Jeff Bolzero
Jeff Bolzero
ESPN Staff Writer
Basketball insider. I joined ESPN in 2014. Graduated from the University of Delaware.
Xavier coach Sean Miller has appeared as a target for Texas basketball search and is expected to close in the near future, sources told ESPN on Sunday.
The Longhorns told Rodney Terry that they would not return to lead the program early on Sunday, and the official announcement was soon followed. Terry was given official work after tentatively taking over for Chris Beard in 2022 and leading Texas to the 2023 Elite Eight. He led the Longhorns to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last two seasons, but did not advance in the first weekend of either year.
“It was a very difficult decision, and it was a decision that put a lot of thought, consideration and discussion when we assessed where we were,” Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte said in a statement, “Coach Terry led our program in a top-notch way.
Del Conte did extensive legwork at Miller before promoting Terry to the top spot in 2023, sources told ESPN.
Miller is a veteran head coach and has made his team appear in 13 NCAA tournaments in his career, including two of his past three seasons with Xavier. Miller won 487 games, bringing him a win rate of over 71%.
Xavier beat Texas in the first four on Wednesday, eliminating a 13-point deficit to score 86-80. The Musketeers shook off a 1-4 big East start and reached the NCAA Tournament, winning the final seven regular-season games, winning with Marquette, Turmeric and Clayton. Xavier finished fourth in the league 13-7.
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Miller has achieved success as Arizona State head coach, including three appearances in four regular season Pac-12 titles and Elite 8. In his first stint at Xavier from 2004-2008-2009, he led the school to four NCAA tournaments and an Elite 8.
Xavier hired Miller in 2022 after being fired from Arizona for missing out on the NCAA tournament in 2019 and 2021. Miller’s success in Arizona faded amid the shroud of a federal basketball investigation that included five level 1 allegations against the school.
Miller, a native of Pittsburgh, began his coaching career shortly after a four-year playing career at Pitt. He spent time as an assistant coach for Miami (Ohio), Pitt, North Carolina and Xavier before being promoted to replace Sadomatta in 2004 as head coach of musket players.
Del Conte has shown that candidates will line up to get jobs before firing their coaches in recent searches in baseball, women’s basketball and soccer. For example, he hired Steve Sarkisian after firing Tom Herman in January 2021.
News of the appearance of Miller was first reported by the American state of Austin.
