Xavier's Sean Miller Hired As New Texas Basketball Coach, After Rodney Terry Fired

Texas made it official on Sunday by firing Rodney Terry, but athletic director Chris Del Conte had his replacement ready to go, hiring Xavier's Sean Miller to take over the Longhorns basketball program. 

Following the loss to Xavier in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, Texas made the decision that it was time to move on from Rodney Terry, who had just finished his second season as the full-time head coach of the Longhorns. 

After leading Texas to the Elite Eight during the 2023 season as the interim head coach, Del Conte hired him as the permanent replacement for Chris Beard, who was fired after an investigation into domestic violence. 

Now, two seasons later, with an overall record of 62-37, with consecutive first-round exits in the NCAA Tournament, it was time for another change in leadership for the Longhorns. 

For Sean Miller, he will reportedly make $5 million per year, compared to the $3 million that Rodney Terry was making this past season. As for the former head coach, Terry will receive a buyout that is almost $6 million, which is for the remaining three years on his deal at Texas. 

Cedric Golden of the Austin American-Statesman was the first to report the news of Sean Miller being hired. 

Texas Moved Quick To Have Sean Miller Hired At Texas

Known for having a replacement lined up before making crucial decisions, it should come as no surprise that athletic director Chris Del Conte made sure he had someone ready to take the job before officially moving on from Terry, even though it was already done. 

Now, it will be Sean Miller looking to get Texas back on top, with a sizable NIL chest, along with enough resources to win immediately in Austin. 

Having previously been involved in the search for a new coach following the dismissal of Beard, it was likely that Miller would've been the head coach three years ago if Terry had not let the Longhorns to the sweet sixteen. 

But now, it was time to get a deal done for the Xavier coach, who previously coached at Arizona. With an overall record of 449-166 in college basketball and 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, including four Elite-8 appearances, the  move for Miller is a strong step for the Longhorns future. 

Also, if you're wondering about the timing of all of this, remember that the transfer portal officially opens on Monday. So, getting a new coach hired was something that needed to be done in short order. 

It's officially the Sean Miller era in Texas.