Report: Chris Beard Initiated Contact With Texas A&M, Leveraged for More at Ole Miss

Ole Miss head basketball coach Chris Beard will remain in Oxford despite being the top condidate for Texas A&M's coaching vacancy, he informed the school on Wednesday.

The decision to remain with the Rebels comes on the heels of extended discussions with Texas A&M officials in connection to their head coaching position.

Now, after revealing his intentions of staying in Oxford, Beard will receive a new six-year contract along with additional NIL resources in order to build out a National Championship roster.

According to a report from Brian Davis, who has covered sports in the Lone Star State since 2013, the Aggies may not have been the first party to initiate conversation.

The report states that Beard may have utilized the Aggies to leverage more money and resources from the Ole Miss Rebels.

“Texas A&M officials genuinely believed Chris Beard wanted their basketball job, especially when Beard initiated contact, through intermediaries, before the Aggies had a vacancy,” Davis’ report reads.

“Aggies were ready to make the bold hire, make him one of highest paid coaches in hoops. Beard, a native Texan, told A&M people about his passion for the state and his newfound desire to beat rival Texas.

“Beard purposely avoided the UT departure topic this season; he remains close friends with now-former Texas coach Rodney Terry. When the A&M job actually opened, Beard leveraged A&M’s interest for more money from Ole Miss.

"A&M officials understand the importance of the hire, sources told me. But on to the next candidate. Pressure building on AD Trev Alberts to get it right.”

Sources: Texas A&M officials genuinely believed Chris Beard wanted their basketball job, especially when Beard initiated contact, through intermediaries, before the Aggies had a vacancy. Aggies were ready to make the bold hire, make him one of highest paid coaches in hoops.…
— Brian Davis (@byBDavis) April 3, 2025

The Aggies, according to TexAgs' Billy Lucci, were going "all out" in order to land Beard as the program's next head coach, but the Rebels upped the ante to maintain their shot-caller.

In his second season at the helm of the Rebels, Beard has transformed Ole Miss into a competitive program in the Southeastern Conference.

He led Ole Miss to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament this year after continuing to evolve the culture in Oxford.

The 2024-25 season became a rewarding one for Beard and Co. with the year feeling "different" for the Rebels' shot-caller.

"Every season ends for every team except for one, with the feelings we have right now. It's a little bit different for me this year. You dread that walk back to the locker room to talk to your guys, but this year just felt different," Beard said following the loss to Michigan State.

"I'm just so thankful. I've never been this kind of emotion when a season ends, but I'm just thankful for these guys. To be in the Sweet 16 our second year at Ole Miss, it's the players, especially these two guys to my left that endured the coaching change and stuck with us and decided to come back their last year and play for us.

"Just thankful, you know. From a coaching standpoint, you don't want to get beat your last game of the season, and I didn't think we did."

Now, Beard will remain with the program as they begin their quest at reconstructing the roster for next season.

The program has already hosted a handful of priority targets with Ole Miss upping the ante on the NIL front.

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