A week ago while meeting the local media at his introductory press conference, new Texas basketball coach Sean Miller said “I'm taking a deep breath and obviously trying to put together the best staff that I possibly can.”
He apparently can exhale a bit, based on reports about his revamped staff.
Miller reportedly will bring four members of his staff at Xavier to Texas: assistants Adam Cohen, David Miller and Ryan Anderson as well as Ryan Reynolds, his director of basketball operations. And Miller also will retain Texas general manager Chris Ogden, a former UT player and assistant coach who has spent the past two years as the program's GM.
CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein first reported the moves.
Texas officials could not confirm the moves on Monday, but a source didn’t deny the report.
Miller seemed to outline his staffing plans at his press conference on March 25, which was attended by Ogden along with several Texas players.
“There's a great group of people that I have in Xavier, which a number of will come with me,” he said. “I'm also realistic and understanding that here at the University of Texas, having people that are a part of this great state, that have a history and tradition and the know-how, whether it be in recruiting or growing up here or playing at the University of Texas, (that’s) important.”
Chris Ogden: Longtime Longhorn remains a program fixture
The retention of Ogden seems to fit that second part, considering his history with the program. Since joining Texas basketball as a sharp-shooting stretch four out of the West Texas town of Seminole, he has spent a total of 16 years as either a player or on the staff at Texas.
Ogden also has played a key role in the development of student engagement at Moody Center, which opened three years ago and serves as the home for the men’s basketball program. But he’s also played a big role in talent acquisition, which has been an issue over the past two years. The Elite Eight team from two years ago was constructed by former coach Chris Beard, and former head coach Rodney Terry and Ogden failed to put together the right pieces the past two offseasons. The 2023-24 team was stymied defensively by a small starting backcourt that featured two 6-footers in Tyrese Hunter and Max Abmas and this year’s roster didn’t have enough size to compete consistently up front against the array of big bodies in the SEC.
Ogden and Terry had to navigate the portal without major NIL contributions, however, and Miller hinted that ...
