Wreck'Em Red
Fansided

Chris Beard Contract Extension Less Risky Than Kingsbury’s

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TX - FEBRUARY 13: Head coach Chris Beard and the bench of the Texas Tech Red Raiders react to a made three point shot during the second half of the game against the Oklahoma Sooners on February 13, 2018 at United Supermarket Arena in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech defeated Oklahoma 88-78. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX - FEBRUARY 13: Head coach Chris Beard and the bench of the Texas Tech Red Raiders react to a made three point shot during the second half of the game against the Oklahoma Sooners on February 13, 2018 at United Supermarket Arena in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech defeated Oklahoma 88-78. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Monday, news broke that Texas Tech head basketball coach Chris Beard received a six-year contract extension causing many to wonder if the decision was another hasty move by AD Kirby Hocutt similar to the Kliff Kingsbury extension.  However, the two situations couldn’t be more different.

One can’t fault some Texas Tech fans for being a bit worrisome or cynical about Chris Beard’s new six-year, $19 million contract extension.  Pessimistic fans fear that athletics director Kirby Hocutt may be repeating the biggest mistake of his Texas Tech tenure, the 2014 contract extension given to Kliff Kingsbury.

Sure, there are some similarities in the two situations.  At the time of each extension, both Beard and Kingsbury were among the hottest coaching names in their respective sports.

Additionally, both coaches have strong Texas Tech ties and are extremely popular with the fan base.  Thus, in both situations it appears that Hocutt’s intention was to be proactive in locking up a coach that has tremendous upside to prevent him from bolting for greener pastures.

Yet, despite the surface similarities, a closer look at the two moves shows that Beard is a much safer bet than Kingsbury was.

For starters, Beard has a proven track record as a successful head coach.  Beard had four years’ experience as a collegiate head coach prior to taking the Texas Tech job. In those seasons, he compiled a 96-30 record.  Additionally, he had nine years experience as an assistant at Texas Tech under Bob Knight and Pat Knight helping prepare him to lead his own program.

As most know, Kingsbury had never been a head coach at any level of football prior to being hired in 2013 by Hocutt.  What’s more, he had just five years experience as an assistant coach and only two as an offensive coordinator.

Beard’s rise to prominence may seem quick to some but he has been coaching since 1991.  After coaching for almost three decades, Beard does not have to learn how to run a program while competing in the Big 12 as was Kingsbury’s task.

Another factor making this move less risky than the Kingsbury extension is that Beard has proven capable of taking his program to far greater heights than Kingsubry had at the time of his extension (or since).

The Kingsbury extension came after his first season in Lubbock.  Though the team went 8-5 and won the Holiday Bowl over a ranked Arizona State team, Kingsbury’s first season was mediocre at best.

Texas Tech started the 2013 season 7-0 and found itself ranked in the top 10 in the national polls. However, the season took a dive as the competition stiffened in October and November (which began a troubling pattern that has plagued most of Kingsbury’s teams since).  Kingsbury’s team ended the regular season on a 5-game losing streak and had Tech not prevailed in the bowl game, the season would have been viewed by many as a disappointment.

On the other hand, Beard has taken the Texas Tech basketball program to never-before-seen heights.  This season, Tech spent much of the Big 12 season in first place and finished second in the league, the highest in program history.  Likewise, the team reached No. 5 in the national polls for the first time ever and spent more weeks ranked in the top ten this season than in any other season on record.

With Beard, there is a greater level of accomplishment at Texas Tech.  He has proven capable of putting together a team that is among the elite in the nation.  Conversely, Kingsbury’s only top 10 ranking was a mirage built on a favorable schedule.  He failed to maintain that momentum and has not come close to having Texas Tech back to national prominence.

While Beard has taken the program somewhere it’s never been, Kingsbury’s best seasons have proven to be painfully mediocre.  With Beard, Texas Tech fans know that championships are possible.  With Kingsbury, fans are still left to hope.

Finally, it appears that Beard has set his program up for continued success.  Beard is proving to be just as effective on the recruiting trail as he has been on the bench.

More from Wreck'Em Red

Just last week, Texas Tech received a verbal commitment from 4-star forward Khavon Moore, the highest rated player to ever commit to the Red Raiders.  When he is teamed with current freshmen Jarrett Culver and Zhaire Smith, the trio could be the most dynamic in the Big 12.  In other words, Beard has built an exciting future.

On the other end of that spectrum is the Kingsbury player departure saga.  Immediately following Kingsbury’s first season, the program was hit with a number of high-profile departures.  Under the current staff’s watch, Tech has seen players like Baker Mayfield, Michael Brewer, Davis Webb, Breiden Fehoko and Jonathan Giles, Nigel Bethel, Tevin Madison and a host of others transfer to various programs.

To be fair, each of these situations had extenuating circumstances and football programs will have more attrition than others simply due to the size of the roster.  Still, there seems to be a bit of a different vibe between Beard and Kingsbury and their report with their respective rosters.

Beard is a motivator whose post-game press conferences often rival the greatest Knute Rockne speeches while the cerebral Kingsbury comes across as distant and mysterious.  Beard makes people want to run through a brick wall.  Kingsbury makes people want to dress it in a designer suit.

Next: Chris Beard Should Have Been Unanimous Coach of the Year

Most Texas Tech fans applaud Kirby Hocutt’s decision to extend Chris Beard’s contract.  No coach in college basketball was more deserving of a raise than Texas Tech’s.  However, fans that are still gun-shy about emotionally going all-in on Beard because they were burned by the Kingsbury extension will soon realize that the Beard extension was the best move Kirby Hocutt has made since hiring Beard in the first place.

Home/Texas Tech Basketball