Pete Thamel addresses possible reunion of Chris Beard, Texas Tech

Could the Texas Tech basketball job open up soon? If so, how likely is a reunion with former head coach Chris Beard following his ouster at Texas? Well, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Beard’s name would certainly come up if the Red Raiders do choose to move on from Mark Adams following the recent reports of his misconduct towards players.

Over the weekend, reports leaked that Adams was suspended by the school following allegations of improper comments towards players while one player also claimed the Texas Tech head coach spit on him. Adams has denied he meant anything degrading by the comments and claimed the spit was not intentional but the school is still looking into it. Reports also said Adams’ future is unclear and he could be let go.

If so, Thamel admits the undeniable talk of a Chris Beard return that would ensue. “It’s difficult to imagine a post-Mark Adams Texas Tech without Chris Beard’s name at least being brought up in conversation, vetted, bandied about,” said Thamel on Outside The Lines.

“He’s one of the most popular coaches in school history,” Thamel continued. “Obviously, what he was accused of doing — and the charges were dropped — is a very serious thing and there would be a lot of layers a university would have to go through to approve a re-hiring of Chris Beard. But him being seemingly on the market now — Ole Miss officials are vetting Beard; they have a job open right now. I’m not saying it’s inevitable he’s going to be hired or imminent he’s going to be hired, but that name looms large over Texas Tech right now.”

Of course, Beard led Tech to an Elite Eight and finished National Runner-Up in the 2018 and ’19 seasons before leaving for Texas a few years later. That move left a foul taste in the mouth of Red Raider fans, and he was booed out of the gym when he returned to Lubbock last season in his first year as Longhorns coach. So, safe to say there is definitely bad blood between the fans and Chris Beard. However, with Adams potentially being done following his own scandal, is it worth a second try with Beard to try and recapture the magic of the late 2010s?

We’ll just have to see, but the move would certainly generate some attention for the program.