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Former Texas men’s basketball head coach Chris Beard has reportedly emerged as the leading candidate for the Mississippi Rebels head coach opening. Beard was fired partway through the 2022-23 season after being arrested on a third-degree felony assault charge in December. The Travis County District Attorney later chose not to press charges due to the non-cooperation of the victim.
Beard had allegedly attempted to strangle and bite his fiancée, Randi Trew, who later stated that Beard had been acting in self-defense. The charge was dismissed, but Beard was fired from the Texas coaching staff.
Reporting with @PeteThamel: Former Texas coach Chris Beard has emerged as the leading candidate at Ole Miss, sources told ESPN. Beard and Ole Miss have spoken, according to sources, and Ole Miss officials are in the process of doing due diligence on Beard.https://t.co/24qspHWFbg
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) March 8, 2023
Beard has also been linked to his previous job at Texas Tech, as the hiring rumors head up while the college basketball regular season winds down. He was previously the head coach of the Red Raiders before moving to Austin in 2021.
The Mississippi athletic department and other officials are reportedly carrying out “due diligence” before hiring Beard. The Rebels finished second from the bottom in SEC standings this season, winning just three conference games.
Read our initial coverage of Beard’s arrest and suspension here.