Beard embraces D-I opportunity

Chris Beard's coaching career reached a new high March 17 when he led Angelo State to a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Division II tournament for the first time.

The Rams lost to Tarleton State that night, but the next day Beard received an email that set in motion events that led him Wednesday to the Legends Room of the Jack Stephens Center, where he was introduced as UALR's new men's basketball coach.

It is Beard's first Division I head-coaching job in a 20-year career filled with success as an assistant and as a head coach at the junior college, semipro and Division II levels.

"I've worked my whole life for this," said Beard, wearing a maroon tie and Trojans lapel pin as he addressed a collection of reporters and about 100 supporters while being introduced as the school's 21st men's basketball coach. "The only thing I'm excited about more than being here is getting started."

Beard, 42, was chosen over four other finalists after spending two seasons at Angelo State, a program that won seven games the year before Beard's arrival but won 28 this past season while averaging 84.1 points per game.

Beard described himself Wednesday as a player's coach while thanking mentors Bobby Knight and Pat Knight, for whom he worked at Texas Tech in 2001-2011. He also addressed his recruiting strategy -- he'll recruit high schools, junior colleges and internationally and will welcome Division I transfers -- and made clear what he thinks is possible for a Trojans program that is two decades removed from its highest level of success.

Beard was less than two minutes into his opening remarks when he said the Trojans could get back to where they were in the 1980s, when they reached the NCAA Tournament three times in five seasons.

"I'm looking forward to a day in the near future when we're all back together, on a Sunday, watching the NCAA Selection Show and seeing where we're headed to play in the tournament," said Beard, who will be paid $230,000 annually for four seasons.

The confidence displayed by Beard on Wednesday was a trait that UALR Athletic Director Chasse Conque identified early in his search and something that Angelo State Athletic Director Sean Johnson pointed to as a big part of the Rams' turnaround.

"He said some really bold things out there," Conque said. "He's committed to winning, and he truly believes he can get that done."

Conque fired Steve Shields on March 18 -- the same day Beard said he received an email gauging his interest -- after 12 seasons. Shields won a school-record 192 games, but he had three losing seasons over the past four and advanced to the NCAA Tournament only once.

With the aid of Fogler Consulting, Conque compiled a list of five finalists, four of whom had at least some tie to the state. Mark Downey, an assistant coach at Bowling Green, had been the head coach at Arkansas Tech for four seasons. Philip Pearson, an assistant coach at Georgia, had been a graduate assistant at UALR in 1994-1995. Joe Kleine spent the past eight seasons as a UALR assistant, and Darrell Walker was an Arkansas Razorbacks player in the 1980s and lives in Little Rock.

But Conque said Wednesday that prior knowledge of an area isn't necessary for success.

"You can build those relationships, and I'm confident that people here will welcome Chris with open arms," Conque said. "He'll be allowed the opportunity to build those relationships with fans and also make inroads with high school coaches and AAU coaches in the state."

Conque said Beard emerged from the list of finalists largely because of what he's done as a head coach. Beard was 47-15 in two seasons at Angelo State, which had seven losing seasons in its previous 11 years before his arrival. That followed a 19-10 season at McMurry.

Beard was also 29-2 in one season with the South Carolina Warriors of the American Basketball Association, 25-6 in one season at Seminole (Okla.) State Community College and 19-12 in one season at Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College.

"I think when you have an opportunity to hire a sitting head coach, someone who has called a timeout, there's some real value in that," Conque said. "To do it at the college level, and to do it at all the levels he's been at, that's pretty remarkable.

"I think we found our guy."

Johnson thinks so, too. Johnson said when he first heard that UALR was targeting Beard, his first thought was "perfect fit."

Johnson should know, considering he was UALR's sports information director during some of its best seasons under former coach Mike Newell. Johnson said Beard, like Newell, understands the importance of community interest and playing a style that excites fans.

"When Mike was [at UALR] we were very fun to watch. It was entertaining basketball," Johnson said. "It's the old cliche, the right guy at the right time. We hated to lose him, but we're very excited for him because we know what he can do."

Beard said he had yet to meet with UALR's players, but eight of them attended his news conference and Beard planned to meet with players later Tuesday. He said he has started familiarizing himself with the roster, but he isn't sure yet what he'll be looking for during the spring signing period.

Learning more about players and assembling a staff are the next moves for Beard, who four years ago found himself out of college coaching for the first time in almost two decades. After leaving Texas Tech in 2011 following the firing of Pat Knight, he spent one season as a coach in the ABA.

But Tuesday, he found himself taking a job he's always wanted.

"The ultimate goal has always been to get a Division I coaching job at a place you can win at a high level," Beard said. "To me, in a lot of ways, this is the best day of my life."

Sports on 04/09/2015