Chris Beard: "I'm all about one thing, winning"

[Aaron Carrara]

Photo: Texas Athletics​

Chris Beard was formally introduced as the 25th head basketball coach at Texas on Friday at 10:00 am.



Highlights:

• Beard and Texas Athletic Director Chris Del Conte met at a Comfort Inn in Plainview, Texas and discussed the vision for Texas Basketball over Egg McMuffins from McDonald's.
  
• A handful of hours later Beard and Del Conte had worked out a 7-year, $35 million deal to make Beard the 25th head basketball coach at Texas.
  
• Beard was always Del Conte's #1 candidate, commented on Beard's character as a human being as Beard was visibly emotional after telling the Tech players and coaches of his decision. "We got it right, We got it right" was what Del Conte thought to himself during this time.
  
• UT President Jay Hartzell on Texas Ex Chris Beard's hiring: "I too know what it is like to return home to a place that you love."
  
• Beard: "Expectations don't scare me. That's why I'm here."
  
• Beard says he understands the expectations and standards at Texas and reiterates that those standards and expectations don't scare him.
  
• Beard on Texas Basketball: "It's a Monday Night Program."
  
• Beard talked about his time as a player under his former head coach." I was a 5-year redshirt point guard under Tom Penders."
  
• Beard says he had a chance to spend time with Steve Sarkisian the day before.  He mentioned how he is a hug college football fan and said "Texas football will have no bigger supporter than him."
  
• Beard said Texas will win at the highest level and will do so sooner rather than later.
  
• "I don't coach for money, I coach to win.  I'm all about one thing - winning." --Chris Beard
  
• Beard says UT is going to recruit the best players in the world, says "We're not messing around. That's why I'm here."
  
• Beard says he loves the word pressure.  Says pressure to him is a good word.
  
• Beard says that there are NBA players on the Texas roster and there are winners on this roster. He says this isn't a rebuild and that the program is trying to win a championship now - not when the new arena is built.
  
• Beard, when asked why he is the guy: "The pride and winning tradition of the University of Texas shall not be entrusted to the weak or the timid.  I'm not weak. I'm not timid."
  
• "Nobody can match my hunger." --Chris Beard
  
• Beard says the staff at Texas will be the best in college basketball.
  
• Beard says the staff isn't sitting around thinking about what they are supposed to do. Says they already have a plan and it's time to execute that plan.
  

 

[tejasrulz]

Watching it now. I must admit he wasn't my first choice but listening to him speak I can see why CDC wanted him. Makes me want to put on my old Converse sneakers and play! 

 

[TexCoyote]

Man I know all coaches come in and do a good press conference and promise we’re going to win etc.... but my goodness if you can’t get fired up by watching Chris Beard’s press conference then nothing will fire you up. I’m cautiously optimistic about Texas Basketball future. 
 

We aren’t messing around. We’re going to win sooner rather than later- Chris Beard 4/2/21

 

[Sirhornsalot]

I missed it. I'll try to catch it on LHN later. Sounds like it went really well.

 

[primal defense]

 

[TB14]

I love how you can tell he didn't really prep much and has 1 million things on his mind of what he needs to do. Lol

 

[Wayne]

I can’t wait for basketball season.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

Okay, I saw it twice on LHN. I'll say this – Chris Beard is more motivated at this point than I've ever seen a UT HC be. I sincerely believe he will be successful because I think he sincerely wants it more than most.

 

[java]

He’s a Texas Ex. Some Texas Exes have failed, but he has the energy and the passion and the know how. It takes passion to ignite college players, and it takes the intuition, the fire to make them want to run through walls.
 

I love the hire, and I love the confidence of Del Conte.

 

[primal defense]

Okay, I saw it twice on LHN. I'll say this – Chris Beard is more motivated at this point than I've ever seen a UT HC be. I sincerely believe he will be successful because I think he sincerely wants it more than most.

 

[java]

Does anyone else think the great hires by are due to 1) Del Conte’s total lack of fear in hiring confident head coaches and 2) Del Conte telling our coaches they were hired to win.  Go hire the people they need to do it.

Del Conte is supremely confident in himself.  It manifests in many ways, not only in hiring. Tom was insubordinate, and he gone. 

I love it. Cards on the table, and no snakes in the grass. 
 

 

[Basis Points]

did anyone else notice the Freudian slip by Del Conte at the 3:34 mark when he say "When we set out to BUY,  _--find a basketball coach".  Hilarious.  We are Texas