Rick Barnes' Future With the Texas Longhorns?

Prior to the 2013-2014 season, expectations for the Texas Longhorns basketball team were at the lowest they’ve been in decades, and it was almost a foregone conclusion that head coach Rick Barnes‘ time on the Forty Acres would soon be coming to an end.

After all, last season was the Longhorns’ worst in recent memory. Worse than the fact that they failed to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time in Barnes’ fifteen seasons in Austin, was watching the team suffer a humiliating first round loss in the CBI tournament to the Houston Cougars. Adding to the turmoil was the fact that after the season came to a bitter yet merciful end, it seemed that every time Texas fans turned around, another starter was leaving the program.

As bad as last season was, however, it was nothing nearly as terrible as what was expected to play out this season with a much younger, less talented, and less experienced team. Fans hoped for a .500 season, but most believed that was a pipe dream. Even the most optimistic of the “sunshine pumpers” agreed that things looked bleak for the future of Texas basketball.

However, Barnes and his players started this season unexpectedly strong. The Longhorns currently boast a 20-7 overall record and a 9-5 record in the Big 12, but the team is coming off one of their worst losses in Barnes’ tenure, a 31-point blowout at the hands of the Kansas Jayhawks, leaving many wondering if this will simply be another late season collapse by a Barnes coached squad.

Throughout the season, Saturday’s game (and perhaps a couple of others) aside, this team has been incredibly fun to watch. From the emergence of freshman Isaiah Taylor and the development of Johnathan Holmes and Cam Ridley, to the amazing chemistry and never-say-die attitude of this entire team, this has been Barnes’ best coaching job since arriving in town more than fifteen years ago.

But does Saturday’s embarrassment overshadow the rest of the season? Can they bounce back? How will they finish the season? Has Barnes’ coaching job this year been enough to take him off the proverbial hot seat that kept him warm all off-season, despite the debacle in Lawrence?

At first glance, one would think he has done enough to buy at least one more year, regardless of how it ends. Admittedly, while he has done a great job this year with the team, the season isn’t over yet.

Assuming Barnes and his players rebound and finish the regular season strong, what if Barnes and his Longhorns find themselves ousted after the first round of the Big Dance? Would this overachieving regular season be enough to make up for another subpar showing in the NCAA Tournament?

If you look at the Longhorns’ tournament performance under Rick Barnes, the numbers are pretty telling: In 14 NCAA tournament appearances in fifteen seasons, Barnes’ Longhorns have reached the Sweet Sixteen twice, the Elite Eight twice, and the Final Four once. The remaining nine trips resulted in losses in either the first or second round. Another early exit, despite the early season expectations (or lack thereof), could add weight to the argument of those who question Barnes’ ability to ever lead the program to its first National Title.

True, no one will argue that Rick Barnes has undoubtedly set the standard for the Texas basketball program, but can he be the one that takes them to the next level?

There are those who believe that Barnes has undoubtedly earned himself at least another season, yet there are many others who feel that another late season collapse coupled with a first or second round loss would further prove that Barnes isn’t the guy to take this team to the top. The truth is, Barnes’ future with Texas could depend on what happens over the course of the next month.

What do you think? Does Barnes’ future with the Longhorns depend solely on the team’s post-season performance this year or has he earned more time, regardless of what happens in March?