In a stunning turn of events, the Texas Longhorns have parted ways with head coach Rodney Terry following their disappointing NCAA Tournament showing. The decision comes just two years after Terry guided the team to an impressive Elite Eight appearance, highlighting the unforgiving nature of college basketball’s win now culture.
The Longhorns’ season concluded with a bitter 86-80 defeat to Xavier in the First Four, which fell well short of expectations. This early tournament exit proved to be the final straw for athletic director Chris Del Conte, who now faces the critical task of finding a successor capable of restoring Texas basketball to national prominence.
Rodney Terry’s Tenure From Interim Success to Struggles
Terry’s story at Texas began with remarkable promise when he stepped in as interim head coach following Chris Beard’s dismissal in December 2022.
Terry quickly transformed the program’s fortunes, steering the Longhorns to a stellar 29-9 record, a Big 12 Tournament championship, and that memorable Elite Eight run that seemed to herald a bright future.
Breaking: Texas has fired head coach Rodney Terry, sources told Fox Sports.
He went to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last two years after going to the Elite Eight as interim in 2023. Went 62-37 with the Longhorns but a First Four exit this year ends his tenure.
— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) March 23, 2025
However, the magic couldn’t be sustained. Texas stumbled to a 24-12 record in 2023-24, with a second-round NCAA Tournament exit before this season’s more pronounced decline.
The team’s 6-12 conference record in their inaugural SEC season and this First Four loss to Xavier, reflected mounting problems that ultimately cost Terry his position despite his earlier success.
As the coaching search begins, Xavier’s Sean Miller has emerged as a leading candidate to take the Texas helm. In a twist of irony, it was Miller’s Xavier team that delivered the knockout blow to Terry’s Longhorns in the First Four game that precipitated this coaching change.
Miller brings an impressive resume that includes multiple Elite Eight appearances during his tenures at Arizona and Xavier. His proven ability to develop talent and navigate high-pressure environments makes him an attractive option for a Texas program desperate to reestablish itself among college basketball’s elite programs.
The coaching carousel continues to spin elsewhere in college basketball, with several high profile programs making changes. Duke and North Carolina both secured impressive NCAA Tournament runs this season under Jon Scheyer and Hubert Davis, respectively, while Kentucky’s John Calipari faces mounting pressure after another early tournament exit.
KEEP READING: Who’s in the Sweet 16? Here’s the List of Teams Advancing to the Next Round
Meanwhile, Houston and UConn have established themselves as models of program stability under Kelvin Sampson and Dan Hurley.
As Texas basketball stands at a crossroads, the decisions made in the coming weeks will shape the program’s trajectory for years to come.
The Longhorns’ resources, facilities and brand power should attract top coaching talent, but finding the right leader to maximize these advantages remains Del Conte’s most pressing challenge in a basketball landscape that grows more competitive each season.
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