Many people feel Beard is a sure fire winner, myself included. This is comparing Beard now to Buzz when we hired him - just a paper comparison, not a comparison based on watching games and results.
Buzz - Age 46, 12 years as a HC (1 year @ New Orleans, 6 years @ Marquette, 5 years at VT). 253-155 overall. 8 NCAA tournament appearances with 3 first rounds exits, 1 second round exit, 3 exits in Sweet 16, and one exit in Elite 8.
Beard - Age 52, 13.3 years as a HC (1 @ McMurry, 2 @ Angelo St, 1 @ Little Rock, 5 @ Texas Tech, 1.3 @ Texas, 2 @ Ole Miss). 280-121 overall. 6 NCAA tournament appearances (would he have gotten a bid in 2020, cancelled year? that would be 7) with 3 second round exits, 1 exit in first round, 1 exit in Elite 8, and 1 exit in NCAA Championship game (overtime game).
I guess this mainly remind me that, ON PAPER, Buzz was an excellent hire at the time we hired him. Took 2 different teams in 2 conferences to a Sweet 16 or higher. Many NCAA appearances.
Beard, today - to me, feels like an even stronger hire but I think that is mainly due to his making the championship game and watching his success "locally" at Tech and Texas, and then at conference-mate Ole Miss. We have had a front row seat to his success.
A Beard team has never been eliminated in a first round tourney game.
Buzz - Age 46, 12 years as a HC (1 year @ New Orleans, 6 years @ Marquette, 5 years at VT). 253-155 overall. 8 NCAA tournament appearances with 3 first rounds exits, 1 second round exit, 3 exits in Sweet 16, and one exit in Elite 8.
Beard - Age 52, 13.3 years as a HC (1 @ McMurry, 2 @ Angelo St, 1 @ Little Rock, 5 @ Texas Tech, 1.3 @ Texas, 2 @ Ole Miss). 280-121 overall. 6 NCAA tournament appearances (would he have gotten a bid in 2020, cancelled year? that would be 7) with 3 second round exits, 1 exit in first round, 1 exit in Elite 8, and 1 exit in NCAA Championship game (overtime game).
I guess this mainly remind me that, ON PAPER, Buzz was an excellent hire at the time we hired him. Took 2 different teams in 2 conferences to a Sweet 16 or higher. Many NCAA appearances.
Beard, today - to me, feels like an even stronger hire but I think that is mainly due to his making the championship game and watching his success "locally" at Tech and Texas, and then at conference-mate Ole Miss. We have had a front row seat to his success.
A Beard team has never been eliminated in a first round tourney game.