Gerry Hamilton

Oates makes 5 and will make 7 long term is he stays. Has a 10+ mill buyout Thats what I’m getting at … Texas would have to make a guy like that (Oates, Pearl, etc) a 7-8 mill a year coach plus a large salary pool, 5-6 mill a year NIL commitment etc… Texas has never gone to that level in hoops They would have to make a massive investment in hoops to pull that level coach

I agree Texas can do it … but the brass will have to make a level of financial commitment they never have in hoops With salary escalation… it will take 6.5-7 mill a year, larger salary pool than ever at Texas, larger NIL commitment in men’s hoops, plus the coach buyout, etc… Plus the RT and staff buyout Thats a level of financial commitment Texas has never gone to in hoops

My current college coaching list … at 4.5-5 mill a year salary and 4 mill NIL commitment TJ Otzelberger Brad Brownell Mick Cronin - don’t love the style, but results are there Doug McDermott - tremendous offensive coach Sean Miller ***Guys like: Tommy Lloyd Todd Golden Pat Kelsey Are at better jobs and will all be making 5-6 mill a year in short order with solid NIL backing Grant McCaslin (Tremendous coach) will go to Baylor if Scott Drew is the pick at Indiana

You think a coach would turn down 6-7 mill a year with a 5-6 mill NIL commitment, one of the nations top arenas in one of the two future power conferences because Texas fired Chris Beard for hitting a woman? The coaching community knows Rick Barnes stopped recruiting with the same vigor at the end of his time in Austin.

Texas can get someone of that caliber … money and financial commitment to program talks a lot Texas would just have to come over the top of whatever the school the coach is currently at with a huge financial commitment But Texas has never made that level of commitment in hoops

I actually really like the idea of Royal Ivey … he would just have to have the correct staff around him with zero college recruiting experience. But NBA offensive mind, guys would play hard for him and the job would mean everything to him. But it would require thinking outside the box. The Rockets brass believes he’s likely an NBA head coach somewhere in two years. If he’s on the track … I would likely go that route if I were Ivey.

If Texas is going to pay in the 4.5-5 mill range with a 4 mill NIL range budget Texas will still have a quality list of candidates But not the dream hot board list

A lot of Texas fans will say go hire Nate Oates … 1. I’m sure there will be a feeler 2. Nate Oates may be at a better job long term for him 3. Getting a Nate Oates level coach would be a basketball investment Texas has never made. It would take a 10 million buyout of Oates, plus 7.5-8 mill a year, plus a larger assistant pool that now. Plus a likely 5-6 million commitment in NIL And You have RT and staff’s buyout on top of it. Texas has never made that level investment in hoops. If Texas decided to make that type of investment… then the head coaching pool of candidates looks totally different

OnTexasFootball can report that members of the Texas staff (Chad Scott) have made contact with Forney (Texas) High 4-star++ RB Javian Osborne. OTF can also report that Texas remains in the mix for the ultra talented in-state running back. And an OV is in play.

That would be awesome for Jai

If Texas opens, and hires a coach on the level of a Sean Miller ... he will do well in Austin IMO.

He didn't have his best player in year two there. That kept them from being an NCAA Tournament team IMO

And I'm not saying he is option No. 1 or there aren't other quality coaches ... But he checks very important boxes for me: Strong talent evaluation ... he hit on a lot of guys at Zona. That includes international players (an area Texas needs to be much stronger in the future). It's easy to say, he just signed highly ranked players ... but he did a damn good job of hitting on the highly ranked kids/developing them when others around the sport have struggled. Putting a talented team together on the court that actually plays at a high level. One of the winningest active coaches in the NCAA Tournament. 4 Elite 8's, 8 Sweet 16's and an overall record of 21-12. Plays a pace an style that acceptable/needed. Here is what's most important for me ... it was mentioned above: You give a proven winner that has evaluated players at a high level 3.5-4 mill in NIL ... and he's going bring you a lot of W's. I'm not saying an NC (nobody ever has at Texas), but he would evaluate and build a roster and coach that roster to give you an opportunity in the SEC and in March Madness IMO. ***And here is a final piece if UT job opens ... Texas isn't going to go pay a CBK coach 7-9 million a year more than likely. So who is the best coach Texas could hire in the 4.5-5 mill range that could maximize a 3.5-4 mill future NIL roster ... Sean Miller should be on that list of guys considered. He was going to be the hire last go round, if RT hadn't got the job.

Chendall Weaver - still out Kaluma - probable https://www.secsports.com/mbbreports

Texas No. 35 in KenPom https://kenpom.com/

Bart Torvik ranking - No. 35 https://barttorvik.com/#

ESPN Bracketology February 21 https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/page/bracketology/ncaa-bracketology-2025-march-madness-men-field-predictions

Hoops: Texas at South Carolina Game Thread The Texas Longhorns are in Columbia, S.C. today to take on South Carolina. While this game isn't officially labeled as a must-win game due to having four more SEC games remaining after today, it's looked at as a must-win game by those in the program. Texas currently sits at 5-8 in SEC play with the number needed to be a lock for the NCAA Tournament (without a play-in game) at eight. A win today over a SEC winless Gamecocks team would provide a little breathing room with contest remaining at Arkansas, Georgia, at Mississippi State and Oklahoma. A loss, and the pressure is truly on having to win three of four, which would include a road win against a quality opponent. The game ... Texas (16-10, 5-8) at South Carolina (10-16, 0-12) Where: Colonial Life Arena (Columbia, S.C.) When: 7:30 p.m. CST TV: SEC Network Texas NCAA Tournament resume ... NCAA NET: No. 35 Quad 1: 4-8 Quad 2: 3-2 Quad 3: 2-0 Quad 4: 7-0 The game at South Carolina is a Quad 2 contest for the Horns. Every game remaining is a Quad 1 or Quad 2.

Wrote this in my story this morning ... One thing I'm not going to do is get caught up in the emotional swings of prospects in mid-February. Think about what has happened in the last few days... Tashard Choice leaves for the Detroit Lions. OTF 4-star++ running back Ezavier Crowell (Jackson, Ala./High) immediately announces on social media he is cancelling his June 6-8th OV. Sarkisian takes his time to make the hire he sees as the best fit. Hires Chad Scott. OTF 4-star++ running back Javian Osborne (Forney, Texas/High), or someone in his circle, announces via twitter at 5:26pm Friday that he will no longer make his official visit to Texas June 13-15th. And then less than five hours later at 10:09 pm Friday, Ezavier Crowell announces via twitter that he is now going to make his OV to Texas June 6-8th after a first conversation with new Texas running backs coach Chad Scott. Things will play out over time, but mid-February reaction to the emotional reactions by prospects and parents, I'm not going overboard reacting to as look at how fast things changed with Crowell.

BTW, should Texas open ... I don't think Will Wade would be the hire.

Agree with Pitino on Beard as a pure BBK coach. But I hear IU isn't likely to go that direction.

Drew remains the favorite for IU job I hear. Doesn't mean it's a done deal, of course. Things can fall apart.

I don't see Wade and Texas happening. But he's trying hard behind the scenes! I would bet Sean Miller would be ahead of him ... if Texas opens.

junior HUDL: http://www.hudl.com/v/2RBtiP

Louisiana DB schedules Texas visit Hayward Howard Jr. (New Orleans, La./Edna Karr) has quickly become one of the most coveted cornerbacks in the Southeast Region in the 2026 cycle. The son of former Ole Miss defensive lineman Hayward Howard was offered by Texas January 31, and tells OnTexasFootball today that he has an unofficial visit scheduled for March 29. The 6-foot-2, 170-pound rangy corner picked up offers from Texas, Texas A&M and Auburn January 31. Prior to that, Florida, Miami, Florida State, SMU, Texas Tech, Louisville and Houston offered in January.