Report: Ex-Texas coach Beard is top candidate for Ole Miss vacancy

Former Texas bench boss Chris Beard has emerged as the leading candidate for Ole Miss' head coaching job, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel and Jeff Borzello.

Both parties have been in contact recently and the Rebels are doing their due diligence on Beard, Thamel and Borzello added.

The Longhorns fired Beard in January less than a month after he was arrested on a domestic assault charge. A Texas prosecutor recently dismissed the case against Beard partly because the alleged victim didn't want to prosecute him.

Beard went 29-13 during his brief tenure in Austin. The Longhorns hired him in April 2021 after a successful five years at Texas Tech that included a run to the national championship game.

Ole Miss has been searching for a new bench boss since mutually parting ways with Kermit Davis after five seasons.

The Rebels kick off their SEC Tournament on Wednesday evening against South Carolina.