While upsets have been commonplace in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, the Texas Longhorns, the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region, have largely been exempt. Texas defeated Xavier 83-71 on Friday night to punch its ticket to the Elite Eight.
In the process, Longhorns coach Rodney Terry, did something that no other coach has done in 34 years.
Terry did not start the season coaching Texas. That was Chris Beard.
But in January, Beard was fired after being arrested for third-degree felony domestic violence following an incident with his fiancée. With that, Terry, who had been the acting coach during Beard’s suspension, assumed the role for the remainder of the season.
Texas’ trip to Elite Eight is the first of its kind since 1989. That season, Steve Fisher took over the job from Bill Frieder just before the NCAA Tournament. Frieder had taken the job at Arizona State and while he wanted to coach the Wolverines through the tournament, athletic director Bo Schembechler famously did not allow it.
Terry is the first coach since Fisher to guide his team to the Elite Eight without having started the season in the head coaching role.
Rodney Terry is the first head coach since Michigan's Steve Fisher in 1989 to reach Elite 8 after not starting the season as HC 🤘 @TexasMBB pic.twitter.com/lM5U6QtnPO
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 25, 2023
Terry is joining good company. In 1989, Michigan not only reached the Elite Eight but won the national championship.
Time will tell if Terry can lead the Longhorns to similar success. But one way or another, Terry, who is still officially an interim coach, is making a pretty good case to assume the full-time role after the tournament.
