No, Texas basketball should not consider hiring Jamie Dixon

Jamie Dixon Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports

Texas Basketball: What’s the future of the program after Chris Beard? by Connor Ferrill

Multiple college media outlets have released the top candidates they think could be eligible to take over the head coaching job with the Texas basketball program to replace the recently fired Chris Beard. Some of the common names mentioned as possible candidates for the Texas job opening are Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Eric Musselman, Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats and Brooklyn Nets assistant Royal Ivey.

But one name that popped up among the possible head coaching candidates from the Dallas Morning News on Jan. 5 is one that doesn’t appeal to me as much. The Dallas Morning News featured longtime TCU Horned Frogs coach Jamie Dixon as a potential candidate to watch for the Longhorns.

Here’s what this piece from the Dallas Morning News had to say about Texas possibly considering Dixon as a coaching candidate to replace Beard.

Texas Basketball and TCU HC Jamie Dixon is not fit Texas Athletic Director Chris Del Conte has already hired Dixon once by bringing him home to his alma mater in 2016 from Pitt. Dixon struggled from 2019-21, but led TCU to the second round last season and nearly upset Arizona. If he takes TCU on a long NCAA run, he could climb Texas’ roster.

Dixon was one of the last coaching hires CDC made during his time as TCU’s athletic director. He hired Dixon away from the Pitt Panthers before the 2016-17 season.

While I get the potential connection between Texas athletic director Chris del Conte and Dixon from their time at TCU together, I don’t think the Longhorns present an ideal fit for the Frogs’ bench boss.

Dixon will likely bring much of the same in terms of postseason results to the table that Shaka Smart did during his time as Texas’ coach. In his six full seasons as head coach of the Horned Frogs, Dixon has made the Big Dance just twice. And while he led the Frogs to the round of 32 last year, this is the furthest he’s gone with the program in a half-dozen tries.

Anyway, I think del Conte and the Longhorns will try for a big coaching recruit than Dixon. Texas will want a more distinguished record from a coach in terms of past results on the field and on the recruiting trail than what Dixon has produced at TCU (he posted a record in Big 12 play of just 44-66 with the program).

Texas currently has a record of 12-2 (1-1 Big 12) following a defensive one-loss loss to the Kansas State Wildcats at home at Moody Center on Jan. 3 by a final score of 116-103. Next up for acting head coach Rodney Terry and the Longhorns this season is a home date with the Oklahoma State Cowboys on January 7th.