Is Texas Point Guard Marcus Carr Living Up to the Hype?

Preseason expectations can affect a team and it’s players in one of two ways.

When the hype is high, anything short of what people expect can seem like a failure.

When expectations are low, it becomes easier to see improvement.

The former has been the case for Texas point guard Marcus Carr, who entered the 2021-2022 season as the Big 12's Preseason Newcomer of the Year.

The No. 1 ranked transfer from Minnesota this past offseason, Carr has had bumps during the adjustment as a Longhorn, but has still performed as one of the best point guards in the Big 12 since conference play began.

He’s averaged 14 points and 3.2 assists, all while leading Texas in minutes per game (33) during the 10-game span. Carr’s play against Texas Tech on Tuesday will be forgotten cause of the loss, but he posted 18 points and three assists with zero turnovers against a stout Red Raider defense.

Whether you’re a Texas fan or not, you can’t deny the load Carr has had to shoulder so far this season. It’s one of the reasons Texas coach Chris Beard has labeled his star point guard with an important trait: courage.

“I thought Marcus did a great job with that tonight though, right?" Beard said on Tuesday. "Four assists, no turnovers against one of the best defenses in college basketball that was game-planning for him. A lot of courage. A lot of respect for this guy.”

Beard made sure the admiration for Carr didn't go unnoticed during the post-game presser, as he continuously patted the senior on the back to show how proud he was.

Ask Beard what he thinks about Carr's performance this season and the answer probably won't come as a surprise. Handling the offense on a team full of veteran players has been everything the head coach could ask for.

“It’s one of the best parts of coaching when you get to coach guys like Marcus," Beard said. "Marcus is special, one of the best players in college basketball.”

Carr has maintained Texas' second-best scoring average this season (11.0) while dishing out a team-best 3.3 assists per game. This Texas team doesn't have a go-to scorer given the abundance of talent, but Carr has clearly shown he's not afraid of being molded into the alpha.

Against Kansas State on Jan. 18, he posted a game-high 25 points and took over in the final 12 minutes of the second half, scoring 17 of the final 21 points for Texas from the 12-minute mark onward.

Carr barely missed a game-winner at the buzzer that would've given the Horns a narrow victory at home. If he makes it, the preseason expectations would likely be fulfilled in an instant in the eyes of Longhorns' fans.

Instead, the focus remains on what hasn't been going right for the Toronto native. Shooting the third-lowest field goal percentage on the team (38.9 percent) and committing the second-most turnovers (2.0) definitely warrants fair criticism.

But it's time to start settling in with reality. Carr is playing at an elite level that deserves recognition, regardless of what stats show. Even more respectable? Carr's proved he'll give his all for this team, a true characteristic of a leader.

“Just how much (Beard) supports me and has my back … how much he fights for us everyday, I really wanted to lay it on the line for him (against Texas Tech)," Carr said.

It's safe to say the country will continue to have their eyes on Carr's performance for the rest of the season. He's not blind to this fact either.

“This is Texas. We’re the most hated school not only in the Big 12, but in the country," he said.

The Longhorns (16-6, 5-4 in Big 12) will have a chance to bounce back from the Tech loss on Saturday afternoon at the Erwin Center, as the Iowa State Cyclones (16-6, 3-6 in Big 12) come to town. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. C.T.

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