wayne]

You may want to check your reading comprehension. I used those as examples. I don't even know what kind of an offense Ivy would run.
 
I did say that I would like a offensive minded coach like Guy Lewis and he made the championship game twice. I also said that a team can win big with an offensive minded coach like Mark Few at Gonzaga who made the championship game also.
 
I understand that you want a coach who can win a NC. I don't care how many championships Bobby Knight has won I never wanted him as the basketball coach at UT. I also want a coach who can win big, however I want an exciting entertaining team. I guess I'm a greedy guy. 
 
I went to some of the games when Abe Lemons started 14-0 and ranked fifth in the nation with Lasalle Thompson and Mike Wacker until it was ruined with Wacker's injury.  Those games were some of the most exciting UT games I've gone to including football. 
 
If Beard can win big and fill the new arena then I will put up with his boring offense. There is always the chance he could be Mike Krzyzewski another Bobby Knight assistant and has an offense also. Right now it doesn't matter it's Beard's job if he wants it.
 

I was at the South Carolina game that year. Wacker blew out his knee a couple of games later and LaSalle Thompson couldn’t  do it all. Those games may have been entertaining but it was a different game. 
I’d like to get Beilein his offense is fun and he made a couple of championship games. But I want to win. 
I remember going to the University of Miami football game that same school year when Jim Kelly was the QB. UT won 14-7. I don’t remember thinking I wish we had won 35-28. I just like winning.
And Bobby Knight was a great coach with a temper issue. Only one of his players didn’t graduate in 40 some odd years of coaching. And I always loved his motion offense.