Multiple reports on Monday morning show that Texas men’s basketball head coach Chris Beard was arrested early Monday on unsettling charges.
According to the Travis County Sheriff’s Office via On3 Sports, Christopher Michael Beard, age 49, was arrested for “ASSAULT ON FAMILY/HOUSEHOLD MEMBER IMPEDE BREATH CIRCULATION,” a 3rd-degree felony.
The sheriff’s office lists that Beard was booked on Dec. 12, 2022, at 5:18 AM.
While there are still parts to the story that have yet to be revealed to the public, the news regarding Beard and the Texas basketball team does relate to Tennessee.
Beard’s Longhorns, currently the No. 2 ranked team in the nation, will travel to Knoxville in late January for a game against Rick Barnes and the No. 7 Volunteers.
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Tennessee and Texas met in Austin during the 2021-2022 season as part of the Big12/SEC Challenge on Jan. 29, 2022. The Longhorns edged out the Volunteers by a score of 52-51 in Rick Barnes’ first return to the Erwin Center in Austin since leaving the program in 2015.
Chris Beard was hired to be the Texas basketball head coach in April of 2021 after spending five years as the Texas Tech basketball head coach. Beard went 22-12 overall and 10-8 in the conference during his first season in Austin. The Longhorns finished 4th in the conference and made it to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament.
Tennessee and Texas are scheduled to compete in the 2022-2023 Big12/SEC Challenge in Knoxville on Jan. 28, 2023. After the reports and arrest on Monday morning, though, there will be plenty of questions to be answered regarding the Longhorns’ head coach before then.
Texas is slated to host Rice on Monday night in Austin at 7:00 p.m. CT. Stay tuned to this article for more updates on the story as the day goes on.
Texas coach Chris Beard was arrested at 4:18 this morning and charged with assault on a family/household member, Austin police confirm to @Stadium. Beard was booked with a third degree felony.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) December 12, 2022
We’re not crying. You’re crying
Rick Barnes joins Chris Beard in his latest Fireside Chat. pic.twitter.com/njTA8zUl8v
— Longhorn Network (@LonghornNetwork) January 29, 2022
Update: The Texas athletics department has made a statement on Monday morning.
Texas has released the following statement on Chris Beard. pic.twitter.com/nxa3TwDPxH
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) December 12, 2022
