Rodney Terry consistently auditioning as Texas interim coach
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Each recreation the Texas Longhorns play appears like an audition for interim coach Rodney Terry.
In some unspecified time in the future, the college should determine if he deserves a callback.
What would that take? A Massive 12 championship? A deep run into the NCAA Match? Texas hasn’t gained the league’s regular-season title or made it to the second weekend of the NCAA Match since doing each in 2008.
Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte will not talk about the seek for a everlasting substitute for Chris Beard, who was fired Jan. 5, or whether or not Terry is a prime candidate for the place.
However the AD can see what everybody else can: Texas (17-3, 6-2 Massive 12) is ranked No. 10, shares first place in the Big 12 and hasn’t missed a step since Beard was first suspended on Dec. 12 after which fired following his arrest on a felony home violence cost.
“I’m actually pleased with what they’re doing,” Del Conte mentioned of the staff this week. “I couldn’t be extra happy for him and our complete staff.”
Terry, who was the pinnacle coach at Fresno State and UTEP earlier than becoming a member of Beard’s Texas employees, additionally deflects questions on his future in burnt orange and whether or not he is excited about it each time he is on the courtroom.
“The factor I can management proper now’s working with these guys each single day. I really like the staff that we have now. They imagine in what we’re making an attempt to get accomplished,” Terry mentioned. “I am a agency believer in residing the place your toes are and residing within the second. Get pleasure from this season, this journey. Tomorrow shouldn’t be promised to us.”
Terry took over a staff that is deep in veteran expertise and maturity. Star guard and main scorer Marcus Carr is a sixth-year graduate scholar. Ahead Timmy Allen, the second main scorer, is a fifth-year senior. Each are 23 years previous.
Sixth man Sir’Jabari Rice is a graduate switch from New Mexico State and the Longhorns’ go-to participant to place video games away within the remaining minutes together with his 86% free-throw taking pictures — third within the Massive 12.
Texas gamers have described the confusion that surrounded Beard’s arrest, suspension and supreme firing. Carr mentioned the older gamers rapidly redirected the main target to the basketball courtroom and never the courtroom.
In return, Texas is 10-2 beneath Terry, with its solely losses coming in opposition to No. 5 Kansas State and No. 12 Iowa State, the 2 groups on the prime of the Massive 12 with the Longhorns.
Terry wasn’t a stranger to Texas, having served on Rick Barnes’ Longhorns employees from 2002-2011.
Terry and Barnes will see one another once more Saturday when the Longhorns play at No. 4 Tennessee within the Massive 12/SEC problem. After they had been collectively at Texas, the Longhorns had their best decade in program historical past: two nationwide gamers of the 12 months in T.J. Ford and Kevin Durant and making the Last 4 in 2003 and the Elite Eight in 2006 and 2008.
Terry mentioned Barnes referred to as him after he led Texas to an extra time win over Rice, which got here simply hours after Beard was first suspended.
“He mentioned to me, ‘Be ready to will this staff all through the course of the remainder of this season, and also you’re greater than ready for this chance … Exit and benefit from the experience attempt to take these guys so far as you’ll be able to take them,” Terry mentioned.
Beard was employed to jumpstart a program that grew to become stagnant in Barnes’ remaining years and could not break by beneath Shaka Good. It was working, too. Final season, Texas received its first NCAA Match win since 2014. Beard additionally pushed for individuals to return to Texas’ new enviornment, the Moody Heart, and linked with followers throughout his campus “fireplace chats.”
Then got here the arrest and the costs, and Terry’s takeover.
Terry not too long ago stepped into the highlight a bit by showing on a weekly radio present and a tv program on the Longhorn Community. Del Conte mentioned placing Terry in these slots fulfills community contract obligations.
However additionally they permit Terry to construct his personal voice because the chief of the Longhorns program, one which he insists is a player-led staff.
“You place your gamers first,” Terry mentioned. “I do not have to be the face of this system. My face shouldn’t be fairly sufficient.”
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