Texas fires Beard as coach, says he’s ‘unfit’

Texas fired basketball coach Chris Beard on Thursday, telling his attorney he is “unfit” for the position while he faces a felony domestic family violence charge stemming from a Dec. 12 incident involving his fiancée.

Beard had five years left on a seven-year guaranteed contract that included a provision he could be fired for cause if he was charged with a felony or committed other behavior unbecoming of his position or that reflected poorly on the university.

The charge of assault by strangulation/suffocation family violence carries a possible prison sentence of two to 10 years if convicted; the woman told police Beard strangled and bit her, but later denied he choked her.

Beard had been suspended without pay since he was arrested, and school officials had said there was an internal investigation.

Police responded to an emergency call at Beard’s house after midnight on Dec. 12 and arrested him after Beard’s fiancée, Randi Trew, told officers he choked her from behind, bit her and hit her when the two got in an argument.

Trew later issued a public statement on Dec. 23 in which she denied telling police Beard choked her.

Beard led Texas Tech to the 2019 NCAA Tournament championship game and was hired at Texas in 2021 with the expectation that he would lift his alma mater to the same elite level.

Associate head coach Rodney Terry took Beard’s place during the suspension, and will remain acting head coach through the rest of this season.

College football: As expected, Wake Forest QB Sam Hartman will transfer to Notre Dame for his final season. Hartman tops the ACC record book in TD passes (110 in five sesons) and is second in passing yards (12,967) behind Philip Rivers.

NBA: Wizards G Bradley Beal will be out at least a week with a low-grade left hamstring strain.