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Sean Miller was the head coach at Xavier last season, and when Selection Sunday rolled around, the Musketeers learned that they were going to the First Four in Dayton to take on the Texas basketball team. Xavier ended up winning the game thanks to a big second half, but their tournament run was short-lived. After their season ended, Miller was hired by the Longhorns after they fired Rodney Terry as head coach.
Deciding to leave Xavier for the Texas basketball team was not an easy decision. Everything happened very quickly once Miller decided to leave for the Longhorns, and it was a challenge.
“In college sports, when you make a decision today, things happen immediately,” Miller told Jon Rothstein. “So it just, it doesn't feel right leaving the place you left. Isn't always going to feel right to the people at that previous place, because it's like, on Monday, you were there, and on Tuesday, you left forever. And to some degree, that's unfortunately how it happens. There's not a bridge of a month or a two-month goodbye.”
Miller spent a lot of time at Xavier before making the move over to Texas. He has a lot of fond memories, and he knows that coaching in the Big East is a unique experience.
“I loved my experiences at Xavier,” he continued. “Remember, I was there for 11 years, two different stops, eight years as the head coach. And the Big East speaks for itself. Like all the different things that you and I have talked about over the last couple of years, remain true. It's an amazing place, the Big East Tournament, it's hard to explain to people. And I played in a Big East tournament and coached in it, and that's something I'll cherish forever, as I will my time at Xavier.”
At the end of the day, the opportunity to coach at Texas was something that he couldn't say no to.
“There's only one Texas, and when I had this opportunity, like everybody in their profession, when you're given a great opportunity with a great challenge, and those two things meet, you know, sometimes it's hard to look at in any other way, other than, like, this is something that I have to do, I want to do, and you never look back,” Miller added. “So I think that's part of it.”
Another big factor in Sean Miller's decision was the changing landscape of college sports. There is a lot of uncertainty, and some universities could end up getting left behind. It doesn't seem likely that it will happen at a school like Texas.
“I'll also tell you that the world of college sports is not the same place as it was four years ago,” Miller said. “I think that's a fair statement. You know, some of the things, advantages, and disadvantages that you have at a certain program or conference, then may not be the same advantage; as a matter of fact, it might be a disadvantage now. So the one thing about this place, the University of Texas, is whatever the future of college sports is, we'll be at the table. And I think that's very comforting for any coach that's on our campus.”
A new era is beginning for Sean Miller and the Texas basketball team. He is excited about his challenge.
