Texas Basketball Targeting Xavier's Sean Miller to Replace Rodney Terry

AUSTIN, TX — Xavier head coach Sean Miller has emerged as the leading candidate to take over the Texas men’s basketball program following the dismissal of Rodney Terry, according to multiple reports Sunday.

ESPN reported that a deal between Miller and Texas is expected to be finalized soon. The report follows Texas’ announcement earlier Sunday that Terry would not return after two full seasons leading the program.

Terry, who took over as interim head coach in December 2022 following the suspension and eventual dismissal of Chris Beard, was promoted after guiding Texas to the Elite Eight in 2023. He led the Longhorns to back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances but failed to advance beyond the first weekend in either year.

"This was a very difficult decision and one that we put a great deal of thought, consideration and discussion into as we evaluated where we are as a men's basketball program," Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte said in a statement. "My philosophy has always been to wait until the end of the season and review every facet of our program before making any final decisions, and we've been doing that since our heartbreaking First Four loss in the NCAA Tournament. In looking at everything over the past three seasons, our first year in the SEC this past year, and where we're headed in the future, Coach Terry and I have decided it is in the best interest of The University of Texas to move in a different direction."

Miller, 55, is a veteran coach with 13 NCAA tournament appearances and 487 career wins. He has spent the past two seasons in his second stint with Xavier, leading the Musketeers to the tournament this year after a late-season surge that included wins over ranked opponents Marquette, UConn and Creighton. Xavier finished 13-7 in Big East play and defeated Texas 86-80 in the First Four after overcoming a 13-point deficit.

Miller previously coached Arizona from 2009 to 2021, where he won four Pac-12 regular-season titles and reached the Elite Eight three times. His tenure ended amid the fallout from a federal investigation into college basketball that resulted in five Level 1 NCAA violations levied against the school.

He began his head coaching career at Xavier in 2004, leading the Musketeers to four NCAA tournament appearances and an Elite Eight in 2008. A Pittsburgh native and former point guard at Pitt, Miller launched his coaching career as an assistant at several programs, including NC State and Xavier, before ascending to the top job.

Texas’ decision to part ways with Terry continues a pattern under Del Conte, who previously made swift hires in football, women’s basketball, and baseball. He famously named Steve Sarkisian head football coach just hours after firing Tom Herman in 2021.

The news of Miller’s emergence as the frontrunner was first reported by the Austin American-Statesman.