Rumours have started circulating that Ole Miss Basketball head coach Chris Beard could be a target for the vacant Arkansas head coach job.
Shortly after Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman was hired by USC Basketball on April 4, rumours began to swirl about potential candidates for the Razorbacks head coach, with current Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard leading the pack.
The media is already pushing the Chris Beard to Arkansas rumours, with Pete Nakos of On3 posting that the Ole Miss head coach was in the mix for the Arkansas job.
And Chris Beard is immediately in the mix at Arkansas. https://t.co/NllLVhYpCv
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) April 4, 2024
Why Would Chris Beard Give up What He's Building With Ole Miss?
Coach Beard made a strong debut as the head coach of Ole Miss, leading the Rebels to a 20-win season, their first since 2018-19. Despite a rough end to the season, there was optimism for year two. Historically, Beard's teams have shown significant improvement in their second year under his leadership.
Beard has ties to the state of Arkansas, holding the head coach role at Little Rock from 2015-2016. The Razorbacks are a sleeping giant in the SEC, with the program having plenty of resources for an ambitious head coach.
What's the Deal With Chris Beard's Contract Extension?
It was reported on March 13 that Beard had signed a new contract extension with the Rebels. However, Jacob Davis, a reporter and recruiting analyst for All Hogs of Sports Illustrated, has shared that according to a source, Beard still needs to 'officially 'sign the contract.
According to a source, Ole Miss’ Chris Beard has yet to ‘officially’ sign the extension with the Rebels which was announced during the SEC Tournament.
— Jacob Davis (@JacobScottDavis) April 3, 2024
Ole Miss or Chris Beard have not spoken about rumours as of April 4. However, it's only early since Musselman accepted the USC job. Expect more Beard rumours before we get official reports on the Arkansas job.