Sean Miller Takes the Helm at Texas After Rodney terrys Tenure Ends
A disappointing season has prompted the University of Texas to make a change at the top of its men’s basketball program. Rodney Terry has been fired after nearly three seasons,and Sean Miller of Xavier is set to become the new head coach [[1](https://nypost.com/2025/03/23/sports/texas-fires-rodney-terry-hires-xaviers-sean-miller-after-march-madness-loss/)].
Longhorns Look to Miller for Program Revival
Miller’s hiring comes after Texas struggled to a 19-15 overall record and a 6-12 mark in the SEC this season.The Longhorns’ early exit from the 2025 NCAA Tournament, losing to Miller’s Xavier team in the First Four, seemingly sealed Terry’s fate.
From Interim to Exit: Terry’s time at Texas
Terry initially took over as interim head coach eight games into the 2022-23 season, following Chris Beard’s suspension and subsequent firing. He led the Longhorns to a Big 12 tournament title and an Elite Eight appearance, earning him the permanent head coach position. However, the team was unable to replicate that success despite having standout player Tre Johnson, who averaged nearly 20 points per game.
Financial Implications of Coaching Change
Texas will pay Terry a $5.4 million buyout as part of his five-year contract.
In a statement, terry expressed his gratitude: “I am so appreciative to have served the University of Texas and our men’s basketball program for 13 seasons. It was a dream of mine to be the head coach of the Longhorns, and I’ve been able to live that dream. I want to thank all of our coaches and current and former players who not only helped us win a lot of games, but more importantly represented this great university in a first-class manner.”
Miller’s Return to College Coaching
Miller recently completed his third season of his second stint at xavier. Before returning to Xavier ahead of the 2022-23 season, Miller coached at Arizona from 2009 to 2021 but was fired. His tenure at Arizona faced scrutiny due to an FBI investigation into college basketball corruption, including allegations of illicit payments to secure DeAndre Ayton’s commitment. While Arizona made seven NCAA Tournament appearances under Miller, the program had to vacate wins due to the investigation.
During Miller’s eight seasons at Xavier, the musketeers made the NCAA Tournament six times. Most recently, Xavier lost to Illinois in the first round after defeating Texas in the First Four [[1](https://nypost.com/2025/03/23/sports/texas-fires-rodney-terry-hires-xaviers-sean-miller-after-march-madness-loss/)].
Pressure to Perform in Austin
Texas athletic director Chris Del conte had previously considered Miller for the job two years ago, but Terry’s Elite eight run changed those plans.Now,Miller will be tasked with revitalizing a program that hasn’t reached the Final Four since 2003. The Longhorns have struggled in the NCAA Tournament, with 13 first-weekend losses as then. Their 2023 Elite Eight appearance was only their fourth Sweet Sixteen appearance since 2003.
Considering Sean Miller’s past controversies at Arizona, how will the Texas fanbase and university administration manage public perception and scrutiny surrounding his hiring?
Sean Miller Takes the Helm at Texas After Rodney Terry’s Tenure Ends
A disappointing season has prompted the University of Texas to make a change at the top of its men’s basketball program. Rodney Terry has been fired after nearly three seasons,and Sean Miller of Xavier is set to become the new head coach [[1](https://nypost.com/2025/03/23/sports/texas-fires-rodney-terry-hires-xaviers-sean-miller-after-march-madness-loss/)].
Longhorns Look to miller for Program Revival
Miller’s hiring comes after Texas struggled to a 19-15 overall record and a 6-12 mark in the SEC this season.The Longhorns’ early exit from the 2025 NCAA Tournament, losing to Miller’s Xavier team in the First Four, seemingly sealed Terry’s fate.
From Interim to Exit: Terry’s time at Texas
Terry initially took over as interim head coach eight games into the 2022-23 season, following Chris Beard’s suspension and subsequent firing. He led the Longhorns to a Big 12 tournament title and an Elite Eight appearance, earning him the permanent head coach position. However,the team was unable to replicate that success despite having standout player Tre Johnson,who averaged nearly 20 points per game.
Financial Implications of Coaching Change
Texas will pay terry a $5.4 million buyout as part of his five-year contract.
In a statement, terry expressed his gratitude: “I am so appreciative to have served the University of Texas and our men’s basketball program for 13 seasons.It was a dream of mine to be the head coach of the Longhorns, and I’ve been able to live that dream.I want to thank all of our coaches and current and former players who not only helped us win a lot of games, but more importantly represented this great university in a first-class manner.”
Miller’s Return to College Coaching
Miller recently completed his third season of his second stint at xavier.Before returning to Xavier ahead of the 2022-23 season, Miller coached at Arizona from 2009 to 2021 but was fired. His tenure at Arizona faced scrutiny due to the FBI inquiry into college basketball corruption,including allegations of illicit payments to secure DeAndre Ayton’s commitment. While Arizona made seven NCAA Tournament appearances under Miller, the program had to vacate wins due to the investigation.
During Miller’s eight seasons at Xavier, the musketeers made the NCAA Tournament six times. Most recently, Xavier lost to Illinois in the first round after defeating Texas in the First Four [[1](https://nypost.com/2025/03/23/sports/texas-fires-rodney-terry-hires-xaviers-sean-miller-after-march-madness-loss/)].
Pressure to Perform in Austin
Texas athletic director Chris Del conte had previously considered Miller for the job two years ago, but Terry’s Elite eight run changed those plans.Now,Miller will be tasked with revitalizing a program that hasn’t reached the Final Four as 2003. The Longhorns have struggled in the NCAA Tournament, with 13 first-weekend losses as then.Their 2023 Elite Eight appearance was only their fourth Sweet Sixteen appearance since 2003.
Q&A: Sean Miller Takes the Helm at Texas
Why was Rodney Terry fired?
Rodney Terry was fired due to a disappointing season,marked by a 19-15 overall record and a 6-12 conference record in the SEC. The team’s early exit from the 2025 NCAA Tournament, losing to Sean Miller’s Xavier team in the first Four, also contributed to the decision.
How long was rodney Terry the head coach at Texas?
Rodney Terry was the head coach for nearly three seasons, starting as the interim head coach eight games into the 2022-23 season, following Chris Beard’s suspension and subsequent firing.
What is Sean Miller’s coaching history?
Sean Miller recently completed his third season of his second stint at Xavier. Before that, he coached at Arizona from 2009 to 2021.His time at Arizona was marked by seven NCAA Tournament appearances but also faced scrutiny due to an FBI investigation into college basketball corruption.
What is the financial impact of Terry’s firing?
Texas will pay Rodney Terry a $5.4 million buyout as part of his five-year contract.
What is the state of the Texas basketball program?
The Texas Longhorns have struggled in recent years. They haven’t reached the Final Four since 2003 and have had a history of early exits from the NCAA Tournament. Sean Miller is tasked with revitalizing the program.
What happened in the recent NCAA Tournament with Xavier and Texas?
In the 2025 NCAA Tournament, Sean Miller’s Xavier team defeated Texas in the first Four, which contributed to Rodney Terry’s firing. Xavier lost to Illinois in the first round after their win against Texas [[1](https://nypost.com/2025/03/23/sports/texas-fires-rodney-terry-hires-xaviers-sean-miller-after-march-madness-loss/)].
With Sean Miller taking charge, the Longhorns are hoping for a resurgence. Stay tuned to see if Miller can lead Texas back to its former glory and finally reach the Final Four.
