Chris Beard Staying at Ole Miss After 'Significant' Talks With Texas A&M

The Texas A&M Aggies will reportedly have to continue their coaching search elsewhere after reportedly having eyes on Oxford, Miss.

Per reports from ESPN's Pete Thamel, Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard will be staying with the Rebels despite speculation that he could be the top candidate to replace Buzz Williams in College Station. Williams left the program after six seasons to become the head coach at Maryland.

Thamel reports that Beard had "significant discussions" with Texas A&M but will remain in Oxford as the program now looks to move forward with him as the coach of the future.

"Chris Beard has informed Ole Miss he's staying at the school, sources tell me and Jeff Borzello," Thamel wrote on X. "He'd engaged in significant discussions with Texas A&M, but he ultimately decided to stay at Ole Miss. He's set to receive a raise, more resources for staff and a strong NIL package."

Beard has spent the past two seasons with Ole Miss after being fired by Texas in January 2023 following his arrest for domestic violence charges that were dismissed. He's posted a 44-24 record in two years with the Rebels, leading the program this season to its first Sweet 16 since 2001.

Ole Miss gave Beard a second chance when it was far from a guarantee he'd be a Power-level coach again after being fired at Texas. He's already gotten the program to heights it has rarely seen all while doing so in college basketball's toughest conference.

It's likely that the lure of College Station is something Beard considered but what he's built in Oxford after just two seasons appears

The Rebels bowed out in a 73-70 loss to the Michigan State Spartans in the Sweet 16, finishing the season with a 24-12 record and 10-8 mark in conference play. Ole Miss was seen as a potential Final Four dark horse after easily dismantling a depleted No. 2-seeded Iowa State team in the second round but came up just short against Michigan State.

"I've been blessed to coach a lot of great teams, but these guys were different," Beard said after the loss. "Literally we walked around expecting to win the SEC, expecting to win every game, and expecting to make it to San Antonio, and it was beautiful to be around."

Beard's potential hiring at Texas A&M would certainly have put elite expectations on the program moving forward, something that wasn't present at first in the Buzz Williams era. Instead, the future of the program is uncertain until Trev Alberts makes a decision.

Time will tell if the Aggies are able to bring in a veteran or hire an up-and-coming head coach.