Take Ole Miss coach Chris Beard off your coaching hot boards. At least, that is if you take him at his word.
Beard is in his third season at Ole Miss but things have not gone according to plan. His team is even riding a 10-game losing streak. The struggles have led to Beard being linked to new jobs next season, most notably Kansas State, which is looking for a coach after firing Jerome Tang midseason.
On Thursday night, Beard addressed those rumors. He spoke on RebTalk where he seemingly reassured Rebels fans he isn’t going anywhere.
“I need to put a full-page ad out in the Oxford newspaper or buy some TV time,” Beard said. “This is sincere: thank you. We’ve continued to have tremendous support. … You find out who’s with you in times of adversity. You got a lot of friends when the ball is going your way. And when things kind of throw you a curveball from time to time, you really figure out who’s with you in those times. I’m super appreciative of our student body. … My promise is there’s greater days ahead. This too shall pass. We’re committed to being here at Ole Miss and building a program that’s nationally competitive.”
Beard seemed like a home run hire for Ole Miss in 2023. After five years and even making a national championship at Texas Tech, he then jumped to his alma mater, Texas. Beard won 22 games in Year 1 and had things rolling for the Longhorns, but was fired just eight games into the season, as he was arrested on strangulation charges. Charges were dismissed later on and Beard landed at Ole Miss.
The Rebels went 20-12 in Beard’s first season and then won 24 games and made the Sweet 16 in Year 2. But this year, things have fallen off track. Ole Miss is 11-17 and hasn’t won a game since January 17. The Rebels look to snap that skid on Saturday when they go to face Auburn on the road.
Kansas State hot board without Beard
While he might have seemed to shut down those rumors of being linked to other jobs, you can never fully take a name off the board until a hire is made. That being said, the Wildcats might have to look elsewhere to find a new coach.
On3’s K-State Online is following the search and has inside scoop for members. A list of most likely candidates for the Wildcats included Belmont coach Casey Alexander, Utah State coach Jerrod Calhoun and others. Beard was on the list as well, but might not be a candidate any longer.