Rodney Terry pens touching letter to Texas fans after firing

The Rodney Terry era is officially over. Texas decided to move on from Terry and two seasons as the full-time head coach and a partial campaign serving as the interim. A loss to Xavier in this year’s First Four was enough for the Longhorns to cut ties and are soon expected to hire Sean Miller.

Before leaving the program, Terry penned a touching letter to Texas fans. He expressed gratitude for their support during his time and reflected on some of the accomplishments. Terry has been involved long before this stint in Austin and will forever feel connected.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the 13 years I’ve spent as a coach on the 40 Acres,” Terry said. “I’ve loved every moment, and I will cherish the experiences, memories, and relationships created during that time for the rest of my life.

“We worked tirelessly to win a national championship, and in our pursuit of doing so, achieved many other goals as a program and a tremendous amount of success. I’m proud of the young men we have mentored along the way who have eventually graduated from this prestigious university and go on to have continued success on and off the court.

“Becoming the Head Coach for the University of Texas was a dream come true. It has been an honor and a privilege to be your head coach, and I appreciate your unwavering support.

“I want to thank all our players, coaches, staff, and last but not least, my family for your dedication and commitment during this journey. I will forever be a Longhorn.”

Terry took over during the 2022-2023 season when Texas let go of Chris Beard. Success in the postseason ensued, winning the Big 12 Tournament and making the Elite Eight a couple of weekends later. Athletic director Chris Del Conte decided against hiring someone from the outside, removing the interim tag from Terry’s job description.

While Texas won an NCAA Tournament game last season, the regular season results have not been eye-popping. The Longhorns have gone 40-29 overall and 15-21 in conference play, split between the Big 12 and SEC. Wins in Nashville against Vanderbilt and Texas A&M barely snuck Texas into this year’s field of 68.

Before stepping into the head coach role, Terry was an assistant for Texas on two different occasions. He worked under Rick Barnes for just under a decade before being hired again by Beard.