Shocking Candidate Emerging To Replace Buzz Williams at Texas A&M

One candidate is emerging above all others for the Texas A&M coaching job.

Mississippi Rebels head coach Chris Beard during the first half of a first round NCAA men’s tournament game | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

The Texas A&M Aggies lost head coach Buzz Williams to the Maryland Terrapins on Tuesday, ushering in the start of a brand new era of basketball in Aggieland.

Now, according to reports from college basketball insider Jeff Goodman, it appears that one target is standing out above all others for Texas A&M - former Texas Longhorns coach and current Ole Miss coach, Chris Beard.

Texas Longhorns head coach Chris Beard reacts during the second half against the Creighton Bluejays | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

"Ole Miss coach Chris Beard will be one of the primary candidates for the Texas A&M opening, source told the Field of 68," Goodman said. "Will be interesting to see whether Beard would rather stay in Oxford or head to College Station."

At first glance, this may sound like a long shot or a farfetched idea. Beard is firmly entrenched in Oxford at the moment, and is fresh off of a run to the Sweet 16. Not to mention, Ole Miss took a chance on him when it seemed like he might be an untouchable option.

However, there are a few things here that could make the scenario a more realistic one.

For starters, Ole Miss is not exactly a basketball destination school. The Aggies have a superior history - albeit not drastic - on the hardwood, and it does have a chance to be a moderately better job than the one in Oxford.

Beard has also been extremely successful in the state of Texas, leading both the Longhorns and Texas Tech to big seasons in the past, including a national title appearance for the Red Raiders. In total, he reached four NCAA Tournaments in six seasons, three of which came with Tech, and another coming with Texas.

In fact, were it not for the canceled 2020-21 tournament, and his firing in 2022-23, he likely would have made it in all six years.

Beard is also known as a tenacious recruiter, both on the trail and in the transfer portal, and brilliant defensive tactician - each of which could potentially help the Aggies turn things around in a hurry like he did for the Longhorns in Austin.

On top of all that, how poetic would it be for the Aggies to hire a former Longhorns coach who was once thought to be the savior of a desolate program?