Report: Chris Beard takes Texas Tech job after brief UNLV stint
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UNLV coach Chris Beard will fill the head coaching vacancy at Texas Tech less than a month after formally being named the Rebels head coach, reports Jeff Goodman of ESPN.
The head coaching job at Texas Tech opened Thursday morning when Tubby Smith left the school to take over at Memphis.
Beard has a $1 million buyout in his UNLV contract. But Texas Tech will receive a $900,000 buyout payment from Memphis as a result of the Smith hire.
Goodman reports Beard's deal at Texas Tech will be for five years.
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Beard accepted the UNLV job on March 27 after one season at Little Rock. He led the Trojans to a 30–5 record and an appearance in the second round of the NCAA tournament in his first season as a Division I coach.
Beard has plenty of experience in the Big 12. The Bob Knight disciple previously spent 10 seasons as an assistant at Texas Tech, working in Lubbock from 2001–11. His first coaching job was as a student assistant at Texas from 1991-1995.
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Texas Tech graduates its top two scorers after finishing with a 19-13 record last season and falling to Butler in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
